Bangladesh

However, despite progress and the improved availability of food due to increased production, 40 million people – one quarter of the population – remain food insecure, and 11 million suffer from acute hunger.

Stunting – a condition induced by poor nutrition, with negative effects on a child’s physical growth and cognitive development – affects 36 percent of children under 5, with peaks of 50 percent among the poorest and those living in slums. In total, 5.5 million children under 5 are chronically malnourished.

Because of its geography – featuring low elevation and vast watercourses – Bangladesh is greatly susceptible to natural disasters and the effects of climate change. Between 30 and 50 percent of the country suffers severe climate shocks every year, with detrimental impacts on the lives and livelihoods of the still predominantly rural population. The frequency and intensity of natural disasters is predicted to increase in coming years. Bangladesh’s vulnerability to earthquakes, coupled with the increasing proportion of population living in cities, also raises concerns regarding urban readiness for such disasters.

Since the beginning of its activities in Bangladesh in 1974, the WFP has helped more than 155 million vulnerable and food-insecure people. While retaining its role as provider of humanitarian assistance – be it for refugees from Myanmar or people affected by recurrent disasters – WFP is shifting towards a more advisory role, assisting the Government in its efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 2 on ending hunger. One of WFP’s priorities is to support the Government of Bangladesh in making sure its social safety nets improve nutrition indicators, with a special focus on women and children affected by extreme poverty. WFP also tests innovative tools – such as insurance systems – to enhance the resilience of families and communities to natural disasters, and works to improve the Government’s capacity to respond to a major humanitarian disaster such as an urban earthquake.