World Food Programme Afghanistan, Annual report 2003

7/29/2019 World Food Programme Afghanistan, Annual report 2003

1/40

WFP Afghanistan

Annual Report 2003

United Nations

World FoodProgramme


2/40

WFP Afghanistan

Annual Report 2003


3/40


4/40

Preface 01

2003 in Review 02

2004 the Year Ahead 03

Government Collaboration 04 - 07

Security 08

WFP in Figures 09 - 11

Programme Management 12 - 25

Emergency Operation 12 - 13

Protraced Relief and Recovery Operation 13 - 22

Monitoring and Evaluation 23

Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping 24 - 25

Logistics Management 26 - 27

Finance / Administrative Management 28

Human Rersources Management 29

Special Operation 10163 30 - 31

Table of Contents

Preface 01

2003 in Review 02

2004 the Year Ahead 03

Government Collaboration 04 - 07

Security 08

WFP in Figures 09 - 11

Programme Management 12 - 25

Emergency Operation 12 - 13

Protraced Relief and Recovery Operation 13 - 22

Monitoring and Evaluation 23

Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping 24 - 25

Logistics Management 26 - 27

Finance / Administrative Management 28

Human Rersources Management 29

Special Operation 10163 30 - 31


5/40

1 The number of beneficiaries under the Protracted Relief and Recovery Operationmay include some of the beneficiaries also reported under the Emergency Operation.

1 The number of beneficiaries under the Protracted Relief and Recovery Operationmay include some of the beneficiaries also reported under the Emergency Operation.

PrefaceAfghanistans initial steps towards recovery have beensubstantial over the year that has just passed. The Loya Jirga,

or grand assembly, has ratified a new Afghan constitution and

with preparations for free elections in 2004 well under way,

the Government of the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistanhas shown its commitment to the countrys political future.

During the same period, 2003 has registered the best harvest

on record and brought considerable socio-economic growth

to Afghanistan. As a result, more Afghans are able to meet

their basic needs.

Pockets of vulnerability though still remain. In 2003, WFP

assisted 2.8 million people under its EmergencyOperation and

6.9 million1 under the Protracted Reliefand Recovery Operationwith a total of 233,590 MT of food being distributed. Food

aid was delivered to refugees coming home and to internally

displaced people. Families headed by war widows or the

disabled, and malnourished children and women also received

support, just as did the vulnerable households among

Afghanistans rural population, orphans in institutions, patients

in hospitals and tuberculosis sufferers.

Afghanistans recovery was reflected in the shift of WFPs

activities from emergency relief to recovery, focusing onproviding people in need with the means to build up sustainable

livelihoods. WFP promoted labour opportunities in construction

of roads, bridges and irrigation canals for vulnerable people

who otherwise have little access to food.

Assistance to education remained one of the core undertakings.

Over the past year, 1.2 million children received food to

encourage school enrolment and improve learning capacities.

In addition, WFP provided skills training and promoted literacy

among women, adolescents and the unemployed.

The security situation worsened throughout the year and was

the main constraint to recovery and reconstruction activities.

On the other hand, relief activities continued with support from

the Government and NGO partners.

During 2003, WFP strengthened its partnerships with the

Government other United Nations agencies and the humanitarian

community. Joint programming, capacity building projects

and joint review exercises contributed to making food assistance

to Afghans part and parcel of the overall reconstruction led bythe Government.

PrefaceAfghanistans initial steps towards recovery have beensubstantial over the year that has just passed. The Loya Jirga,

or grand assembly, has ratified a new Afghan constitution and

with preparations for free elections in 2004 well under way,

the Government of the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistanhas shown its commitment to the countrys political future.

During the same period, 2003 has registered the best harvest

on record and brought considerable socio-economic growth

to Afghanistan. As a result, more Afghans are able to meet

their basic needs.

Pockets of vulnerability though still remain. In 2003, WFP

assisted 2.8 million people under its EmergencyOperation and

6.9 million1 under the Protracted Reliefand Recovery Operationwith a total of 233,590 MT of food being distributed. Food

aid was delivered to refugees coming home and to internally

displaced people. Families headed by war widows or the

disabled, and malnourished children and women also received

support, just as did the vulnerable households among

Afghanistans rural population, orphans in institutions, patients

in hospitals and tuberculosis sufferers.

Afghanistans recovery was reflected in the shift of WFPs

activities from emergency relief to recovery, focusing onproviding people in need with the means to build up sustainable

livelihoods. WFP promoted labour opportunities in construction

of roads, bridges and irrigation canals for vulnerable people

who otherwise have little access to food.

