Assisting the most vulnerable acute food insecure people in Ghor province with cash for food assistance In line with the priorities of the AHF 1st Allocation Strategy of 2020, the HRP 2018-2021 SO1 and FSAC outcome 1.2 and cluster objective to improve food security of households affected by conflict, natural disasters, cross-border movement (returnees and refugees) and people facing multiple shocks falling under IPC Phase 3 and 4, Cordaid together with partner Rural Rehabilitation Association for Afghanistan (RRAA) will ensure people in Ghor are enabled to meet their acute and basic food needs through the distribution of cash for food. The conditional cash assistance ensures continued, regular access to food for acute food insecure people in Ghor. The food assistance will be provided in Dawlatyar, DoLayna, Lal Wa Sarjangal, Shahrak districts of Ghor Province where according to IPC data, and confirmed by recent assessments by Cordaid/ RRAA in the area people are acute and severe food insecure and in IPC3 and IPC4.  
The proposed response is designed based on needs and gaps identified by the FSAC and the 1st allocation, confirmed by recent RRAA assessments (annex 1). These assessments show that in Ghor province 10% of the respondents don’t have any food stocks and have a low food consumption score. 95% is applying negative coping strategies such as reducing number of meals, child labour and early marriage. To address the acute food needs, Cordaid proposes cash distribution (half food basket cash for food for 3 months to complement existing food stock) 31,010 people . Cordaid will ensure that the most vulnerable people are included in the assistance, in particular pregnant and lactating women, children under 5yrs old, elderly and disabled, who are affected disproportionately by food insecurity. Beneficiary Selection Committees (BSC) will be established, conducting door-to-door assessment using the HEAT. Markets assessments confirmed market functionality and available food and will be monitored. Based on cluster vulnerability criteria (household food stocks, current income, poor food consumption scores and use of more than one food-based emergency coping strategy), the most food insecure and vulnerable households will be identified by the BSCs, using the food consumption score card. Selected beneficiaries will receive a token and will be fully informed about the assistance and how to access complaint and feedback systems, incl. Awaaz. Pre-distribution monitoring will be conducted as an extra verification to ensure eligibility of the beneficiaries and beneficiary lists will be shared with other actors for cross checking and avoidance of duplication. Selected beneficiaries will receive US$135 in 3 transfers, which is equivalent of half month food basket for three months. Cash will be provided monthly through mobile money (hawala) as mobile network is working. After each distribution, post distribution monitoring (PDM) will be conducted and will include questions related to risk of using cash. Cordaid/RRAA follow the FSAC guidelines for cash for food and the safer cash guidelines. Risk assessment for cash programming will be conducted and adopt relevant risk mitigation measures to facilitate safe and secure access of all beneficiaries (women, children, elderly especially) to cash assistance. Cordaid has tailored its response to a range of specific needs accounting for gender, age, disability, households headed by women, and families with specific protection needs. Those unable to attend distribution will be visited at home. Households with specific protection needs identified and referred by protection agencies will be prioritised for assistance.
Cordaid is committed to the ‘Grand Bargain’: in addition to participation, the use of cash and transparency (ReportHub, IATI), Cordaid implements jointly with RRAA as part of its localization efforts. Cordaid will strengthen RRAA’s capacity through training, coaching and funding, whilst coordinating and monitoring the response and ensuring core humanitarian, cluster and safe cash standards