Supporting IPC Phase 3 and 4 food-insecure households with Cash for Food Assistance in Farah Province (Farah district) The 2022 HRP seeks US$ 4.4 billion to reach 22.1 million people with emergency life-saving humanitarian and protection assistance across the country. The strategic objective1 of the HRP focus on " Timely, multi-sectoral, lifesaving, equitable and safe assistance is provided to crisis-affected people of all genders and diversities to reduce mortality and morbidity." The multiple challenges facing the people of Afghanistan, including La Niña-induced climatic anomalies, political turnover, economic downturn, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, are exacerbating the pre-existing needs and vulnerabilities of millions of Afghans. The humanitarian outlook for 2022 remains grim, with 24.4 million people (59% of the population) projected to be in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, compared to 18.4 million in 2021.

The combined impact of acute drought, the worst in nearly three decades, and the near-collapse of the economy in the second half of 2021 has generated a malnutrition crisis of unprecedented levels in Afghanistan, with some 22.8 million people projected to be facing acute food insecurity (IPC3 and IPC4). As per the latest available forecasts, a weak to moderate La Niña event has been affecting Afghanistan since October 2021 and will likely continue from May 2022 until the wet season. Additionally, higher food prices are negatively impacting the purchasing power of lower-income groups across the country, reducing their access to food. The main purpose of the AHF 1st Standard Allocation (SA) 2022 is to provide immediate life-saving food and cash-for-food support to IPC Phase 3 and 4 vulnerable families in Afghanistan. 

ORD intends to provide cash for food assistance for six months @ US$60 per month per household to cover 75 percent of the food basket that is FSAC recommended basket for this allocation for 1,031 HHs (7,218 individuals) in IPC 3 and 4 in the Farah province (Farah). ORD has had a strong presence and has delivered emergency responses. Currently, ORD is delivering cash for transitional shelter and shelter repair in the partnership of AHF and WASH response in partnership with UNICEF. The AHF's 1st Standard Allocation 2022 fund will scale up and fill the ORD's current response gap, be holistic, and become a multi-cluster response to the vulnerable population due to the aftermath of conflict and natural disasters. ORD will ensure that the most vulnerable people in need are among the affected population groups prioritized for this action following FSAC cluster standards for drought and conflict-affected people to respond to their food needs. ORD will closely coordinate with the regional FSAC cluster, UNOCHA/AHF, and other partners for the identification of target communities and groups to avoid duplication. ORD project team will establish Beneficiary Selection Committees (BSCs) that will conduct a door-to-door assessment using the vulnerability assessment tool.

ORD will provide this response in cash due to the availability of food commodities and market functionality as well as the project participants' preference based on the ORD Need Assessment Report that is uploaded under the documents section in GMS. ORD will use Hawala Dealer (Saraf) for cash transfer to project beneficiaries as another means of cash delivery is difficult in the current situation. Each transfer value should be US$61,860 per month distribution of @US$60 per household per installment,  each HHs will receive $360 in 6 months and a total of $371,160. ORD transfers money to the Hawala Dealer account and then Hawala Dealer manages the transactions and cash transfers to distribution points. Furthermore, the project team will carry out PDMs, and ORD MEAL will perform additional verification by phone. ORD will share the project participants' profiles with AWAAZ Afghanistan and integrate further AAP activities, including having other communication channels for project participants to give feedback complaints to ORD and get a response.