Savings Groups and Seasonal Food Security in the Northern Charlands

Tan, M. L., Siddiqui, I., & Islam, M. (2026). Savings Groups and Seasonal Food Security in the Northern Charlands. Journal of Social Science DIU. https://jssdiu.org/articles/savings-groups-and-seasonal-food-security-in-the-northern-charlands-29d17ca4

Tan, Mei Lin, et al. “Savings Groups and Seasonal Food Security in the Northern Charlands.” Journal of Social Science DIU, 2026, https://jssdiu.org/articles/savings-groups-and-seasonal-food-security-in-the-northern-charlands-29d17ca4.

Tan, Mei Lin, Imran Siddiqui, and Maliha Islam. 2026. “Savings Groups and Seasonal Food Security in the Northern Charlands.” Journal of Social Science DIU. https://jssdiu.org/articles/savings-groups-and-seasonal-food-security-in-the-northern-charlands-29d17ca4.

Tan, Mei Lin, Imran Siddiqui, and Maliha Islam. “Savings Groups and Seasonal Food Security in the Northern Charlands.” Journal of Social Science DIU (2026). https://jssdiu.org/articles/savings-groups-and-seasonal-food-security-in-the-northern-charlands-29d17ca4.

Tan, M.L., Siddiqui, I. and Islam, M. (2026) ‘Savings Groups and Seasonal Food Security in the Northern Charlands’, Journal of Social Science DIU. Available at: https://jssdiu.org/articles/savings-groups-and-seasonal-food-security-in-the-northern-charlands-29d17ca4 (Accessed: 4 November 2026).

M. L. Tan, I. Siddiqui, and M. Islam, “Savings Groups and Seasonal Food Security in the Northern Charlands,” Journal of Social Science DIU, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://jssdiu.org/articles/savings-groups-and-seasonal-food-security-in-the-northern-charlands-29d17ca4

Tan ML, Siddiqui I, Islam M. Savings Groups and Seasonal Food Security in the Northern Charlands. Journal of Social Science DIU [Internet]. 2026 Feb 10 [cited 2026 Nov 4]. Available from: https://jssdiu.org/articles/savings-groups-and-seasonal-food-security-in-the-northern-charlands-29d17ca4

@article{tan2026savings,
  author = {Tan, Mei Lin and Siddiqui, Imran and Islam, Maliha},
  title = {{Savings Groups and Seasonal Food Security in the Northern Charlands}},
  journal = {Journal of Social Science DIU},
  year = {2026},
  month = {feb},
  publisher = {Dhaka International University},
  url = {https://jssdiu.org/articles/savings-groups-and-seasonal-food-security-in-the-northern-charlands-29d17ca4},
  keywords = {savings groups, food security, seasonal livelihoods, river islands, emergency withdrawals},
  abstract = {Households on Bangladesh's northern river islands face seasonal income gaps alongside recurring damage to land and transport links. This study investigates whether participation in women's savings groups is associated with more stable food access across the agricultural year. Quarterly interviews with 360 households in six chars were combined with group account books and 30 household food diaries. Household fixed-effects models compared changes in food insecurity scores across lean and harvest seasons. Regular savers reported smaller seasonal increases in meal reduction, particularly when groups permitted emergency withdrawals without requiring a new loan. Benefits were weaker among households that lost cultivable land during the study period. Qualitative accounts showed that flexible access mattered more than the nominal size of accumulated savings. These findings position group rules as a significant part of local livelihood support. Participation was not randomly assigned, and households with severe losses were more likely to leave the panel. Programmes should assess withdrawal flexibility and exclusion during shocks alongside membership and savings totals.}
}

TY  - JOUR
AU  - Tan, Mei Lin
AU  - Siddiqui, Imran
AU  - Islam, Maliha
TI  - Savings Groups and Seasonal Food Security in the Northern Charlands
JO  - Journal of Social Science DIU
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/02/10
PB  - Dhaka International University
UR  - https://jssdiu.org/articles/savings-groups-and-seasonal-food-security-in-the-northern-charlands-29d17ca4
KW  - savings groups
KW  - food security
KW  - seasonal livelihoods
KW  - river islands
KW  - emergency withdrawals
AB  - Households on Bangladesh's northern river islands face seasonal income gaps alongside recurring damage to land and transport links. This study investigates whether participation in women's savings groups is associated with more stable food access across the agricultural year. Quarterly interviews with 360 households in six chars were combined with group account books and 30 household food diaries. Household fixed-effects models compared changes in food insecurity scores across lean and harvest seasons. Regular savers reported smaller seasonal increases in meal reduction, particularly when groups permitted emergency withdrawals without requiring a new loan. Benefits were weaker among households that lost cultivable land during the study period. Qualitative accounts showed that flexible access mattered more than the nominal size of accumulated savings. These findings position group rules as a significant part of local livelihood support. Participation was not randomly assigned, and households with severe losses were more likely to leave the panel. Programmes should assess withdrawal flexibility and exclusion during shocks alongside membership and savings totals.
ER  -