Media-based SBCC Interventions on Improving Dietary Diversity, Healthy Food Consumption, and Hygiene Practices

Malnutrition remains a pressing concern in Tajikistan, with high rates of stunting, wasting, anaemia, and obesity, alongside poor infant and young child feeding practices. To address these challenges, WFP Tajikistan applied Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) approaches, leveraging the popularity of mass media as a trusted platform for public engagement. In collaboration with the Ministry of Health and TV Safina, the country's leading broadcaster, a nationally televised cooking show was developed. The programme combined entertainment and education, featuring influential public figures and experts to model healthy behaviours, provide practical nutrition advice, and demonstrate the preparation of affordable, nutritious meals.

Over ten months, more than 30 episodes were aired, reaching an estimated 1.6 million viewers weekly and generating over 3 million additional views online. The intervention successfully engaged its primary audience - women, especially housewives, while also attracting significant male viewership among younger and older men, an uncommon pattern in Tajik media. Evaluation findings confirmed TV Safina's dominant role in prime-time broadcasting and underscored the intervention's capacity to reach diverse social groups across education and employment backgrounds. By integrating culturally relevant content with behaviour-focused messaging, the cooking show demonstrated the effectiveness of SBCC-driven mass media interventions in influencing dietary practices and advancing public health goals in Tajikistan.