ASSESSING FOOD SECURITY FOR THE PEOPLE OF CHITTAGONG HILL TRACTS (CHT): CHALLENGES TO ATTAIN SDG 1 AND SDG 2

Assessing Food Security

Abstract

The food security issue in Bangladesh’s Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) has persisted since its independence. This region faces challenges in ensuring a stable and reliable food supply for its population. This research aimed to evaluate the food security of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) population and the challenges of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2020–2021. 120 farmers were chosen for selection in the districts of Khagrachari, Rangamati, and Bandarban in the Chittagong division for direct interview. Besides descriptive analysis, binary logistic and multinomial logistic regression models have determined food security conditions and factors affecting food security. Cobb-Douglas type stochastic frontier revenue function was used to estimate revenue efficiency.  Enterprise development and income generation have significantly contributed to increasing food security. The daily intakes of food, calories, and protein per person are 1128 g, 2443 kcal, and 79 g, respectively. Improved food consumption, calorie intake, and protein intake were directly related to enterprise development and income generation. Increased land size and income increased food security. Increased expenditure on food items and decreased family size also increased food security. The business sector offered the highest income (BDT 64792), followed by agriculture (BDT 53972). Enterprise development and income generation have improved other food security and economic indicators. A significant level of revenue can be increased by allocating all scarce resources among crops and enterprises. Focus group discussion revealed that the government's safety net program should be expanded to include all marginalized and vulnerable individuals to achieve food security. Overusing land and forest resources and adopting shifting cultivation were the key reasons for the landslide, soil erosion, and siltation of lakes and water bodies. During the monsoon, soil erosion, soil nutrition, and topsoil erosion were accelerated, which harmed livelihood and food security. Alternative enterprises for income generation could be developed to discourage the shifting cultivation of local people. The government could attract international development partners to invest in that area under the umbrella of a private-public partnership program. There is sporadic infighting between rival factions of tribal people, which is considered to be a hindrance to regular movements of essential commodities and a risk to attaining SDGs. Political dialogue among the rival factions in connivance with government policymakers and law-enforcing agencies may reduce the above problem.