Ashterlay Life-Saving Food Assistance (ALFA) CRS will support 18,921 individuals (approximately 2,703 families) in Ashterlay District of Daykundi province with food assistance through cash distributions. As access to Ashterlay communities is quickly reducing due to rain and snow, a single cash distribution will be held in March/April 2022 with this AHF funding that will be equivalent to 4 months half ration per FSAC guidelines.

This food assistance is demanded by the current context and will minimize households’ negative coping strategies, such as reducing meals, selling off productive assets, or migration out of the community. The proposed intervention will target all vulnerable households (blanket coverage) in several valleys of Ashterlay, a highly food insecure district of Daykundi. Daykundi itself has received a food security score of Phase 4 locations per the October 2021 IPC report.

CRS will use an unconditional cash transfer modality to distribute as high a ratio of the project award amount as possible to target beneficiaries. Details of the cash distribution are described below:

	Ration: Per 2021 FSAC Guidance, a full ration of cash assistance for a family of 7 consists of enough food to cover 2,100 kilocalories per person per day for 30 days. The total cash value of the full ration package has been determined by FSAC to be $80 USD. However, per 2021 FSAC guidance, “seasonal food support” should be designed as half rations for four months or a total of $160 USD per 7-person family. CRS is currently using this method in the target area. An additional transport allowance of $12 USD will be provided to each family on top of their half ration to ensure home-to-market travel is not a liability for resource-poor families.

	Money Service Providers: In the absence of banking facilities, CRS Afghanistan uses Money Service Providers (MSP) to facilitate cash transfers from CRS HQ office to Afghanistan to supply cash as demanded by its programs in the country. Cash has been successfully transferred this way to districts in Daykundi. CRS has carried out MSP-supported cash payments for projects funded by USAID, United Nations, DFID, private foundations, and CRS private resources. To select an MSP, CRS announces a tender and asks potential MSPs to participate in a competitive process to provide cash transfer services within the geography of operation. CRS selects an MSP based on the MSP’s competitiveness, financial capacity, and presence in the area of operation. All MSP are vetted Bridger checks and via USAID’s vetting process. CRS ensures the MSP holds a valid license to perform money services in Afghanistan and is registered with the local government. 

	Distribution Day: Cash amounts (based on the number of individuals in the family) will be distributed to an assigned representative of each family. This ensures that large families, which often face the most food insecurity, receive the support they need. CRS staff, community shura, and MSP representatives are all present when each family receives their cash allotment. Cash payments are made in the community to avoid putting families at risk. Voucher cards are given to each family in advance so they can present these cards as their identification on distribution day.

	Monitoring: CRS monitoring staff carry out randomized exit interviews to immediately check-in on and document beneficiary concerns on distribution day. Post-distribution monitoring is carried out in person or by phone to verify the total amount paid to households and gauge their satisfaction level with the activity.