Sustainable Healthy Diets through Food Systems Transformation (SHiFT)

Identifying food environment, food consumption, and diet research needs in Bangladesh

Background

The new CGIAR Research Initiative on Sustainable Healthy Diets through Food Systems Transformation (SHiFT) aims to ensure sustainable healthy diets for all by stimulating the demand for sustainable healthy diets and the supply of sustainable nutritious foods, while also improving livelihoods, gender equity, and social inclusiveness in all sectors of food systems. The target countries are Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Viet Nam. SHiFT has established partnerships with key national actors, a group called Strategic Partners. SHiFT researchers and their in-country partners seek to characterize food consumption, dietary patterns, and food environments among marginalized populations and identify their key drivers and inequalities, including between genders and geographic location. In addition, researchers involved in SHiFT gather knowledge on how micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) active in the food environment can provide more sustainable nutritious foods while also promoting more decent employment, especially for women and youth.

SHiFT’s Strategic Partners in Bangladesh are the Food Planning and Monitoring Unit (FPMU) under the ministry of Food and the Bangladesh National Nutrition Council (BNNC) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Together with the strategic partners in Bangladesh, SHiFT researchers plan to expand its research on consumers and food environments to Bangladesh in 2025. To maximize the relevance of SHiFT’s work in Bangladesh, SHiFT researchers plan to carry out a formative inception phase.

The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) seeks a qualified Consultant to provide research support for the formative inception phase in 2024.

Scope of work

The Consultant will:

• Conduct a review of the literature on diets and food environments in Bangladesh. More specifically, the literature will be reviewed on:
  • Dietary adequacy, healthiness of diets, consumption of key food groups (such as dairy, animal source foods, grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables, sugar-sweetened beverages, and ultra processed foods) of different age groups (infants, young children, school-aged children, adolescents, adults) in rural and urban settings
  • Food environments in rural and urban settings: availability of diverse types of foods, types of outlets, vendor characteristics, geographical distribution Association between food consumption and food environments
  • Identification of key evidence gaps in the three areas highlighted above.
• Conduct a landscape analysis of key (government) agencies involved in research on and implementing policy related to dietary intake and food environments. Tentative list of sources to consult include Transform nutrition Bangladesh outputs, Food based dietary guidelines, 2^nd National Action Plan on Nutrition (NAPN2), Plan of Action on National Food and Nutrition Security policy, Bangladesh, among others.
• Organize a workshop to reach consensus on the focus of the SHiFT research activities on consumers and food environments in Bangladesh.
• Prepare tables and figures for reports.
• Participate in SHiFT team meetings as needed.

Deliverables

• Completed literature review report on diets and food environments in Bangladesh and the specific topics listed above.
• Completed landscape analysis report describing the key agencies involved in research on and implementing policy related to dietary intake and food environments in Bangladesh.
• Workshop agenda, supporting materials, and final report on the workshop describing a recommended focus of SHiFT research activities on consumers and food environments in Bangladesh starting in 2025.

Duration: From June to December 2024

Level of effort: Estimated at 5 months

Location: Remote

Required qualifications

• Master’s degree in nutrition, public health, or a closely related field, or equivalent relevant experience.
• Demonstrated experience with literature review and landscape analyses.
• Familiarity with agencies involved in research and policy implementation in Bangladesh.
• Basic understanding of diets and food environment related issues.
• Strong writing and research skills.
• Experience working effectively to achieve demanding deadlines.
• Flexibility, adaptability, and the ability to multitask, focus, and work effectively.
• Ability to work collaboratively.
• High level of attention to detail and accuracy of work.
• Fluency in Bengali and English.