Highlights:
• In the host community, five of ten households (HHs) are dependent on external food assistance
• Nearly three of ten households still had no access to the markets despite easing of movement restrictions. Close to half of the households in the host community were not involved in any livelihood generating activities.
• Food consumption improved for both refugees and host populations, about eight out of ten households, for both populations, had an acceptable food consumption score
• 61 percent of the households in the refugee community and 67 percent of the households in the host community were relying on less preferred and less expensive food. Moreover, 28 percent and 21 percent HHs from host and refugee community were restricting food consumption by adults for small children to eat.
• Per capita weekly food expenditure for the host community households reduced by 521 BDT (6.5$) to about 900 BDT following the lockdown measures.
• 83 percent of households in host community and 72 percent households in the refugee community are overall satisfied with WFP’s assistance.
Introduction
In order to continue tracking the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on refugee and host community households’ food security and livelihoods, a second round of survey was undertaken in July 2020.
Blanket food assistance continued in the camps as a critical life-saving activity, while a range of other skills development and volunteering activities had to be suspended in order to abide by the movement restrictions and to ensure compliance with other health and safety measures by the government. In the host community, conversely, owing to loss of income opportunities and emerging needs of people WFP ramped up its assistance to over 500,000 (half a million) extremely vulnerable individuals. The targeted households were provided with essential in-kind and monetary support which were of high importance during such tiring times. The survey is the next iteration of the assessment conducted in May 2020. The focus was largely to assess the household level situation of food security, market access and impact on livelihoods of people. In addition, focus was also given to level of awareness about COVID-19 and related concerns. WFP is aiming to continue this survey in a quarterly basis to track the food security and livelihood status of the targeted population.