Can Social Safety Nets Alleviate Seasonal Deprivation? Evidence from Northwest Bangladesh

This paper examines the role of social safety-net programs in Bangladesh run by the government and nongovernmental organizations to mitigate seasonal deprivation in the country's highly vulnerable northwest region. Specifically, the paper explores whether social safety nets are limited to averting seasonal deprivation or can also address seasonality of income and employment more generally. Using a recent survey from the greater Rangpur (northwest) region, the paper finds that social safety nets have a positive effect on mitigating both seasonal and non-seasonal food deprivation. The results are robust, owing to the recent expanded coverage of social safety-net programs run by nongovernmental organizations active in the region. But given the annual recurrence of monga (seasonal food insecurity) in the northwest region owing to agricultural seasonality and an overwhelming dependence on agriculture for livelihoods, social safety nets are not a reliable tool for monga eradication. Programs are also needed to promote the income and productivity of the poor through diversification of income and employment.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Khaleque, M. Abdul, Khandker, Shahidur R., Samad, Hussain A.
Language:	English
Published:	2011-10-01
Subjects:	AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITY, AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS, AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH, AGRICULTURE, ANTI-POVERTY, BENEFICIARIES, BENEFICIARY, BENEFICIARY HOUSEHOLDS, CASH BENEFIT, CASH TRANSFERS, CASH-FOR-WORK, CASH-TRANSFER, CHRONIC POVERTY, COMMUNITIES, COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE, COMMUNITY NUTRITION, CONSUMPTION SMOOTHING, COPING STRATEGIES, COUNTERFACTUAL, DAILY WAGE, DESCRIPTION, DIMENSIONS OF POVERTY, DIRECT TRANSFERS, DISASTER RELIEF, DISTRICTS, DIVERSIFICATION, ECONOMIC INSECURITY, ECONOMIC SECURITY, ECONOMIC STRESS, EMPLOYMENT GENERATION, EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, EMPLOYMENT STATUS, EXTERNAL SHOCKS, EXTREME POVERTY, FAMINE, FARM INCOME, FEEDING PROGRAMS, FEMALE, FEMALES, FINANCIAL SUPPORT, FOOD CONSUMPTION, FOOD FOR EDUCATION, FOOD FOR WORK, FOOD INSECURITY, FOOD POLICY RESEARCH, FOOD POVERTY, FOOD PRICE, FOOD PROGRAM, FOOD RATIONING, FOOD RELIEF, FOOD SECURITY, FOOD TRANSFER, FOOD-FOR-WORK, FORMAL CREDIT, HOMELESS, HOUSEHOLD DISTRIBUTION, HOUSEHOLD FOOD SECURITY, HOUSEHOLD HEAD, HOUSEHOLD INCOME, HOUSEHOLD LEVEL, HOUSEHOLD SURVEY, HOUSEHOLD WELFARE, HUMAN ASSETS, HUMAN CAPITAL, IFPRI, INCIDENCE OF POVERTY, INCOME, INCOME GENERATION, INCOME TRANSFERS, INCOME-GENERATING ACTIVITIES, INFORMAL COPING MECHANISMS, INFORMAL INSURANCE, INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT, INSURANCE, INTERNATIONAL FOOD POLICY, INTERNATIONAL FOOD POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE, LAGGING REGIONS, LAND ASSET, LAND ASSETS, LANDHOLDINGS, LANDLESS, LIVELIHOOD PROTECTION, LOCALITIES, MAINTENANCE PROGRAM, MEAL, MICROCREDIT PROGRAMS, MINIMUM WAGE, NATIONAL COVERAGE, NATURAL DISASTERS, NUTRITION, NUTRITION INTERVENTIONS, NUTRITION PROGRAM, OLD AGE, OLD AGE ALLOWANCE, OLD AGE PENSION, PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, POOR, POOR HOUSEHOLDS, POOR INDIVIDUALS, POOR PEOPLE, POOR RURAL WOMEN, POVERTY ASSESSMENT, POVERTY INCIDENCE, POVERTY INTERVENTION, POVERTY LINE, POVERTY RATE, POVERTY REDUCTION, PRICE SUBSIDIES, PRODUCTIVE ASSET, PRODUCTIVE ASSETS, PROGRAM COVERAGE, PROTECTION POLICY, PUBLIC SAFETY, PUBLIC SAFETY NET, PUBLIC WORKS, PUBLIC-WORKS, RATIONS, REGIONAL DIMENSION, REGIONAL DISPARITY, RESOURCE ALLOCATION, RURAL, RURAL AREAS, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, RURAL HOUSEHOLDS, RURAL MAINTENANCE, RURAL PEOPLE, RURAL POOR, RURAL POPULATION, RURAL POVERTY, RURAL RESIDENTS, RURAL WOMEN, SAFETY, SAFETY NET, SAFETY NET PROGRAMS, SAVINGS, SCHOOL ENROLLMENT, SCHOOL ENROLLMENTS, SCHOOLING, SHOCK, SKILLS TRAINING, SOCIAL INSURANCE, SOCIAL PROTECTION, SOCIAL SAFETY NET, SOCIAL SAFETY NETS, STARVATION, STREET CHILDREN, SUBSISTENCE, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, TARGETING, TRAININGS, TRANSFER PROGRAM, TRANSFER PROGRAMS, TRANSIENT POVERTY, TRANSITORY POVERTY, ULTRA POOR, UNEMPLOYMENT, URBANIZATION, VILLAGES, VULNERABILITY TO POVERTY, VULNERABLE AREAS, VULNERABLE GROUP, VULNERABLE GROUPS, VULNERABLE HOUSEHOLDS, WAGE EMPLOYMENT, WELFARE PROGRAMS, WFP, WHEAT, WORK PROGRAM, WORK REQUIREMENT, WORKS PROGRAM, WORKS PROGRAMS, WORLD FOOD PROGRAM, YC,
Online Access:	http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000158349_20111031112402 https://hdl.handle.net/10986/3631
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