Assistance to education remained one of the core undertakings.

Over the past year, 1.2 million children received food to

encourage school enrolment and improve learning capacities.

In addition, WFP provided skills training and promoted literacy

among women, adolescents and the unemployed.

The security situation worsened throughout the year and was

the main constraint to recovery and reconstruction activities.

On the other hand, relief activities continued with support from

the Government and NGO partners.

During 2003, WFP strengthened its partnerships with the

Government other United Nations agencies and the humanitarian

community. Joint programming, capacity building projects

and joint review exercises contributed to making food assistance

to Afghans part and parcel of the overall reconstruction led bythe Government.


6/40

WFP Afghanistan

2003 in Rev iew

n February 2003, WFPs Executive Board

approved the Protracted Relief and Recovery

Operation (PRRO) 10233, designed to

contribute to the protection and re-establishment

of livelihoods and household food security in

Afghanistan, from April 2003 to March 2005.

The PRRO replaced the Emergency Operation

(EMOP) 10155, which phased out in March

2003.

Also in February 2003, with the participation

of President Hamid Karzai, the Government

received the first installment of fortified biscuits

as part of a donation of one million MT of

wheat from the Government of India to the

people of Afghanistan and the first humanitarian

donation from India to WFP.

A one-year school construction pilot project

commenced in April 2003. The project is carried

out in close partnership with UNICEF, the

Ministry of Educations Department of

Construction and community groups.

The FAO/WFP Crop and Food SupplyAssessment conducted from June to July 2003

showed that Afghanistan reaped its largest ever

harvest on record. The livelihood of many

Afghans has improved, but a considerable part

of the population does yet not meet its basic

food requirements.

The 2003 National Risk and Vulnerability

Assessment was launched in July 2003 to assess

the level of vulnerabilty among the rural Afghan

population. The preliminary results, releasedin December 2003, indicate that out of 16

million rural Afghans an estimated 3.8 million

will not be able to meet 100 percent of their

minimum food requirements next year,

compared to 4.3 million in the previous year.

The results of the school feeding baseline

survey, conducted by WFP with the Ministry

of Education and partner agencies, between

May and November 2002, were released in

October 2003 and showed a massive increase

in school enrolment, especially for girls (345

percent).

I

2

The number of beneficiaries under the Protracted Relief andRecovery Operation may include some of the beneficiaries alsoreported under the Emergency Operation.Full details of assets created can be found under EmergencyOperation (page 12) and PRRO Programme Activities (page 13)Underground irrigation channels.

In 2003, WFP:

a s s i s t e d 2.8 million people under theEmergency Operation and 6.9 million2

under the Protracted Relief and RecoveryOperation;

supported 1.2 million schoolchildrenthrough its school feeding programme;

supported the return and resettlement of990,072 returnees;

helped 4.8 million beneficiaries to protectand re-establish livelihoods and householdfood security through food-for-work andfood-for-asset creation activities; and

rebuilt infrastructure3, e.g. constructed4,203 km of roads, reconstructed 23schools and 500 returnee houses, rehabil-itated 2,063 km of canals and 2,022karezes4 to enhance agricultural production.

IMPACT OF FOODASSISTANCE

3

2

4

During the Quarterly Review workshop, held

in September 2003, to evaluate PRRO achieve-

ments, constraints and follow-up actions re-

quired, the Government acknowledged WFPsproactive assistance to the countrys recovery

and reconstruction and welcomed the quarterly

review process as an important step toward

ensuring transparency and appropriate and

effective collaboration among all stakeholders.


7/40

Annual Report 2003

2004 the Year Ahead

3

food insecurity and devise appropriate

intervention strategies; MRRD, the World Bank

and WFP will conduct a poverty line study;

the Ministry of Health and UNICEF will study

dietary diversity as an indication of nutritional

status; and the Ministry of Agriculture and

Animal Husbandry and FAO will report on

food security and agriculture.

Based on the preliminary findings of the NRVA,

WFP intends to prioritize programmes to

address the needs of an estimated 3.2 million

rural Afghans who will not be able to meet at

least 80 percent of their minimum foodrequirements.

Food for education remains one of the pillar

interventions in Afghanistan. School feeding

activities are expected to reach more than one

million boys and girls.

New initiatives, such as a national flour

fortification campaign with the Ministry of

Health and UNICEF, will enhance long-term

recovery through addressing health concernscaused by micronutrient deficiencies,

particularly among the most vulnerable.

