Investing in innovation: Trade-offs in the costs and cost-efficiency of school feeding using community-based kitchens in Bangladesh

cg.authorship.typesCGIAR single centreen
cg.contributor.crpAgriculture for Nutrition and Health
cg.coverage.countryBangladesh
cg.coverage.iso3166-alpha2BD
cg.coverage.regionSouthern Asia
cg.coverage.regionAsia
cg.creator.identifierAulo Gelli: 0000-0003-4977-2549
cg.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1177/156482651403500305en
cg.identifier.projectIFPRI - Poverty, Health, and Nutrition Division
cg.identifier.publicationRankB
cg.isijournalISI Journalen
cg.issn0379-5721en
cg.issn1564-8265en
cg.issue3en
cg.journalEconomic Development and Cultural Changeen
cg.reviewStatusPeer Reviewen
cg.volume35en
dc.contributor.authorGelli, Auloen
dc.contributor.authorSuwa, Yukoen
dc.date.accessioned2024-08-01T02:49:44Zen
dc.date.available2024-08-01T02:49:44Zen
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/149675
dc.titleInvesting in innovation: Trade-offs in the costs and cost-efficiency of school feeding using community-based kitchens in Bangladeshen
dcterms.abstractSchool feeding programs have been a key response to the recent food and economic crises and function to some degree in nearly every country in the world. However, school feeding programs are complex and exhibit different, context-specific models or configurations.To examine the trade-offs, including the costs and cost-efficiency, of an innovative cluster kitchen implementation model in Bangladesh using a standardized framework.A supply chain framework based on international standards was used to provide benchmarks for meaningful comparisons across models. Implementation processes specific to the program in Bangladesh were mapped against this reference to provide a basis for standardized performance measures. Qualitative and quantitative data on key metrics were collected retrospectively using semistructured questionnaires following an ingredients approach, including both financial and economic costs. Costs were standardized to a 200-feeding-day year and 700 kcal daily.The cluster kitchen model had similarities with the semidecentralized model and outsourced models in the literature, the main differences involving implementation scale, scale of purchasing volumes, and frequency of purchasing. Two important features stand out in terms of implementation: the nutritional quality of meals and the level of community involvement. The standardized full cost per child per year was US$110. Despite the nutritious content of the meals, the overall cost-efficiency in cost per nutrient output was lower than the benchmark for centralized programs, due mainly to support and start-up costs.Cluster kitchens provide an example of an innovative implementation model, combining an emphasis on quality meal delivery with strong community engagement. However, the standardized costs per child were above the average benchmarks for both low- and middle-income countries. In contrast to the existing benchmark data from mature, centralized models, the main cost drivers of the program were associated with support and start-up activities. Further research is required to better understand changes in cost drivers as programs mature.en
dcterms.accessRightsLimited Access
dcterms.bibliographicCitationGelli, Aulo; and Suwa, Yuko. 2014. Investing in innovation: Trade-offs in the costs and cost-efficiency of school feeding using community-based kitchens in Bangladesh. Food and Nutrition Bulletin 35(3): 327-337. https://doi.org/10.1177/156482651403500305en
dcterms.extentpp. 327-337en
dcterms.issued2014
dcterms.languageen
dcterms.licenseCopyrighted; all rights reserved
dcterms.publisherSAGE Publicationsen
dcterms.replaceshttps://ebrary.ifpri.org/digital/collection/p15738coll5/id/4563en
dcterms.subjectcostsen
dcterms.subjectschool feedingen
dcterms.subjectevaluationen
dcterms.typeJournal Article

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