Emergency livestock restocking in Taizz and Hajjah governorates The intervention addresses the priority criteria as defined by the allocation strategy amp FSAC in terms of (i) geographical location (Taizz and Hajjah governorates), (ii) activities (emergency livelihoods assistance focusing on small ruminants assets replacement/restocking using a voucher mechanism) and, (iii) vulnerability criteria (IDPs and/or host families hosting IDPs).
The project intends to target a total of 3,000 IDP households (HHs) and IDP hosting HHs (2,800 men, 3100 women, 7328 boys and 7772 girls) in three districts (Dimnat Khadir amp Al Tazyah for Taizz and Aslam for Hajjah) in line with the IDP priority districts as stipulated in the YHPF call and the FSAC YHRP targets (based on the number of severely food insecure individuals), IPC phases per governorate, and the overall IDP caseload. The proposed intervention will support vulnerable IDP HHs and/or host families hosting IDPs in targeted areas with 9,000 goats/sheep (3 heads for each targeted HH) including protein and mineral rich concentrate, anti-parasites and vaccines availed as an overall voucher restocking scheme. The voucher will allow receipt of 2 goats/sheep, with the 3rd to follow after three months, conditional on successful upkeep of the two. Sheep/goats are economically providing a vast range of products and services such as meat, milk, skin, hair, and manure. The short generation interval of sheep/goats coupled with high frequency of multiple births allows for rapid increases in animal numbers. This acts as a “bank on the hoof” building financial capital and allows the sale of surplus animals for cash that can be used for other important households’ necessities such as food, shelter, health, school fees etc. 
Traditional breeds of goats/sheep will be distributed as part of FAO’s do no harm approach. Training sessions will also be provided to cover topics on improved breeding, feeding and diseases prevention and treatment practices, to ensure that the sheep/goat herds will be given the opportunity to express their maximum potential. Gender equity will be given high priority through the inclusion of female-headed HHs at all levels (provision of sheep/goats amptraining activities). The locations selected for the sheep/goat fairs is based on a thorough market assessment, and will be fragmented to the maximum in order to minimize walking distance, ensure greater protection measures, and protect against inflation due to increased demand. Based on the principle of the livestock fair, the selected HHs will be given vouchers and will therefore have the option to choose between males and females, breeds, body constitutions and age and other criteria which they may consider based on the information provided by livestock traders and/or animal health experts from the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (MoAI) present on the day of the fair. The livestock selected by beneficiaries will be vaccinated on the spot by the MoAI veterinarians once the selection process is finalized, while the remaining part of the assistance (anti-parasite tablets and feeds) will be provided at the same time prior to the beneficiaries departing from the fair. The voucher will include provisions for the vaccinations, anti-parasite tablets, feeds, and transportation. The training sessions will take place before and after receipt of the sheep/goats so that the recipients are aware of the objectives, the process, and the conditionality of receipt of the 3rd sheep/goat. Training sessions will be coupled with post-distribution follow-up/monitoring. The project will have a direct impact on preventing further depletion of livestock assets, enriching and diversifying the diet of most food insecure households by providing immediate and sustainable sources of protein to supplement staple food production reducing economic burden on host communities, rebuilding of stocks and productive assets, preventing families resorting to negative or harmful coping strategies.