The importance of nutrition education in achieving food security and adequate nutrition of the poor: Experimental evidence from rural Bangladesh

Nutrition-sensitive social protection that enhances household resources and nutrition knowledge can be an important avenue of addressing food security and nutrition concerns of the poor. This paper studies a cluster randomized intervention of cash and food transfers, with or without nutrition behavioral change communication (BCC), on food security and nutrition outcomes in rural Bangladesh. We find that addition of the BCC to transfers led to the greatest impact on the quantity and quality of food consumed by household members, especially women and children. Addition of BCC also had the greatest impact in reducing the incidence and intensity of deprivations measured using a nutrition-sensitive multidimensional poverty index. Evidence suggests this occurs through the BCC inducing increased consumption of flesh food, egg, dairy, fruits, and vegetables and through investments in housing, sanitation, and assets