Crop Diversification, Dietary Diversity and Nutrition: Evidence from Rural Bangladesh

Abstract

Using two rounds of nationally representative Bangladesh Integrated Household Survey (BIHS 2011-12 and 2015) data and Fixed Effects model, this study explores the linkages among household crop diversification, household dietary diversity and per capita nutrients intake of households. This study finds that households with higher crop diversification are more likely to diversify their consumption. In addition, there is a significant association between dietary diversity and per capita intake of calorie, protein, iron, zinc and vitamin A among farm households. Therefore, increasing crop diversification helps increase dietary diversity and dietary diversity, in turn, would decrease macro and micro nutrient deficiencies in Bangladesh.