(P06-029-25) Application of Market Systems Development and Social Behavior Change Strategies in a Nutrition-Sensitive Dairy Development Program in Bangladesh

Objectives: Inadequate milk production, processing, and marketing in Bangladesh limit dairy consumption, even among dairy-producing households. The 2021-26 Feed the Future Livestock and Nutrition (LAN) Activity combined market systems development (MSD) and nutrition-focused social behavior change (SBC) approaches to strengthen Bangladesh’s dairy sector in 23 districts. We present the mid-term results from applying such combined approach on dairy availability and consumption.

Methods: Using an inclusive MSD approach, LAN collaborates with dairy companies, public agencies, and local enterprises to improve productivity and marketability of smallholder dairy farmers and empowers women and youth to enter higher-value livestock work, ranging from basic veterinary service provision to dairy processing. To enhance milk consumption among household members, LAN employs SBC strategies including nutrition counseling by health workers, community mobilization to address gender norms, and social marketing through private sector. Annual surveys, regular monitoring through multisectoral nutrition committees, and app-based capture of field data help track programmatic implementation and outcomes.

Results: Average daily per capita dairy consumption increased from 74 ml at baseline to 222 ml in year 3. This increase accompanied 66% increase in milk productivity, 55% increase in market availability, and 70-78% increase in sales of smaller, more affordable, and safely packaged milk, yoghurt and cheese. Incentivizing farmers to adopt tele-vet services, equipping rural milk collection and chilling centers to reduce milk rejection rates, training women and youth agripreneurs on technological skills and innovation, and promotion of regular dairy consumption by public and private partners facilitated LAN’s implementation successes.

Conclusions: LAN's inclusive MSD approach to enhance access to higher-value jobs, services, and products in the local dairy sector coupled with nutrition-sensitive behavior change strategies has been critical to improving availability, accessibility, and consumption of dairy in Bangladesh. Future food systems interventions can benefit from LAN’s programmatic experiences in developing self-sustaining and nutrition-enhancing dairy development programs.

Funding Sources: U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)