What is CGIAR's Transforming Agrifood Systems in South Asia (TAFSSA) Regional Initiative?
IFPRI is a research center under the CGIAR – a global research partnership committed to transforming food, land, and water systems in a climate crisis. Transforming Agrifood Systems in South Asia (TAFSSA) is a CGIAR Regional Integrated Initiative to support actions that improve equitable access to sustainable healthy diets, improve farmers’ livelihoods and resilience, and conserve land, air, and water resources in South Asia.
Food Systems Assessment
TAFSSA is designing and implementing a food systems assessment that aims to provide a reliable, accessible and integrated evidence base that links farm production, market access, dietary patterns, climate risk responses, and natural resource management in Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan. The assessment will collect comprehensive information on:
- Dietary choices and food/water security, including the Global Diet Quality Score (GDQS) – a measure of diet quality that assesses the overall quality of an individual's diet based on a set of dietary guidelines or recommendations;
- Shopping habits and preferences;
- Gender and empowerment-related details; and
- Food environments
Survey Training
Enumerator training for the local agrifood systems survey in Bangladesh was conducted from January 23-February 17, 2023, for 100 data collectors in Dhaka. Training was led by the local collaborator Data Analysis and Technical Assistance (DATA) and the TAFSSA team. It consisted of a formal classroom training, mock interviews, and a closely monitored field test.
This is intended to be a multi-year assessment. In Bangladesh, the assessment will be implemented in a subset of TAFSSA learning locations, including 16 upazilas (sub-districts) in Rangpur and Rajshahi districts starting in late February 2023.
More Information
Additional information on the local agrifood systems assessment approach and design can be found here. For more information on TAFSSA, please visit the official TAFSSA website.