For the year that lies ahead, WFP is firmly

committed to pursue its support to the

Government in sustaining the reconstruction

efforts.

In the second year of the PRRO, April 2004 to

March 2005, WFP will provide 5.4 million

Afghans with 273,100 MT of targeted food aid.

By enhancing its co-operation with the

Government and humanitarian partners, WFP

will further strengthen the impact of its

intervention, while the focus on results based

management will contribute to increasedeffectiveness of the programmes.

The results of the 2003 National Risk and

Vulnerability Assessment (NRVA) will provide

in-depth insight into peoples access to markets,

health and educational facilities, changes in

vulnerability and preferred forms of assistance.

Key analyses of NRVA outcomes will play a

central role in targeting assistance where it is

most needed. For instance, a joint Ministry ofRural Rehabilitation and Development

(MRRD)/ WFP study will determine levels of


8/40

WFP Afghanistan

Government Collaboration

4

apacity building of the staff of theGovernment and implementing partners

as well as WFPs national staff will enhance

the Governments efforts to assess needs and

to design, contract and monitor development

programmes, and will ultimately improve food

security in the country.

To make this possible, WFP developed a

comprehensive capacity development plan for

its core operational areas. The plan includes

80 training sessions for Government

counterparts, implementing partners and WFP

staff to be conducted over a two-year period.

In 2003, Government

officials participated

in assessing, planning,

approving,

implementing and

monitoring of WFP

projects, thus

increasing their

ownership of food aid

management.

WFP collaborated with various Ministries as

listed below:

Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and

Development

A pastoralist adviser, seconded to the Ministry,

assisted the Government in the development

of a strategic framework and programmes toaddress the needs of the pastoralist populations.

A food security adviser, seconded to the

Ministry, provided technical inputs data analysis

and assessments, participated in the FAO/WFP

Crop and Food Supply Assessment and the

National Risk and Vulnerability Assessment,

and contributed to food aid and food security

policy development.

C

Ministry of Education

Phase I (October 2002 April 2003)

Language and computer trainers and two

national programme officers were secondedto the Ministry.

13 Ministry staff in Kabul and 27 provincial

staff were trained in food security and

vulnerability assessment, project

management, monitoring and evaluation,

English language and computer skills.

Trained Ministry staff participated in

vulnerability assessments and monitoring

visits.

60 Ministry staff were trained in the National

Risk and Vulnerability

Assessment

methodology and

participated in the

assessment. Their

participation in field

activities was

particularly

instrumental in

insecure areas where

United Nations staffwere unable to go.

Office equipment and furniture were provided

in Kabul and Mazari Sharif and the renovation

of the Ministrys office premises in Kabul

was supported.

Phase II (September 2003 June 2004):

62 Ministry staff in Kabul, Bamyan, Ghor and

Fayz Abad received a two-week training in

food security and vulnerability assessment,

project management and in monitoring and

evaluation.

Two international staff a data management

coordinator and a programme coordinator

and two national programme officers were

seconded to the Ministry.


9/40

Annual Report 2003


5

The programme coordination unit in the

Ministry continued preparations for gradual

handover of the management and

implementation of food-for-education activities

from WFP to the Ministry, e.g. by planning

workshops and the elaboration of transitional

action plans.

Ministry staff were trained on project

management, monitoring and evaluation, food-

for-education project activities, school

construction, school feeding baseline survey,

deworming survey, English language, computer

skills, data collection and data entry.

An integrated education database was

established at the Ministry of Education in

partnership with the Ministry of Planning and

Statistics, merging existing electronic education

archives from various agencies. This was

achieved as a result of stakeholder collaboration

with the participation of Asian Development

Bank, Afghanistan Information Management

Service (AIMS), Civil Military Coordination,

Ministry of Education, UNESCO, UNICEF,

United States Agency for InternationalDevelopment (USAID), World Bank and WFP.

Office equipment was provided to the Ministry

in Kabul and the Department of Education in

Fayz Abad.

Ministry of Communications

WFP and the Ministry agreed to collaborate in

re-establishing communication network and

infrastructure across the country in order toimprove communication facilities in

government departments.

ICT equipment was procured for the Ministry,

including a network server which will operate

as a main mail server through HF radios for

32 provinces. Some 104 computers will be

provided to 32 provinces in January 2004.

One ICT assistant will be seconded to the

Ministry as of January 2004 to liaise between

the Ministry and WFP on projectimplementation and resource management.

Three Ministry staff will be trained by WFP

and will participate in project implementation

for 11 months.

