Emergency winter wheat and livestock protection support to vulnerable farming and livestock herding households in preparation of the 2023/2024 winter months. ltpgtltspangtThe severe 2020-2023 drought which affected crop and pasture production,
high food prices, lack of access to quality inputs for agriculture production,
the collapse of public services, the deepening economic crisis post August 2021,
and most recently, the restrictions on women's mobility and right to work in
delivering humanitarian assistance are together having a profound impact on poverty,
food security and livelihoods of the Afghanistan people. Food Security and
Agriculture Cluster (FSAC) in April 2023 projected that between May - October
2023, 15.3 million Afghans will experience high levels of acute food
insecurity, classified in Crisis or Emergency (IPC Phase 3 or 4), including
just under 2.7 million people experiencing IPC Phase 4. Humanitarian assistance
in the first five months of 2023 reached 21.3 million people, averting more IPC
Phase 3+ populations from falling into worse-off phases. However, with limited
resources an estimated 18 million people in IPC 3+ areas are without food
assistance and 3.4 million people receiving only half rations. lt/spangtlt/pgtltpgtltspangtIn the coming winter season, Afghanistan is projected to
experience El Nino and above average precipitation through January 2024. It is
expected that early depletion of snowmelt in most basins and current
below-average streamflow levels in most rivers will limit water
availability for significant second-season crops such as irrigated wheat,
hindering the prospects of an ideal wheat production. This will also result in
worsened pasture conditions in areas already impacted by the consecutive
drought. lt/spangtltbrgtlt/pgtltpgtltspangtEmerging threats such as the zoonotic transmitted Crimean-Congo
Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) have also increased in the country, posing a threat to
the already fragile burden on animal and human health, food insecurity and
livelihoods situation. According to the WHO, there has been a significant surge
in the number of confirmed cases in Afghanistan with an estimated 947 persons affected
and 100 deaths in 2023.ltbrgtCommunities in Herat Province are also reeling from a series of earthquakes
(6M+). Seven earthquakes have caused substantial damage to infrastructures,
including homes, barns, and grazing areas. To date, 1 384 people are reported
to have been killed and 1 853 people injured, majority being women and
children. In addition, 1 760 livestock
have been lost and over 12 400 surviving animals are in a weakened state with
limited access to feed and medical care. Unless continuous actions for the
urgent safeguarding of agriculture livelihoods and protecting livestock are
undertaken in the rural areas, there is a real risk of
significant number of areas currently in IPC Phase 3+ further deepening the
humanitarian crisis. ltbrgtFAO proposes to assist ltbgt40 500 marginal livestock herding households lt/bgt(283 500 people) in lt/spangtltbgtltspangtBaghlan, Balkh, Bamyan, Daikundi, Farah, Ghor,
Hilmand, Herat, Logar, Takhar, Wardak and Sarepul lt/spangtlt/bgtprovinces, by providing season sensitive livestock protection i.e. concentrate
animal feed (200 kg per household), internal and external parasite control
against worms, ticks and fleas that transmit zoonotic diseases such
as CCHF, provide technical trainings and linkages to local veterinary extension
services. ltbrgtIn addition, FAO proposes to assist ltbgt3 000 vulnerable smallholder
farming households (21 000 people)lt/bgt in districts across ltbgtltspangtBamyan, Balkh, Farah, Herat, Takhar and Wardak lt/spangtlt/bgtprovinces, by providing emergency winter wheat cultivation packages
consisting of 50 kg of certified wheat seeds, 50 kg Urea and 50 kg DAP, technical
trainings and linkages to local extension services.ltbrgtFAO will also provide
urgent aid and support to an additional ltbgt3 500 earthquake affected households (24 500 people)lt/bgtltspangt
in Herat Province, with a specific focus on protecting livestock by providing 600 kg concentrate feed, 1 Mt of hay, feeders, drinkers and medicinal/ vaccination support.lt/spangtlt/pgtltpgtltbrgtlt/pgt