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Understanding the Food Insecurity and Coping Strategies of Indigenous Households during COVID-19 Crisis in Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh: A Qualitative Study

Authors :
Md. Salman Sohel
Guoqing Shi
Noshin Tasnim Zaman
Babul Hossain
Md. Halimuzzaman
Tosin Yinka Akintunde
Huicong Liu
Source :
Foods, Vol 11, Iss 19, p 3103 (2022)
Publication Year :
2022
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2022.

Abstract

This study examined the food insecurity and coping mechanisms among the indigenous Bangladeshi population of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) region to extract empirical evidence on the ongoing discussion on the COVID-19 pandemic-exacerbated food-insecurity situation. The study adopted a qualitative approach by interviewing 60 indigenous households. Data were collected in two phases between 15 June 2020, and 30 July 2021 in Bangladesh’s Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) region. Thematic data analyses were performed using the Granheim approach and NVivo-12 software. The authors used Huston’s social–ecological theory to explain the indigenous coping mechanisms. The research evidence revealed that most households experienced challenges over daily foods, manifesting in the decreasing consumption of them, the increased price of food items, a food crisis due to an income shock, malnutrition, the shifting to unhealthy food consumption, starvation and hunger, and food insufficiency, thereby leading to mental stress. This study further revealed that the indigenous population took crucial coping strategies to survive the pandemic. In response to COVID-19, they took loans and borrowed foods, reduced expenses, changed their food habits, avoided nutritional foods, relied on vegetables, sold domestic animals and properties, collected forest and hill foods, and depended on governmental and societal relief. This study also provides the in-depth policy actions for the urgent intervention of government, stakeholders, policymakers, NGOs, and development practitioners to take necessary initiatives to enhance the quality of life of the people that were affected by the post-pandemic recovery period.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
23048158
Volume :
11
Issue :
19
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Foods
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.9928d056f9374c4cbf7cf2177f58c5d2
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11193103