Ministry of Womens Affairs

In line with WFPs Enhanced Commitments

to Women, WFP provided a cash contribution

to the development of a gender manual that

will be finalized by April 2004.

The WFP Gender Glossary was translated into

Dari and Pashtu and will be enclosed with the

gender manual to be used in gender trainings

organised by the Ministry.

The Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and

Development organised the first PRRO

Quarterly Review workshop in September,

covering the implementation period of

AprilJune 2003. Representatives from

counterpart ministries and other United

Nations agencies discussed and evaluated

the goals, achievements and constraints of

PRRO activities. It was agreed that the PRRO

implementation plan should be reviewed andchanges made based on the results of the

2003 National Risk and Vulnerability

Assessment. It was also recommended that

regular review workshops be organised with

broader participation of stakeholders as well

as community representatives.

artnership was strenghtened with the

Government, NGOs and United Nationsagencies, through the following agreements

signed during the year:

February 2003: Agreement with UNHCR on

return and reintegration of Afghan refugees

and internally displaced persons in

Afghanistan;

March 2003: Agreement with the Ministry

of Health and WHO on food assistance to

tuberculosis patients and their families;

P


10/40

WFP Afghanistan


6

March 2003: Agreement with the Ministry

of Health and UNICEF outlining roles and

responsibilities in effective and efficient

utilization of resources in nutrition projects;

April 2003: Agreement with the Ministry of

Health on institutional feeding;

May 2003: Agreements with the Ministry of

Rural Rehabilitation and Development on

thesecondment of a pastoralist adviser (fromMay till November 2003) and a food security

adviser (from April 2003 till May 2005);

June 2003: Agreement with the Ministry of

Education on implementation of the secondphase of the ARGOS5 pilot project;

June 2003: Letter of Understanding with the

Ministry of Foreign Affairs outlining the

implementation modalities of the PRRO;

July 2003: Letter of Understanding with the

Ministry of Education consolidating joint

efforts to implement the food-for-education

programme;

August 2003: Agreement with the Ministry

of Communications on re-establishing

communication centers in all provincial

capitals to help improve communication

between government departments;

August 2003: Agreement with the Ministry

of Health and UNICEF on a phase out strategy

for emergency supplementary feeding

projects;

September 2003: Agreement with the

Afghanistans New Beginnings Programme

on food assistance for demobilized

combatants;

October 2003: Agreement with UNICEF on

co-operation in all fields of education,

including water, sanitation and hygiene

education, health and nutrition and child

protection, with a particular emphasis on

basic education and accelerating girls

enrolment; and

December 2003: Interim agreement with the

Ministry of Health on wheat flour

fortification.

WFP is an active member of the joint supportunit (JSU) of the United Nations Assisstance

Mission in Afghanistan, that brings together

the United Nations agencies in Afghanistan

and aims at enhancing the complementarity

and cost-effectiveness of United Nations

activities by means of a common approach

to programming. Moreover, the JSU intends

to further harmonize United Nations

activities with Government priorities.

WFP participates in fortnightly meetings of

a Joint Programming Working Group,

established in August 2003 to coordinate

United Nations activities in the central region.

The Group selected Kapisa province for the

joint programming initiative. A draft outline

of the programme framework was prepared,

and the final document will be finalized at

the beginning of 2004. The Groups activities

will be carried out on a cost-sharing basis.

In two workshops organised in Jalal Abad,

common programme priorities in the eastern

provinces were identified for livelihoods,

infrastructure, access to and quality of health

and education services, Government capacity

building, governance and the rule of law,

natural resources management, drinking

water and irrigation.5 The ARGOS device is a solid box, resistant to climate and shocks, with

a screen and a keypad interface through which data can be transmittedvia satellite to a central computer.


11/40

Annual Report 2003


7

Training sessionstook place in 2003 as follow:

Training sessionsTrainees Total

WFPNGO'sGovernment

Training of Women NGO Programme Officers

Participatory Rural Appraisal Training

Food for Education Review Workshop

Food & Nutrition Training

Gender Baseline Survey Review

Gender Awareness Training

Security Awareness Training

Warehouse Management TrainingAdvocacy and Media Workshop

Training of Security Trainers

Monitoring & Evaluation Training

WINGS* Training

Administration and Finance Training

Distribution Training

ARGOS Training**

Grand Total

8 - 9

29141

- 18 26

1338326

-

-

-

8 8

6666

148 148

12319 24

-

-

-

9 9

4743

110 110

1717

22 8 -

-

5 5

-

30

3761416346

499 78 559 1,136

* WFP Information Network and Global System** Goverment trainees include 39 members from parent-teacher associations.

