This report presents the main conclusions of the 2nd round of the IPC Chronic Food Insecurity analysis, which covered 10 districts. The 1st round of IPC Chronic Food Insecurity analysis was conducted in November 2014 and covered 18 districts located in the Northern and Southern parts of Bangladesh.

The results of both rounds of IPC Chronic Food Insecurity analysis covering a total of 28 districts will remain valid for next 3 to 5 years, in the absence of any structural changes.

• Out of the 10 districts analyzed, Sunamgonj and Bandarban have been classified in Level 4 or Severe Chronic Food Insecurity (CFI). The other 8 districts have been classified in moderate CFI (Level 3).
• Of the total population in the 10 districts analyzed, 12 percent is in Level 4 and 18 percent in Level 3. The proportion of population in Level 3 is higher in south eastern Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) districts than in north eastern Haor districts.
• Food access, utilization, sanitation, caring practices and more especially poverty are the major drivers of chronic food insecurity in the most affected districts.

In Level 4 districts, Sunamganj and Bandarban, the severe chronic food insecurity is the result of the poor food consumption quantity, quality and high levels of chronic undernutrition.

In Level 3 districts, food consumption quality is worse than quantity and chronic undernutrition is a major concern. Nearly 70 percent of children and over 60 percent of women do not consume minimum diversified diets. Severe stunting rates vary between 11-20 percent with exception of Rangamati.

The major factors contributing to the severe and moderate chronic food insecurity situation are: 

• The major factors contributing to the severe and moderate chronic food insecurity situation are: 
• Low value livelihood strategies, which result in inadequate and often unpredictable income,combined with high dependency on single livelihood and low literacy rates, which result in high poverty (27%);
• Lack of improved sanitation and lack of infrastructural facilities such as electricity, roads, growth centers (government approved market places).

Other factors that contribute to severe chronic food insecurity include:

• Inadequate financial and social access to food, and
• Climatic hazards such as excessive rainfall and pre-monsoon flash floods.

An immediate and coordinated mid and the long-term response from the Government, development partners and NGOs is necessary for Sunamganj and Bandarban districts which are classified in Level 4 and where all the limiting and contributing factors associated with food access, utilization, shocks and employment opportunities are very poor. The types of programs that can address the problems faced in the districts severely and moderately chronically food insecure are:

• Interventions focusing on enhancing and diversifying income generation opportunities to strengthen livelihoods and economic empowerment. These programs need to be integrated with the operational market as well as functional value chain.
• Interventions that focus on WASH, behavior change, education, care practices and nutrition.