Enhanced Livelihoods Protection Support to Food Insecure Households (IPC Phase 3, 4 and 5) in Aweil East (AE), Northern Bahr El Ghazal (NBeG) State IRC proposes to utilize the SSHF SA1 funding to further scale-up the national emergency livelihoods response activities by providing immediate and short term life saving support to severely vulnerable and food insecure households (in IPC phase 3,4 and 5) in Aweil East, Northern Bahr el Ghazal.

Targeting 5956 (4169F) of the most vulnerable households (approximately 500-700 IDs in Kwanjok, 5456 host community households), IRC will distribute critical emergency productive and livelihood kits in Aweil East during the lean period of 2019. 

IRC will preposition emergency main season crop kits, vegetable, and fishing kits by road from FAO Juba warehouse and scale up timely provision of these kits to the identified 5956 (4169F ) most vulnerable households affected by severe food insecurity in Aweil East. Main season staple seeds and tools will be distributed to all the 5956 identified households towards the onset of May/June 2019 planting season. Additionally, to enhance the immediate access to life saving food support by the most affected households through improved access to nutrient dense and fish protein food products, 1787 households along the fishing banks will receive fishing kits (immediate support) to access fish products while the remaining of 4169 households will receive vegetable seeds for improved access to short term (3-4 weeks) vegetables for consumption. Households will realize immediate access to fish products by utilizing the fishing gear as well as short term vegetables foods and utilize them as they transition into the main seasonal food harvest by August to December 2019. The smooth transition will avoid starvation and likely famine outbreaks and ensure survival in Aweil East when assets and food stocks reduce further into the lean season. This will ensure household resilience and improved ability to cope with lean season shocks associated with drought and hunger. Furthermore, IRC will set up technological demonstration gardens showcasing the best agronomic practices in strategic payam locations targeting main season crop and vegetable seeds provided. Working with the County Senior Agriculture Inspector (CSAI), tailored, practical and short capacity building trainings will be provided to selected Community Based Facilitators (CBFs) during these demonstrations. In turn, they will guide the rest of the beneficiaries on adopting best practices for their household plots. 

To ensure client responsiveness and participation, based on previous experiences and successes, IRC will continue to utilize a participatory beneficiary selection and verification approach, working through community elders and payam and county leaders upon agreeing on a fitting vulnerability profile for the communities. Beneficiary selection will specifically target persons with special needs (PSN), as well as women headed households, elderly and under-aged headed households in order to ensure equal opportunity and access to life saving emergency livelihood kits and their protection and survival.

IRC is currently implementing Health and Nutrition (through the Rapid Response Mechanism) programs in Aweil East. This FSL program will be integrated into the existing program and ensure households facing acute malnutrition, including mothers, are registered for support. Food preparation and nutrition related sensitization sessions will be organized targeting the most affected households with support from the IRC nutrition program staff. Overall IRC will support 35,736 beneficiaries (18,761 women, 8,041 men, 2680 boys, 6,254 girls) through a six month livelihood protection intervention.