1

14

8

24

-

-

-

80-

4

-

-

-


12/40

WFP Afghanistan

Security

8

Insecurity has been increasingly affecting the

humanitarian efforts in the country. The tragic

murder of a UNHCR staff member on 16

November 2003 in Ghazni underlined the

continuously deteriorating security situation.

While UNHCR withdrew its staff from southern

and southeastern provinces, missions of other

United Nations agencies to those areas were

suspended.

On 4 December, the United Nations General

Assembly issued a resolution in which it

strongly condemned the attacks directed against

humanitarian personnel and United Nations

staff.

Leading to the deteriorating security situation,

the General Assembly said, are terrorist attacks

against government forces, the United Nations

and the humanitarian community, uncheckedcriminality, outbreaks of factional fighting and

activities surrounding the illegal narcotics trade.

The impact of insecurity on WFPs operations

and on the environment in which staff work

can be characterized as follows:

Insecurity is the main constraint to WFPs

recovery and reconstruction activities.

The most insecure areas are generally also

the most poverty-stricken and food insecure.

Relief activities continue, including assistance

to internally displaced persons, patients in

hospitals and urban vulnerable households.

In circumstances where security prevented

WFP staff from operating, activities were

implemented by Government and NGO

partners.

Although the local communities are painfully

aware of WFPs reduced activities, theyremain convinced of WFPs commitment to

continue its humanitarian mission.

The WFP security unit continued to work on

enhancing the security and safety of WFP

personnel and installations through the following

initiatives:

deployment of security officers to assess the

security situation and to ensure compliance

with the minimum operating security

standards; and

provision of refresher and new training courses

for security guards and drivers on security

procedures and emergency preparedness.

Following the bombing of the United Nations

premises in Baghdad on 19 August 2003, a

review of the security measures and procedures

was carried out for all United Nations agencies

in Afghanistan, and as a consequence,

recommendations were made for theenhancement of the security and safety of United

Nations staff.


13/40

Annual Report 2003

WFP in Figures

9

Jan03

Feb03

Mar03

Apr03

May03

Jun03

Jul03

Aug03

Sep03

Oct03

Nov03

Dec03

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

70,000

0

Planned dispatch (MT)

Planned beneficiaries (x 100)

Actual dispatch (MT)

Actual beneficiaries (x 100)

Distribution of iodized salt

With the support of UNICEF, the first plant to produce iodized salt in

Afghanistan was established in Kabul, in March 2003.

During 2003, WFP purchased 1,200 MT of iodized salt from the

cooperative.


14/40

Total Food Dispatched for Recovery ActivitiesPRRO 10233.0, April - December 2003

The boundaries and namesof the maps do not imply official endorsementor acceptance by the United Nations, WFP Afghanistan IMU, 17- Nov - 2003

Source: WFP Afghanistan Country Office Reporting

Database (ACORD), December 2003

Total Food Dispatched (MT):

101 - 500

1 - 100

More than 500

The boundaries and names of the maps do not imply official endorsement

or acceptance by the United Nations, WFP Afghanistan IMU, 17- Nov - 2003

Source: WFP Afghanistan Country Office ReportingDatabase (ACORD), December 2003

Total Food Dispatched for Relief Activities

PRRO 10233.0, April - December 2003

1 - 100

More than 500

101 - 500

Total Food Dispatched (MT):

WFP Afghanistan

WFP in Figures

10


15/40

Annual Report 2003

WFP in Figures

11

EMOP Contributions

Between January and

March 2003, WFP

received

US$26,203,101 for its

Emergency Operation

from the listed donors.

During 2003, WFP

received

US$107,673,786 for its

Protracted Relief and

Recovery Operation

from the listed donors.Some US$31 million

were carried over from

the Emergency

Operation.

