Emergency Cash Assistance to most vulnerable food insecure household in IPC Phase 3+ prioritize Laghman province Project Summary :	Afghanistan in addition to Covid-19 pandemic and drought, has also exposed and experienced very bad time in last decades with significant rise internal war and conflict in provinces before, during the withdrawal of foreign forces. The country context from economic and poverty prospective further stressed with lack of employment opportunity and other income generation activities.  According to IPC 2021 post-harvest season assessment, 18.8 million people are estimated to be experiencing high levels of food insecurity in IPC Phase 3 and 4. This includes 6.8 million classified in emergency (phase 4) nationwide and 11.9 million (30%) in Crisis (phase 3). Laghman province is listed among 45 rural areas that is facing emergency level of acute food insecurity (phase 4).  Out of 635,317 total population, 127,063 people (20% of total population) are classified in phase 4 and 158,829 people or 25% of total population are in phase 3.
The WFP / VAM food security analysis in September 2021, report that the price of most food items increased after the recent conflict and political change.  The price of wheat, wheat flour, sugar and cooking oil significantly increased in September compared to the last months. In Afghanistan, the price of high-quality wheat flour rose by 5.7% in September, this followed 8% increase in August.  Compare to the same time in September 2020, this price remains 17% higher and also 34% above the 5-year average price at main city. At the provincial level, the prices are increased by 11% in Laghman province.  The VAM assessment indicates that similar to the high price of wheat flour, supply disruptions and increase of exchange rate caused the price of low-price flour to raise by 4.6% compared to the last months in Laghman. Afghani currency devaluation and exchange rate continue to raise hitting a new record high at 95 AFN/USD. Along with other contributing factors, community purchasing power become very low and tend to use negative coping strategy.  29.8 % people income has reduced (since last four months none of the government employee has received their salaries, local production is not exported to Pakistan and it has been sold in low cost where it has affected farmers income. 58.6% of HHs has faced problem while raising animals during the last 6 months. 38.5% lack of pasture and fodder, 29.5% animal disease, and 46.8% not owning any livestock. 76.8% of them has faced difficulties during cultivation, out of that 45.6% could not access to non-certified and 74.4% people couldn't access to certified seeds, and 5.2% of HHs was not able to obtain fertilizer. 88.2% has borrowed money in order to buy food items 62.4% HHs having family member with disability, with visible percentage of disability head of households. The combination of conflict, drought as well as Covid-19, has led to 45% of the population being classified as IPC 3 + or above in Laghman province.  Businessmen and ordinary people further pushed into need and stress due to freeze on the banking system. 
Through the proposed project, FGA will provide unconditional cash assistance to 1,763 households (12341 individuals) in three districts (Mehterlam, Alinghar and Alishang) of Laghman province to buy food items/commodities.   The FGA response focuses on cash assistance as per food basket cost for a family of 7 members for one month, has been set at $ 90 to cover 2100 Kcal / person / day.  Based on the cluster standards and the allocation strategy paper, every eligible HH will receive USD 180 (in AFN equivalent amount based on the exchange rate of the particular period) over a period of two months to cope with their food insecurity during the winter season.