Emergency Food Assistance for Acutely Food Insecure Families in Paktika Province In response to an anticipated high rate of food insecurity in 4 districts of Paktika province Amna, Nika, Barmal and Giyan, Concern Worldwide is proposing emergency cash for food assistance for 10360 individuals (1480 HHs) who are in dire need of humanitarian assistance. The project is targetted at addressing the acute food security needs of these households, who are living under IPC 3 and 4 conditions. The assistance will be comprised of distribution of cash to cover food needs, with the transfer value based on providing targeted households with 75% of cost of the food basket on a monthly basis . The August 2022 CVWG revision of the MEB values estimates the monthly food basket cost as being 96 USD, so 75% of this value is 72 USD . The process for establishing the MEB, and associated transfer values for food security and other sectoral areas, is set out in full in the guidance document. This outcome of the multistakeholder process was endorsed at the September 26th CVWG meeting, thus rendering the previous February 2022 MEB and associated values obsolete. Concern will deliver two months of cash for food instalments at a time. HHs will receive 6 months of cash for food through a total of three installments. As each instalment will cover two months, the transfer value received at each of the distributions will be 144 USD (72*2 = $144). While the assistance will be targeted at addressing food security outcomes, through use of targeted vulnerability criteria related to food security, geographical targeting in IPC3+ areas, and a food security related transfer value, this cash assistance will be unconditional and unrestricted. Distributions will be implemented with support of a Hawala service, with whom Concern has entered into agreement for service following a competitive process and due dilligence. This FSP delivers the cash to target districts, which is received and distributed by Concern’s distribution team, which includes personnel from the finance department. This FSP was selected on the basis of meeting compliance standards and due diligence regarding counter terrorism, in addition to Value for Money, and ability to deliver services at district level for the benefit of beneficiaries. Beneficiaries will receive cash in hand at the distribution site from Concern staff, and beneficiary data is not shared with the FSP. The use of cash as modality of assistance is supported by a number of justifications. Firstly, as will be outlined below, assessment data indicates that markets in Paktika have capacity to meet demand arising from cash assistance and, as such, cash should be used to support market activity. In addition, in relation to the sectoral focus of the project, cash will allow beneficiaries the means of supplementing any existing food sources they have depending on their circumstances, towards better dietary diversity and food consumption. Furthermore, there is a protection rationale for cash assistance within the context of the target districts. In particular, the portable, and less visible nature of cash assistance improves access for beneficiaries with specifc needs, such as female headed households or persons with disability. It is also noted however, that using cash as modality also carries some specific risks, which must be mitigated against and monitored. This will be elaborated more fully in subsequent sections and the CBI protection tool which is annexed to this proposal.