PRRO Contributions

CONTRIBUTIONS (US$)DONORS

United States of America

United Kingdom

Switzerland

Asia, America and Oceania

Europe

Private donors

Sub total

Sub total

Canada

Sub total

Private donors

GRAND TOTAL 26,203,101

973,154

24,151,300

25,124,454

315,778

735,294

1,051,072

27,575

27,575

* Canada, Europe Aid, Italy, Japan and Switzerland approved the reprogramming of US$64.8 million from the EMOP to the PRRO

Sub total

Sub total

Sub total

ICRC

6,200,292

2,714,987

33,974,112

31,417,400

2,708,365

1,449,275

20,000

2,785,809

107,673,786

8,131,387

14,665,273

571,429

1,119,910

29,082,320

29,874

541,364

571,238

102,980

791,692

12,956

907,628

Asia, America and Oceania

Europe

United Nations

Private donors

2,805,809

DONORS

United Kingdom

Denmark

United Nations Association, United Kingdom

UNICEF

Japan (private donor)

Benetton Group

Other Private Donors

US Friends of WFP

GRAND TOTAL

Sub total

CONTRIBUTIONS (US$)

74,306,791

436,681

Other donors

Canada*

India

Japan*

United States of America

Sub total

Italy*

EuropeAid*

Luxembourg

Norway

Switzerland*


16/40

WFP Afghanistan

Programme Management

12

mergency Operation

10155 phased out in March2003, after having helped alleviate

hunger in remote areas suffering

from conflict, drought and lack of

access to food, since April 2002.

The first quarter of 2003 marked

the transition of WFPs operation

from emergency to recovery

assistance.

From January to March, 2.8

million beneficiaries mostly

drought-affected people, workers

participating in communal asset

development activities,

schoolchildren, internally

displaced persons, returnees and

war widows were assisted with

56,400 MT of food.

Food for education: 357,000 schoolchildren

received 3,100 MT of food as an incentive to

attend classes. Monitoring reports indicate that

students enrolment and attendance have

significantly improved. WFP provided 390 MT

of food to 6,000 trainees in non-formaleducation, and 27 MT of food to 1,080 teacher

trainees.

Assistance to refugees and internally

displaced persons: 18,900 returnee families

received 1,840 MT of food, and 43,200 families

in IDP camps received 6,000 MT of food. A

strategy to phase out assistance to IDP camps

in Hirat province was developed and

implemented in consultation with the

Government, UNHCR and the International

Organization for Migration.

Urban vulnerable: WFP supported 78 bakeries

including 35 in Mazari Sharif, 29 in Kabul and

14 in Kandahar. 149,800 beneficiaries received

daily rations of bread produced with 3,100 MT

of fortified wheat flour. The bakery programme

addressed the needs of the most vulnerable

urban households, headed by widows, the

disabled or the aged.

Supplementary and institutional feeding:

169,600 children, expectant and nursing

mothers, orphans and hospital in-patients

received 1,072 MT of food.

Some 2,000 farmers and their family members

retroactively received 850 MT of food through

the food-for-seed programme, implemented

in cooperation with FAO in 2002.

Some 46,400 civil servants and their familymembers retroactively received 1,060 MT of

food as part of the salary supplement scheme

implemented in 2002.

E

Food for work and food for asset creation:

1.65 million beneficiaries received 39,000 MT of food, while rehabilitating communal assets

as in the table below:

Description Unit January - March 2003

404

40

13

36

48

859

433

9

737Roads constructed / rehabilitated

Culverts constructed

Canals restored / rehabilitated

Karezes*rehabilitated

Springs desilted

Drainages rehabilitated

Water reservoirs rehabilitated

Schools reconstructed

Wells dug / desilted

unit

km

unit

km

km

km

unit

unit

unit

*Underground irrigation channels

Rural Road Construction

Agriculture Related Outputs

Other Outputs


17/40

Annual Report 2003


13

rotracted Relief and Recovery

Operation 10233, was approvedby WFPs Executive Board in February

2003, and began operating in April 2003.

The overall goal is to contribute towards

the protection and re-establishment of

livelihoods and household food security

within the context of the National

Development Framework.

Food for Work

WFPs food-for-work activities helped protect

and re-establish local livelihoods and householdfood security, through the rehabilitation and

creation of sustainable communal assets such

as roads, schools and irrigation systems.

From April to December 2003, 534,490 workers

who participated in food-for-work projects and

their family members received 84,463 MT of

varied food commodities. The physical assets

created through food for work include the

following:

PWith the activities above, WFP was able to

assist targeted beneficiaries in enhancing their

household food security; protect them from

further indebtedness and depletion of assets;

support their childrens education; assist with

reintegration; and help create physical assets

to enhance food security in their communities.

Partnerships, essential for the successful

implementation of the operation, were made

with a number of organizations, including

national authorities (the Ministry of Rural

Rehabilitation and Development, the Ministry

of Education and the Ministry of Health),

national and international NGOs and other

United Nations agencies (FAO, UNHCR,

UNICEF and WHO).

Some of the majorlessons learned during the

implementation of the Emergency Operation

include the following:

Government capacity has to be enhanced.

