“We don’t just offer services; we deliver comprehensive solutions tailored to the unique challenges of agribusiness and food processing.”
Good nutrition and hygiene are the foundations of a healthy life yet, in many communities, people still struggle to adopt safe, sustainable practices. Over the past decade, governments, NGOs and private organizations have realized that providing information alone is not enough. People don’t always change habits because they know something they change when they believe, feel, and act differently. That’s where Social Behavior Change Communication ( SBCC ) comes in.
In 2025, innovative BCC strategies are reshaping how nutrition and hygiene messages reach people through storytelling, digital engagement, local champions and community-led actions. Let’s explore how these new ideas are improving everyday lives and building healthier futures.
Turning Messages into Habits – How SBCC Can Transform Nutrition & Hygiene in Nepal
In Nepal, families hear messages about washing hands, feeding children nutritious foods and keeping milk and meat safe almost every day. Yet, knowing what to do and actually doing it are two very different things.
This “know-do gap” is one of the biggest challenges in improving public health and nutrition.
That’s where Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) comes in.
What Is SBCC and Why It Matters
SBCC is more than just sharing information, it’s a strategic, evidence based approach to helping people see themselves in the message, trust it and practice it until it becomes part of their everyday routine.
Global and national programs, such as Suaahara and UNICEF Nepal’s SBC initiatives, have already shown that well designed communication can lead to better feeding practices, increased handwashing and more timely health seeking behaviors.
When communication connects with people’s real lives, it inspires lasting change.
Why Talk About SBCC for Nutrition and Hygiene in Nepal Now?
Nepal has made great progress in nutrition, WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) and maternal-child health, but there are still persistent gaps:
- Many children still lack a minimum diverse diet.
- Handwashing is less frequent than people report.
- Food handling often remains unsafe in homes, schools, and small food enterprises.
- Certain groups by geography, caste/ethnicity or income are still being left behind.
A big reason? Messages often don’t match people’s realities.
Busy families, lack of water and social influence from elders or media habits all affect behavior.
SBCC helps bridge this gap by designing communication that fits real life, not ideal conditions.
The SBCC Process in Simple Terms
In practice, it involves:
- Formative research – learning what people believe and do.
- Behavior analysis – identifying motivators and barriers.
- Message design – creating relevant, emotional and actionable content.
- Multi-channel communication – from community radio to Facebook reels.
- Monitoring & learning – tracking what actually changed.
Areas Where SBCC Can Improve Nutrition and Hygiene in Nepal
SBCC can be applied across many local contexts:
- Maternal nutrition and 1,000-day practices
- Complementary feeding and handwashing
- Safe water and household food safety
- Hygiene in dairy, meat and small food industries
- School WASH and adolescent nutrition
- Promoting food fortification and local food processing
Nepal already has a strong foundation through programs like Suaahara, UNICEF’s C4D initiatives, and the Multi-Sector Nutrition Plan (MSNP).
But what’s missing is local customization, tailoring national messages to fit a dairy cooperative in Ilam, a women’s group in Koshi or a maize enterprise in Terai.
That’s where Planeteer Innovative and Research Consultancy Pvt. Ltd. (PIRC) comes in.
How PIRC Brings a Fresh Approach to SBCC
At PIRC, we work at the intersection of food systems, agribusiness development, community training and technology.
This unique mix helps us create communication that’s not just about health awareness but about changing behavior through real-world connections between nutrition, hygiene and livelihoods.
Here’s how our SBCC model works:
1. Listening First – Market-Style Formative Research
We start by understanding the audience:
- Who are they?
- What motivates or stops them?
- Who do they trust?
Through quick key informant interviews (KIIs) and focus group discussions (FGDs) with mothers, adolescents, food handlers or local officials, we design messages that make sense to them.
2. Audience Segmentation
Different audiences need different messages.
We design separate packages for:
- 1,000-day mothers and husbands
- Grandmothers and family influencers
- Adolescent girls
- Food handlers and dairy workers
- Cooperative and extension staff
3. Multi-Channel, Localized Content
Our communication blends digital and community tools:
- Short videos for Facebook, YouTube and municipal pages
- Illustrated IEC materials for health posts and cooperatives
- Storytelling and testimonial posts (“हमिले गरेर हेर्यौं, परिवर्तन आयो”)
- Training slides and games for local facilitators
Because PIRC also delivers training and workshops, we integrate practice-based learning helping people do the behavior, not just hear about it.
4. Linking SBCC with Food Safety & Product Development
Nutrition messages must connect to actual food choices.
That’s why we tie our SBCC with:
- Locally processed or fortified products
- Safe milk, yogurt, cheese and snacks from SMEs
- Easy-to-follow hygiene SOPs for small food factories
5. Monitoring Real Change
We measure what matters through:
- Pre/post mini-surveys
- Simple observation checklists
- Digital feedback from Facebook or WhatsApp groups
- Case stories for municipalities or donor partners
Key Factors for Effective SBCC in Nepal
To make communication truly inclusive and effective, we always consider:
- GESI (Gender Equality & Social Inclusion): Representing women, youth, Dalit/Janajati and remote households.
- Climate and Water Stress: Promoting realistic hygiene solutions like tippy-taps or ash use.
- Private Sector Voice: Engaging agro-vets, dairy centers and local food businesses as message carriers.
- Digital Reach: Using Facebook, Instagram and TikTok to engage youth and SMEs.
- Government Alignment: Ensuring local SBCC aligns with MSNP, WASH and nutrition budgets.
- Simple, Local Language: Using clear Nepali (and local languages when needed) for stronger connection.
PIRC’s SBCC Services
PIRC offers complete SBCC solutions tailored for municipalities, INGOs, cooperatives and SMEs:
1. SBCC Strategy Design
- Behavior and audience analysis
- Message and channel framework
- Integrated communication planning
2. Content Development & Production
- Scripts, storyboards, videos and social media cards
- IEC posters for cooperatives, dairies and offices
- Radio and event scripts
3. Training & Facilitation
- Training municipal and cooperative staff
- Embedding SBCC into existing food safety and product development trainings
4. Implementation Support
- Running campaigns with local partners
- Coordinating digital rollouts via client or municipal pages
5. Monitoring, Learning & Reporting
- Dashboards, change stories and visual documentation
- Reporting formats ready for donors or municipalities
Conclusion
Behavior change is the missing link between availability and actual consumption of safe, nutritious food.
Nepal has already proven that SBCC works but its full power is realized when it becomes local, visual and connected to people’s everyday systems.
Planeteer Innovative and Research Consultancy Pvt. Ltd. (PIRC) is ready to help design and implement these smarter communication strategies transforming messages into habits and helping Nepalese families live healthier, safer and more nutritious lives.
