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REVISION SUMMARY

ORIGINAL 2018-2021 AFGHANISTAN HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE PLAN

The 2018-2021 Afghanistan Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) released in December 2017 sought US$430 million to assist 2.8 million people in 2018 with life-saving and protection assistance across the country. The plan’s strategic objectives, which are intended to span the entire life-cycle of the response, focus on the following:

SO1 SAVE LIVES IN THE AREAS OF HIGHEST NEED

SO2 REDUCE PROTECTION VIOLATIONS AND INCREASE RESPECT FOR INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW

SO3 PEOPLE STRUCK BY SUDDEN ONSET CRISES GET THE HELP THEY NEED, ON TIME

SCOPE OF REVISED 2018-2021 HRP: DROUGHT RELATED REQUIREMENTS

Following a winter period which saw a precipitation deficit of 70 percent prevailing across most of the country, making 2017/18 the fifth consecutive year in which the main planting season for wheat (October-February) has been compromised, the Afghanistan Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) has agreed to revise the HRP based on situational analysis which shows that the country is now experiencing a drought. This drought will have a particularly detrimental effect on already chronically food insecure farming households (approximately 2.2 million people), of which 1.4 million will become acutely food insecure and require emergency assistance over the coming months and into the next lean season.

In making this decision, the HCT accept that the planning assumptions upon which the HRP was originally based have now changed (see 2018-2021 HRP, p. 11–12) and that additional activities and requirements stemming from the drought need to be incorporated in order to facilitate a timely response and avert a major humanitarian crisis.

In this regard, while the strategic objectives and overall parameters of the HRP remain unchanged and continue to prioritise saving lives in the areas most affected by conflict and natural disaster, the HRP will be adjusted to reflect an activity portfolio which enables urgently needed food and agriculture, livelihoods, WASH and nutrition support to be provided to affected people — mainly rural farmers or agricultural wage labourers. Cross-cutting approaches to protection; gender, age and disability; accountability; and cash-based programming remain unchanged.

Further details on the Afghanistan HRP, including agreement on its scope and priorities, response parameters, and approach to the New Way of Working can be found in the original HRP document.

THE REVISED 2018-2021 HRP: IN FIGURES

The revised Afghanistan 2018-2021 HRP now seeks US$547 million to reach 4.2 million people with emergency humanitarian and protection assistance across the country in 2018.

This figure represents a 27 percent increase in financial requirements on the original appeal and is directly attributed to the incorporation of drought-related requirements comprising the food security and agriculture, WASH and nutrition sectors as outlined in the May inter-cluster drought contingency plan. Altogether, funding requirements have now increased by $117 million. Although the current adjustment only reflects revised food security, WASH and nutrition requirements, additional funding may be required over the coming months should donor resources not be forthcoming and drought-related displacement and health issues associated with poor nutritional status (such as acute watery diarrhea, measles and other disease outbreaks) materialise. Already this year, 161 measles outbreaks have been reported – a 65 percent increase on those occurring during the same period in 2017 – while 18,200 people in the western region have been verified as having migrated from Herat to Ghor and Badghis due to the drought with additional displacements taking place within these provinces themselves.

Thus, while education in emergencies, emergency-shelter and non-food items, health and protection have maintained their original response plan and requirements, further changes may occur at the mid-year review point should the situation on the ground require it.