Enhancing Gazan Farmers’ Ability to Recover Livelihoods Through Cash Assistance ltpgtThe proposed project aims to support vulnerable and
crisis-affected farmers and breeders in the Gaza Strip to sustain their
livelihood assets, recover their production capacity, meet their food security
needs, and reduce the use of negative coping strategies. The project aligns
with the outcome of the following Strategic Humanitarian Response Plan’s (HRP)
objective: (SO3): The capacity of vulnerable Palestinians to cope with and
overcome protracted crisis, including from environmental threats, is supported,
while solutions to violations and other root causes of threats and shocks are
pursued.ltbrgtlt/pgtltpgt

lt/pgtltp class="MsoNormal"gtMore specifically, it will contribute to the Food Security
Sector (FSS) Objective 01: Enhance resilience of vulnerable households,
restoring and protecting their agriculture-based livelihoods and income-generating opportunities. lt/pgtltpgt

lt/pgtltp class="MsoNormal"gtThrough unconditional and restricted cash assistance, Mercy
Corps and its local partner – Al Foukhary Association for Country Development
(Al Foukhary) – will identify, select, and support 351 of the most vulnerable and weather affected farmers and breeders from Khan Younis and Rafah (1,966
individuals). Farmers will be selected through a combined household
vulnerability assessment and livelihood technical assessment. The farmers will
be supported with cash assistance provided in local currency with amounts recommended
by the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA). The categories of the supported farmers
will be distributed as follow:lt/pgtltpgt

lt/pgtltolgtltligtAgricultural Open-Land: 113 Farmers (60 from Khan Younis
and 53 from Rafah): Each selected small farmer will receive an average of $900
equivalent in local currency to rehabilitate 2.0 dunums of open land.lt/ligtltligtGreenhouse Rehabilitation: 168 Farmers (84 from Khan
Younis and 84 from Rafah): Each selected small farmer will receive an average
of $ 900 equivalent in local currency to rehabilitate one
greenhouse.lt/ligtltligtPoultry Farms Rehabilitation: 46 Farmers (21 from Khan
Younis and 25 from Rafah): each poultry farmer will receive an average of $
1,200 equivalent in local currency to rehabilitate their farms.lt/ligtltligtPV system for farmers: 24 systems will be provided (12
from Khan Younis and 12 from Rafah): each farmer will receive an average of
$2,500 equivalent in local currency to purchase and install the PV system. lt/ligtlt/olgtltpgt

lt/pgtltp class="MsoNormal"gtBy utilizing cash as a modality for direct assistance
through Electronic Debit Cards (eWallet), Mercy Corps aims to provide potential
project participants with greater power to meet their urgent needs, empower
them to take decisions on the intervention, and maintain their dignity while
reducing their vulnerability and contributing to restoring their food security.
The project will help farmers and breeders improve their productive physical
assets and economic conditions and effectively enhance their resilience to
future shocks. The local markets are functional in the Gaza Strip, and vendors have
adequate stock available therefore, cash is an appropriate modality to meet
critical basic needs. Through well-established evidence-based vulnerability and
technical targeting, the project will use the Proxy Means Test Formula (PMTF)
and Technical Vulnerability Assessment Tool (TVAT) to identify, assess and
verify selected vulnerable HHs to receive cash assistance, monitor activities,
and ensure full coordination and engagement with the community and primary
stakeholders, including the FSS. Mercy Corps will be the focal point of
coordination with the main actors, and Al Foukhary will coordinate closely with
the MoA to cross-check the names of vulnerable farmers and breeders.
Additionally, Mercy Corps will promote community ownership, accountability, and
participation throughout the project through baseline assessments, orientation
sessions, post-distribution monitoring, and its Community Accountability and
Reporting Mechanism (CARM), while also mobilizing key stakeholders to more
deeply engage with identified vulnerable farmers.lt/pgtltp class="sceditor-nlf"gtltbrgtlt/pgt