Emergency Cash Support for Acutely Food Insecure Households in Jaghatu and Nawur Districts of Ghazni Province Afghanistan is currently one of the world’s most acute and complex humanitarian crises, with 18.9 million people – or 45% of the population – projected to be facing critical levels of food insecurity in the coming months (IPC June - November 2022). Freezing temperatures and harsh weather conditions compounded by increased seasonal barriers in accessing markets and livelihood opportunities are expected to both deepen and widen food insecurity during the winter season. Against this fragile backdrop, DRC is proposing an eight-month project to support 1,530 acutely food insecure host and internally displaced households (10,710 individuals) in Jaghatu and Nawur districts of Ghazni province through the provision of unconditional cash assistance ($432/HH) to cover households’ basic food needs over a six-month period. DRC will distribute the six-month cash support in two tranches via a pre-contracted hawala supplier. The provision of six months’ worth of assistance via two installments is designed to allow households to stock-up before the winter period, when mobility is restricted due to weather and road conditions, and to mitigate risks and burden related to traveling to and from a distribution point, especially for women, elderly, and people with a disability, and in rural areas where the target population is spread out. Additionally, the limited number of transfers is informed by DRC experience, in which de-facto authorities are reluctant of multiple distributions to the same individuals and tend to create challenges during implementation. The total transfer value ($432/HH) is aligned with the FSAC guidelines and covers 75% of the FSAC minimum food basket for six months, with project participants expected to cover the remaining portion themselves. The implementation approach will be further informed by consultations with affected populations to gauge their preferences for the frequency of installments and the type of modality, verified by market monitoring throughout the project lifespan.

The target districts were identified in consultation with the cluster in light of the high need for food security interventions documented by a composite indicator covering the IPC March analysis, Pre-Lean Season Assessment (PLSA) 2022 data, FSAC response gaps, and extreme weather conditions (e.g., temperature, snow coverage). Cash was selected as the most effective modality to meet project participants’ food needs given the proven functionality and accessibility of markets and basic commodities in target districts. In addition, cash assistance was also found to be the preferred methodology according to recent Household Emergency Assessment Tool (HEAT) assessments conducted by DRC in the target locations and in line with FSAC recommendations. The cash assistance will allow the target population continuous access to markets to purchase fresh, staple food, leading to an expected improvement in food consumption at the household level and reduced reliance on negative coping mechanisms. The multiplier effect of such cash interventions on stimulating the local economy will be critical in the country’s short to mid-term economic recovery.

The response will apply a protection lens and maintain the Do No Harm principle, including by referring individuals identified under this project as facing imminent protection risks to DRC Protection teams operating in the same locations (Jaghatu and Nawur) under the AHF RA3 allocation. DRC’s independent Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) Unit will support with participant targeting, verification, and project monitoring of activities, while ensuring accountability to affected people (AAP) is upheld through the establishment of two-way complaints and feedback mechanisms across all areas of operation.