Data Analysis and Technical Assistance Limited (DATA) has conducted the biggest anticipatory action survey till date to assess weather-related forecasts and resilience programs in collaboration with the World Food Program (WFP). This survey was implemented in flood-affected regions to support households impacted by floods, providing cash assistance to mitigate losses. The objective of the survey was to determine the best way to allocate cash assistance at various stages (before, during, and after the flood) to improve the resilience of the affected households.WFP provided BDT 5000 in cash assistance to each affected household.

The survey was an experiment to assess the best anticipatory action possible to tackle flood warnings in flood prone areas. This survey in particular had three arms to assess the most effective time to allocate cash reserves. The arms were divided in the following categories: Pre-flood cash assistance arm, immediate relief cash during the flood arm, and Post-flood rehabilitation cash support arm.

The survey was conducted in five districts, covering 19 sub-districts and 300 villages. Upwards of 13000 households were surveyed in total across all the arms. The survey districts covered Bogura, Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Kurigram and Sirajganj. The first two rounds of surveys were phone surveys and the last round was an infield survey face to face survey.

Since this was a flood related anticipatory action survey each round of survey had to be completed within 14 days of survey start. Even training period for enumerators were only 7 days long. DATA ensured that more than 120 enumerators received CAPI training from the get go of the training sessions.

All three rounds of survey were completed between 10 July and 15 September 2024. During the phone surveys the tabs were provided to the enumerators and they could call the respondents from any place of their convenience. For the last round of surveys the enumerators were provided with life jackets for in person interviews in flood prone areas. Their bravery and dedication to the project made it a big success. With their commitment DATA was able to successfully conduct the largest flood based anticipatory action survey in the world.