With reinforced institutional capacity, the

government will be able to deliver essential

services and become capable in designing

and implementing reconstruction and

development strategies.

Regular meetings and discussions are essential

with Government authorities, United Nations

colleagues and implementing partners, to

efficiently address immediate and long-term

needs, based on consistent and realistic

strategic priorities.

The reintegration of women into economic

life must be further promoted. Through the

implementation of its enhanced commitments

to women, WFP should ensure the full and

effective participation of women in planning,

project development, implementation,

monitoring and evaluation.

WFP must ensure that assistance is timely

and appropriate, and effectively addresses the

needs and priorities of the beneficiaries.

Activities have been aligned with national

priorities and would ultimately be sustained

and integrated into a socio-economicframework.

*underground irrigation channels

Description

Rural Road Construction

April - December

km

km

km

km

km

km

unit

unit

unit

unit

unit

unit

SqM

unitunit

unit

unit

unit

CuM

SqM

CuM

Agriculture Related Outputs

Other Outputs

Roads constructed / rehabilitated

Bridges built

Culverts constructed

Side ditches excavated

Path ways (valley access) built

Canals restored / rehabilitated

Karezes* rehabilitated

Drainages rehabilitated

Springs desilted

Water reservoirs restoredAqua-ducts / flumes constructed

Agricultural land reclaimed

Schools reconstructed

Retumee houses constructed / rehabilitated

Wells dug / desilted

Retaining walls built (rivers)

Pit latrines constructed

Flood affected area cleared

Carpets weaved

Garbage removed

3,466

4

55

184

60

1,668

1,163

125

28237

13

55,680

10

2,000

378

909

2,212

31,000

241

61,000


18/40

WFP Afghanistan


14

These physical assets,

significantly contributed

to yielding better

agricultural crops and to

providing the community

with better access to

health and education

facilities.

Based on the results of

the 2003 National Risk

and Vulnerability Assess-

ment, WFP will review

its targeting of interventi-ons. Particular attention

will be paid to enhancing

linkages between food-

based and cash-based

programmes, e.g. the

National Emergency Employment Programme and the National Area-Based Development Programme.

Since October 2002, the Government of Japan,

with its funding support through the Ogata

Initiative, has supported the reintegration of

internally displaced persons (IDPs) and returnees

into their communities of return. In collaboration

with the Government and coordinated by

UNAMA, a variety of international organizations

took part in the implementation of the initiative,

including ICRC, UNDP, UN-HABITAT,

UNHCR, UNICEF, United Nations Mine Action

Center for Afghanistan, UNOPS and WFP.

WFP provided 9,412 MT of food to 230,300

internally displaced persons and returnees

through food-for-work activities, to help improve

access to potable water and to construct roads

and other communal assets in their places of

return. Ten percent of the food was distributed

to the most vulnerable populations such as

female-headed families, the aged and the

disabled. In addition to the daily food wages,

food-for-work participants received working

tools such as shovels, pickaxes and wheelbarrows

that were kept by the community, for future use.

In addition, some 56,000 IDPs in Kandahar

province received 2,675 MT of relief food for

two months.

In total, 65 Ogata Initiative projects were

approved in 2003 by project review committees

comprised of local authorities, implementing

partners and WFP, out of which 26 were

completed and 39 are on-going. Target areas

included Kandahar and Hilmand in the south;

Nangarhar, Laghman and Kunar in the east;

Balkh and Jawzjan in the north; and Baghlan,

Kunduz and Takhar in the northeast.

Regular meetings took place to coordinate the

implementation of projects at the provincial,

regional and central levels. The Ministry of

Rural Rehabilitation and Development and the

Embassy of Japan organized an Ogata Initiative

workshop in October in Kabul, during which

common goals were established for the

Initiatives fourth phase to start in 2004.

TheOgata Initiative


19/40

Annual Report 2003


15

Joining Hands with the Community

For the first time we understand the real

meaning of food for work, says MohammadZarif in the village of Sofak, Ghor province,

one of the most inaccessible areas in western

Afghanistan.

Mohammed Zarif participated in an exceptional

WFP project, carried out from July till August

2003. The absence of NGOs in this remote

location might have been an obstacle, but

instead it provided a unique opportunity.

In an effort to tackle food insecurity in the

village, the WFP area office in Hirat launched

a food-for-work project directly with farmers

and villagers of Sofak who contributed the

working tools required to achieve the projects

objective of rehabilitating the roads from Sofak

to neighbouring districts of Ghor province.

They even decided to expand the scope of

work beyond the original plan, without turning

to WFP for additional resources.

