This paper examines the role of social safety-net
programs in Bangladesh run by the government and
nongovernmental organizations to mitigate seasonal
deprivation in the country’s highly vulnerable northwest
region. Specifically, the paper explores whether social
safety nets are limited to averting seasonal deprivation or
can also address seasonality of income and employment
more generally. Using a recent survey from the greater
Rangpur (northwest) region, the paper finds that social
safety nets have a positive effect on mitigating both
seasonal and non-seasonal food deprivation. The results are robust, owing to the recent expanded coverage of
social safety-net programs run by nongovernmental
organizations active in the region. But given the annual
recurrence of monga (seasonal food insecurity) in the
northwest region owing to agricultural seasonality
and an overwhelming dependence on agriculture for
livelihoods, social safety nets are not a reliable tool for
monga eradication. Programs are also needed to promote
the income and productivity of the poor through
diversification of income and employment.