Emergency Food Assistance through cash distribution in Hazrat-e-Sultan district of Samangan province. Afghanistan remains one of the most vulnerable countries in the world. A complex and protracted conflict, the effects of climate change, demographic shifts, limited employment opportunities, pervasive gender inequalities and slow progress towards inclusive and transparent institutions have slowed down the country's development efforts. The IPC acute food insecurity analysis issued for Afghanistan in November 2020 projects that 13.15 million people (42% of the population) will be affected by high levels of food insecurity (IPC levels 3 crisis and above) between November 2020 and March 2021. Furthermore, OCHA predicts that the number of individuals affected by food insecurity may rise to 17 million. 
Specifically, Samangan province is classified as IPC level 4 emergency, with roughly 215,000 individuals (50% of the local population) affected by hunger and malnourishment. Additionally, the 2019-2020 Afghanistan Winterization evaluation reveals that a lack of humanitarian support results in households adopting negative coping strategies and being placed in more vulnerable and desperate situations. COVID-19 came up to further destabilise the vulnerability of the population.
In Hazrat-e-Sultan, the district targeted by this intervention, only 34% of interviewed women of reproductive age were eating five or more food groups and only 29% of the households had food consumption score at the acceptable level. 78% of the households had “poor” food expenditure share and 50% of the households had high rCSI. 15% of the households were headed by children and women where majority of women headed households were widows and 11% of the households were headed by disabled persons. Only 29% of the population has an acceptably food consumption score, and 85% of the population relies on reduced coping mechanisms.
In order to address the increased food and nutrition security risks and avoid the most vulnerable households to further resort to negative coping strategies during the winter season, Welthungerhilfe will provide timely lifesaving food assistance to 1,071 households (7,500 individuals) of the most vulnerable families in Hazrat-e-Sultan district in Samangan. In addition to food assistance, beneficiaries will receive nutrition and hygiene awareness sessions.
The selected modality for the food assistance is cash. This modality has been prioritised following the market analysis that indicates that markets are accessible, functional and food and non-food items are available. In addition, cash is the preferred disbursement modality for the local population, as they expressed to Welthungerhilfe. 
Each vulnerable household will receive a total amount of USD 45 per month, for a total of USD 180 covering four months of food assistance. The cash distributions will be organised in two times (each two months) through hawala dealers. Welthungerhilfe has a vast experience in disbursing cash through hawala in the area targeted by the project. The distribution of cash will be conditional to the beneficiaries participating of the nutrition and hygiene promotion sessions. 
Distributions are organised considering specific needs of the population and gender-age considerations. In addition, Welthungerhilfe has put in place strong protocols to prevent further spread of COVID-19. 
In order to ensure the accurate identification of the most vulnerable, while engaging communities for the identification of the most vulnerable, Welthungerhilfe will consult the CDC, and at the same time, conduct sound independent verification surveys based on the methodology proposed by WFP. In addition, the setup of the CRM will allow the timely identification of inclusion and exclusion errors. All targeting errors identified are discussed and addressed with the communities and CDC. 
The success of this project will be measured through a strong MEAL system that includes baseline, endline and PDM, and which will be complemented by market follow ups and a learning workshop.