Emergency livelihoods support to  flood-affected farmers in Farah, Helmand, Faryab and Balkh provinces El Niño, declared in early February 2019, brought above-normal snowfall/rainfall to Afghanistan, with an estimated 42% increase compared to 2018 (Agriculture Prospect Report 2019). The higher rainfall caused floods in many mountainous areas, where soil absorption was poor and vegetation limited due to the previous years’ drought. FAO rapid flood assessment conducted in June 2019 identified extensive damages to agriculture lands and crops in  Farah, Helmand, Faryab and Balkh provinces. The flood assessment survey reveals that agriculture assistance was requested by 42% of flood affected farmers in targeted areas.  The resilience of vulnerable HHs, already weakened by the protracted drought and conflicts, was further negatively affected by the floods. FAO flood assessment report confirms a significant need for emergency assistance, as the humanitarian situation in flood-affected areas remains fragile and farmers need livelihood support to resume their production, restore their livelihoods and avoid a further deterioration of their food security. 

The government agriculture based livelihood response to the flood disaster has been limited due to financial resource constraints. FSAC flood response gap analysis shows that the on-the-ground humanitarian response for food distribution was generally covered through several humanitarian actors and WFP. While no emergency agriculture based livelihood response has been provided. 

The flood affected farmers are not able to resume their farming  in the absence of this project, causing widespread hardship and food insecurity and agricultural production will be severely limited in the affected areas. 

Furthermore, the flood affected farmer had been affected by drought in 2019. The emergency food security assessment (EFSA) report reveals that the farming households in targeted provinces also were affected by lack of fertilizer during the past season. Also, for most rural farming households in these areas , access to adequate seeds was also a challenge for them. EFSA report shows that 22% farmers in Helmand, 46% in Farah, 65% in Faryab and 55% in Balkh province had challenges with accessing seeds for cultivation.

If an adequate emergency livelihood response is not delivered immediately, the targeted provinces may find itself in an even-greater food security crisis next year. And, as many studies and practical examples have demonstrated, pervasive food insecurity and poverty drives refugees abroad, increases the number of IDPs, and exacerbates existing social instabilities and tensions.  The livelihood r response for flood affected people here is designed specifically to preserve livelihoods, while also increasing food security – hopefully leading to greater social stability in the regions where it is implemented, and in the neighboring regions which are spared an extra influx of IDPs. 

This emergency intervention aims to assist over a period of 12 months, vulnerable HHs affected by floods in Farah, Helmand, Faryab and Balkh provinces. A total of 119 000 people or 17 000 
flood-affected, vulnerable farming HHs in Farah, Helmand, Faryab and Balkh provinces will receive winter wheat seed package (certified wheat seed, urea and DAP fertilizers) complemented by training on improved agriculture practices.