Afghanistan Joint Response Afghanistan is facing a widespread humanitarian crisis where humanitarian needs are fast growing, due to countrywide conflict displacement and undocumented returnees and registered refugees returning from Pakistan and Iran. Oxfam is responding to the needs of 2.015 most vulnerable families in Nangarhar and Kunduz province with immediate food support through cash transfers (conditional in formof cash for work and unconditional) and assistance to improve their food production for the longer term. Oxfam ispart of the Afghanistan Joint Response a coalition of NGO#s funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Dutch Relief Alliance.



Key objective 1: In Nangahar and Kunduz province 1.665 households (11.665 people) have increased access to cash to improve their immediate food needs by February 2017
Results: 1.665 most vulnerable families (1.665 undocumented returnees and 300 host community familiesin Nangahar and 300 retuned IDP in Kunduz) have sufficient cash to meet their immediate food needs for 4 months.

Activities
# Through a participatory and conflict sensitive process, identify the most vulnerable families
# Through mobile cashtransfers and cash for work, provide immediate cash assistance
# Conduct post distribution monitoring to assess the results of the cash transfer.

Key objective 2: In Kunduz 650 households (4.550 people) have increased food production and food availability by May 2017
Result: 650 mostvulnerable families have improved livelihood skills and inputs

Activities
# Through a participatory and conflict sensitive process, identify most vulnerable returned IDPs
# Conduct assessment (including gender and conflict sensitivity approach) to identify livelihood support requirements
# Provide livelihood assistance to identified beneficiaries, capacity building training and conduct post distribution monitoring.

Actor
The Afghan Development Association (ADA) was established in 1990 with the purpose of improving agricultural productivity in rural Afghanistan. Agricultural areas have suffered considerably as a result of almost 24 years of civil warin the country. Theirrigation system of canals and karezes (small water tunnels), on which large parts of agrarian land depend, were damaged or destroyed, or goneinto disuse after years of neglect. The consequences of the civil war include the displacement of large numbers of people and severe disruption of the economy and livelihoods of numerous poor families.
ADA has concentrated its efforts in the southern and westernregions of the country. Given the relative security and stability in these areas during Taliban rule,thedisplaced and refugee population of the region has been gradually returning from surrounding areas and countries.
The drought prevailing forthe last three years has, however, slowed down the repatriation process to some extent. The returning populationis in need of continued support to facilitate their re-integration.
ADA has developed a multi-sectoral, integrated rural development package that includes the rehabilitation of irrigation systems, horticulture development, agricultural inputs (such as fertilisers, improved seed varieties, tools), veterinary training, health education, vocational training, and environmental conservation.
OxfamNovib has provided support to ADA for Integrated Rural Development Projects for several years entailing thefollowing aspects of development: encouraging and facilitating return of refugees; rehabilitating and developing rural infrastructure including farm activities; creatingemployment and livelihood opportunities; facilitating socio-economic reintegration; and ensuring the participation of local communities in the rural rehabilitation activities.
Major components covered with Oxfam Novib support have included: the rehabilitation of rural infrastructure; food security; water supply; and vocational training.
Theprojects have served tens of thousands of families. All these services were found useful in the direction of accomplishing broader objectives of alleviating poverty and fostering peace in Afghanistan.