The rate of hunger reduction is slower than poverty reduction rate in the country while the decline rate in both cases has slowed down recently, said the local think-tank Unnayan Onneshan.
In a recently released report titled ‘Poverty, Hunger, Nutrition, and Food Production in Bangladesh’, it also said rapid price increase of food items eroded the purchasing power of the marginalised section.
In 1991-92, the percentage of hungry people was 37.9 of the total population and reduced to 24 in 2012 with an annual rate of reduction by 1.79 per cent.
On the other hand, the poor people living below the absolute poverty line were 56.7 per cent of the total population in 1991-92 and reduced to 29.99 per cent in 2012.
The rate of reduction in extreme poverty increased from 1.95 per cent between 1991-92 and 2000 to 4.32 per cent from 2000 to 2012.
On the contrary, the rate of reduction in hunger has declined from 1.95 per cent from 1991-92 to 2000 to 4.32 per cent between 2000 and 2012.
‘It is undeniable that the prevalence of malnutrition is declining over the years. The rate of decline has, however, slowed down among the lowest income quintile,’ said the report.
The think-tank stated that the average food deficit between 1990 and 2012 in Bangladesh was 163.52 kcal/caput/day.
The demand for rice might increase to 24.56 million tonnes against the population of 172.53 million in 2020., ‘This demand might further increase to 28.01, 32.02 and 36.61 million tonnes in 2030, 2040 and 2050 respectively,’ it predicted.
The rate of reduction in malnutrition of women among the lowest income quintile has decreased with an annual rate of 2.62 per cent from 47.1 per cent in 2004 to 43.4 per cent in 2007. This rate, however, has slowed down to 1.9 per cent during 2007 and 2011, according to the report.
‘About 0.04 million people might be newly added to the total population living under the poverty line due to one per cent increase in the food inflation,’ notes the report with caution.’
The market failure in the form of predatory price fixing and price manipulation along with the lack of government intervention exerting pressure on price, resulting into increases in prices as well as volatility of price, it said.
‘The strengthening of institutions to address market failures can be a better way to address both volatility and upward pressure on prices,’ suggested the report.
-With New Age input
