Intrahousehold Allocation of Nutritious Food in Livestock Farming Communities in Bangladesh: Does Women's Empowerment Make a Difference?

OBJECTIVES: The study's specific objective is to assess differences in food allocation among the household members by age and gender in livestock farming communities and identify the determinants of existing differences. In addition, investigating the association between women's empowerment in livestock rearing and the intrahousehold food allocation pattern is the second objective of the present study. METHODS: The study uses a mixed-method approach. A quantitative survey with 275 households collects information about the socioeconomic status of the households and the amount of nutritious food intake (milk, meat, fish, and egg), land, and livestock resource ownership. The study uses vignettes cards to collect information about the women's empowerment status in four areas: decision-related to livestock production, marketing of livestock, use of livestock income, and household nutrition. The study collects qualitative data from nine focus group discussions about the perception of nutritious food intake and health benefits and food allocation among their children, adolescents, and adults. RESULTS: The results partly confirm that the children and partners of empowered women by livestock intervention had better protein intake and women's protein intake was reduced. In households with a higher empowerment level of women, the protein food intake of adolescent girls is not increased equally compared with adolescent boys. Sociocultural norms, patriarchal influence, economic conditions, household size, participation in training, and membership in social groups influence food distribution among household members. CONCLUSIONS: Policies and interventions that aim to empower women in livestock for better food security and nutritional outcomes need to be based on understanding the intrahousehold nutritious food allocation. FUNDING SOURCES: German Academic Exchange Program (DAAD).