TAFSSA District Agrifood Systems Assessment in Bangladesh 2023: Retail Survey

TAFSSA (Transforming Agrifood Systems in South Asia) is a CGIAR Regional Integrated Initiative aimed at advancing equitable access to sustainable healthy diets, enhancing farmers' livelihoods and resilience, and conserving natural resources such as land, air, and water across South Asia. The TAFSSA district agrifood systems assessment seeks to establish a robust, accessible, and integrated evidence base that connects farm production, market access, dietary patterns, climate risk responses, and natural resource management, with gender considerations integrated throughout. The assessment focuses on rural areas in Bangladesh, India, and Nepal, utilizing a district-level, multi-year approach.</p> Data collection took place between February and June 2023 in the Rangpur and Rajshahi districts of Bangladesh. The survey covered 50 villages in each district, focusing on formal and informal retail shops operating within the sampled areas. The types of retail shops surveyed included local grocery stores and specialized shops selling meat, fish, eggs, or dairy products.</p> The survey employed pretested, structured questionnaires organized into three distinct modules:</p> 1. Interview Module: Focused on collecting vendor information, assortments of essential goods, availability, resilience, food sourcing, food wastage, and dimensions of access and protection.</p> 2. Observation + Photo Module: Documented market information, infrastructure, and the quality, safety, and hygiene aspects of the market.</p> 3. Food List Module: Recorded the availability and prices of a comprehensive list of food items available at the locations.</p>