Mitigating poverty and undernutrition through social protection: A simulation analysis of the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh and Myanmar

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in severe income losses, but little is known about its impacts on diets and nutritional adequacy, or the effectiveness of social protection interventions in mitigating dietary and nutritional impacts. We first assess the likely impacts of COVID-19 shocks in Bangladesh...

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Autores principales: Ecker, Olivier, Alderman, Harold, Comstock, Andrew R., Headey, Derek D., Mahrt, Kristi, Pradesha, Angga
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: Wiley 2023
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/140051
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author Ecker, Olivier
Alderman, Harold
Comstock, Andrew R.
Headey, Derek D.
Mahrt, Kristi
Pradesha, Angga
author_browse Alderman, Harold
Comstock, Andrew R.
Ecker, Olivier
Headey, Derek D.
Mahrt, Kristi
Pradesha, Angga
author_facet Ecker, Olivier
Alderman, Harold
Comstock, Andrew R.
Headey, Derek D.
Mahrt, Kristi
Pradesha, Angga
author_sort Ecker, Olivier
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in severe income losses, but little is known about its impacts on diets and nutritional adequacy, or the effectiveness of social protection interventions in mitigating dietary and nutritional impacts. We first assess the likely impacts of COVID-19 shocks in Bangladesh and Myanmar on poverty and food and nutrient consumption gaps. We then analyze the estimated mitigating effects of five hypothetical social protection interventions of a typical monetary value: (1) cash transfers; (2) in-kind transfers of common rice; (3) in-kind transfers of fortified rice enriched with multiple essential micronutrients; (4) vouchers for a diversified basket of rice and non-staple foods; and (5) food vouchers with fortified rice instead of common rice. The simulation results suggest modest effectiveness of the cash transfers for mitigating poverty increases and little effectiveness of all five transfers for preventing increasing food and nutrient consumption gaps among the poorest 40%. Rice fortification is, however, effective at closing key micronutrient consumption gaps and could be a suitable policy instrument for averting “hidden hunger” during economic crises.
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spelling CGSpace1400512025-10-26T13:02:18Z Mitigating poverty and undernutrition through social protection: A simulation analysis of the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh and Myanmar Ecker, Olivier Alderman, Harold Comstock, Andrew R. Headey, Derek D. Mahrt, Kristi Pradesha, Angga coronavirus covid-19 economic crises rice social protection hunger nutrition coronavirinae cash transfers coronavirus disease diet poverty The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in severe income losses, but little is known about its impacts on diets and nutritional adequacy, or the effectiveness of social protection interventions in mitigating dietary and nutritional impacts. We first assess the likely impacts of COVID-19 shocks in Bangladesh and Myanmar on poverty and food and nutrient consumption gaps. We then analyze the estimated mitigating effects of five hypothetical social protection interventions of a typical monetary value: (1) cash transfers; (2) in-kind transfers of common rice; (3) in-kind transfers of fortified rice enriched with multiple essential micronutrients; (4) vouchers for a diversified basket of rice and non-staple foods; and (5) food vouchers with fortified rice instead of common rice. The simulation results suggest modest effectiveness of the cash transfers for mitigating poverty increases and little effectiveness of all five transfers for preventing increasing food and nutrient consumption gaps among the poorest 40%. Rice fortification is, however, effective at closing key micronutrient consumption gaps and could be a suitable policy instrument for averting “hidden hunger” during economic crises. 2023-12 2024-03-14T12:08:51Z 2024-03-14T12:08:51Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/140051 en https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.136593 https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.136599 https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.134675 Open Access Wiley Ecker, Olivier; Alderman, Harold; Comstock, Andrew R.; Headey, Derek D.; Mahrt, Kristi; and Pradesha, Angga. 2023. Mitigating poverty and undernutrition through social protection: A simulation analysis of the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh and Myanmar. Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy 45(4): 2034-2055. https://doi.org/10.1002/aepp.13357
spellingShingle coronavirus
covid-19
economic crises
rice
social protection
hunger
nutrition
coronavirinae
cash transfers
coronavirus disease
diet
poverty
Ecker, Olivier
Alderman, Harold
Comstock, Andrew R.
Headey, Derek D.
Mahrt, Kristi
Pradesha, Angga
Mitigating poverty and undernutrition through social protection: A simulation analysis of the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh and Myanmar
title Mitigating poverty and undernutrition through social protection: A simulation analysis of the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh and Myanmar
title_full Mitigating poverty and undernutrition through social protection: A simulation analysis of the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh and Myanmar
title_fullStr Mitigating poverty and undernutrition through social protection: A simulation analysis of the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh and Myanmar
title_full_unstemmed Mitigating poverty and undernutrition through social protection: A simulation analysis of the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh and Myanmar
title_short Mitigating poverty and undernutrition through social protection: A simulation analysis of the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh and Myanmar
title_sort mitigating poverty and undernutrition through social protection a simulation analysis of the covid 19 pandemic in bangladesh and myanmar
topic coronavirus
covid-19
economic crises
rice
social protection
hunger
nutrition
coronavirinae
cash transfers
coronavirus disease
diet
poverty
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/140051
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