Agriculture support  to food insecure and vulnerable farmers in Kunduz and Samangan provinces According to the most recent Spring Disaster Contingency Plan – March 2021, there are 13.2 million people in need of emergency assistance to cope with overlapping challenges including a potential La Niña-driven drought. In Kunduz 15% of the population projected to be in IPC 3 and 4 while in Samangan province 35% of the is projected to be in IPC 3 and 4 between June – November 2021 (IPC Acute Food Insecurity Analysis Mar-Nov 2021). 

Results from FSAC Pre-Lean Season Assessment 2021, show that in Kunduz province 33.7% of HHs were found to be moderate food insecure and 0.2% are severely food insecure based on the findings of the Household Hunger Score (HHS). Only 37.9% of the population is showing an acceptable FC. In Samangan province food security is even worse with 19.4% of the HHs are severely food insecure based on Household Hunger Score (HHS) and only 12.3% have an acceptable FCS. 

Livelihood assistance will be provided to affected households in IPC 3 and 4 to protect their agricultural 
livelihoods and increase their shock absorption capacity. Wheat and other crops are anticipated to be adversely impacted by the dry-spell and potential drought. Farmers are also expected to have reduced income opportunities. In the last six months income for the HHs has reduced by 26.5% in Kunduz province and 54.9% in Samangan province (FSAC Pre-Lean Season Assessment 2021). This is particularly concerning for small holder farmers who are likely to consume all their harvest during lean season, leaving them without inputs for later cultivation. To enhance cultivation, household consumption and income generation through the sale of crops, HIHAO will support farmers with quality, improved drought resistant certified seeds for the upcoming spring-summer planting season.

HIHAO through this project will provide Agriculture inputs such as certified seed, fertilizer Urea, fertilizer DAP and vegetable seeds to 3,000 farmers (1,500 men, 500 women, 500 girls and 500 boys) in the Aybak of Samangan province and Ali Abad and Chardarah districts of Kunduz province. In Kunduz we will target 2,000 households and in Samangan we will work with 1,000 households and one farmer will represent each household. A total of 21,000 individuals including women, men, boys and girls (14,000 in Kunduz and 7,000 in Samangan) who are the family members of the principal beneficiary will benefit from the project.  

At the beginning HIHAO will mobilize key stakeholders such as the Department of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (DAIL), representative of DAIL at the district level, district officials, District Development Assemblies (DDA), Community Development Councils (CDC) in the target geographical locations to inform about the project’s objectives, activities, target beneficiaries and selection criteria.
  
HIHAO will mobilize the farmers into groups of 10 - 15 people and provide them training on: Land preparation, cultivation techniques, Seed quantity per jerib, use of fertilizers, Irrigation and timing, Integrated pest management, harvesting and storage. HIHAO will also provide vegetable seeds such as okra, tomato and eggplant to the 3,000 households. The project will be implemented over a period of 12 months. 

HIHAO will establish a dedicated project implementation team including a project Manager and six trainers (4 in Kunduz and 2 in Samangan) at the district level. HIHAO currently has its head office in Kabul and a regional office in Mazar-e-Sharif. The project will be managed through its regional office in Mazar. The project will be oversighted by HIHAO core team members including the Country Director, the Program Director, the Program Manager and CFO. HIHAO technical team such as capacity development manager, master trainers will provide support to the project and HIHAO MEAL unit will monitor the progress of the project. The project administrative, finance and HR functions will be supported by the project Admin/Finance Manager based in Maza