WFP and Bangladesh Sign agreement to Strengthen National Statistics in SDG Monitoring

Dom Scalpelli, WFP’s Country Director in Bangladesh, said; “our collaboration with BBS has been pivotal in generating crucial data over the years. We have jointly produced poverty and undernutrition maps and have been involved in policy research, like the Urban Socioeconomic Assessment Survey 2019 and the Vulnerable Group Development Survey. Our latest endeavour, the Food Security Assessment and Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) Survey 2023, where WFP provided support in training, analysis, and report writing, is a testament to our combined efforts towards addressing hunger and undernutrition in Bangladesh.”

Mohammed Mizanur Rahman, the Director General of BBS, expressed gratitude for the continued partnership, noting that “WFP has been an invaluable ally in our mission to deliver high-quality statistical services. This MoU is not just a formalization of our existing relationship but a step forward in integrating food security indicators into our surveys, like the Sample Vital Registration System Survey. This collaboration is essential in informing the government's 9th Five-Year Plan (FYP) and enhancing our efforts to monitor progress towards the SDGs.”

Under the MoU, WFP and BBS will extend their collaboration to include various areas such as poverty and undernutrition mapping exercises, food security surveys, and policy advocacy studies in the fields of shock-responsive social protection and urban programming with evidence-generation activities to support the upcoming 9th FYP. This partnership is a cornerstone in the fight against hunger and undernutrition in Bangladesh and serves as a model for leveraging data and statistics in humanitarian efforts.

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About World Food Programme (WFP):

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

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About Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS):

BBS is the National Statistics Office responsible for collecting, analysing, disseminating and authenticating official statistics in Bangladesh, playing a critical role in policymaking and monitoring the country's progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.