As a result, the food not only provided critical

pre-winter resources for 600 families, but also

served to transform donkey trails into proper

roads, strongly improving the connection be-

tween Sofak and Chaghcharan, the capital of

Ghor province, and other districts. Anothervillager of Sofak, Abdul Ghani, expresses

everyones appreciation of the vegetable oil

that was part of the food ration. Cooking oil

is too expensive in the market, and hardly

anyone can afford it, he says.

We are so happy, because WFP helped us

build these roads, says Mohammed Zari, giv-

ing the example of a pregnant woman who

was recently transported by vehicle to Ghors

capital Chaghcharan for the delivery of her

baby. Otherwise she would have had to travel

by donkey, and that could have been very

dangerous.

Back to the Valley of Sugar

It is good to work here, says Wajiba, on a

sunny morning in December. She is not referringto the breathtaking scenery of the fields set

against the snow-covered mountains under a

crystal clear sky. It al low s m e to feed m y c hildren.

Employed in a WFP-supported fruit tree nursery

in Chakardara, half an hour drive north of Kabul,

Wajiba and her husband Hazam have been able

to sustain themselves and their seven children

for the last two years.

Chakardara is a valley in the heart of the Shamali

plains, stretching north of Kabul. The plains,once called the garden of Afghanistan, and

harbouring the countrys most famous fruit

orchards apricots, peaches, grapes and

mulberries are now barren fields stripped of

almost all trees: a grim reminder of the scorched

earth warfare inflicted upon one of Afghanistans

most fertile regions.

Today, the plains are slowly recovering from a

war that ended two years ago. An estimated

150,000 people fled the region, when it was atthe front line of battle between the Taliban and

the Northern Alliance. Upon their return from a

six-month stay in Kabul, Hazam and Wajiba

found their house was destroyed, like thousands

others.

Together with almost 1,700 of the most

vulnerable men and women of Chakardara,

Hazam and Wajiba are offered food for their

work in the nursery. At the same time, the trees

they plant contribute to environmental protection,providing a canopy for Afghanistans fragile soil.

Moreover, those fruit trees have an enormous

potential to bring agro-economic returns to the

national economy. It is expected that the 184,000

fruit seedlings grown at the nursery in Chakardara

will yield sizeable sales returns when planted

out in the fields.

Hazam briefly interrupts the work he is doing.

Chakardara, he says, means: valley of sugar.

In a year, when the apricots, almonds, mulberries,peaches and grapes will be strong enough to bear

fruit, Hazam will have done his bit to give this

valley back the true meaning of its name.


20/40

WFP Afghanistan


16

Food for Education

In 2003, school feeding remained one of the

core activities of WFP Afghanistan. To helpalleviate hunger and increase school enrolment,

particularly of girls, the school feeding

programme assisted 1.2 million schoolchildren

in 2,870 schools with 8,224 MT of biscuits and

13,305 MT of wheat. Among them, 370,000

girls received 4,358 MT of vegetable oil as an

incentive take-home ration.

Some 17,500 participants in non-formal

education or vocational training for income

generation received 2,341 MT of food. The

food-for-teacher training programme

continued to support the training of teachers

in 24 institutes. Some 740 teachers received

18 MT of food as cooked meals or take-home

rations.

In addition, 109,340 teachers received 5,438

MT of vegetable oil as a salary supplement.

To verify the coverage of all the eligible teachers

under this activity, the Ministry of Education

and provincial Education Departments, together

with WFP, undertook a survey of all the teachers

registered with the provincial Departments and

those on the Ministry's payroll.

Around 60 percent of the school feeding

projects and all food-for-teachers projects are

directly implemented by provincial

Departments of Education.

Skilled Girls are Most Wanted

Iknocked on many doors and eventually got

the chance to do the training, says Nasima, a

widow with three young daughters and a baby.

She is one of the forty women who participated

in a tailoring project in Khost city, eastern

Afghanistan.

I knew I would gain skills in tailoring, but I

did not know that I would receive food too,

she says about WFPs involvement in theproject. WFP provided the trainees with a

weekly ration of wheat, pulses and cooking

oil. We did not have to worry about food while

we were in training.

From June to October 2003, the female

participants received five hours of training

every day for six days a week with great

enthusiasm. Food assistance played a crucial

role in attracting the women, says the Director

of the Afghan Community DevelopmentOrganization, a national NGO that implemented

the project, with support from the Italian

Cooperation and in close collaboration with

the local community and authorities.

Located around 280 km southeast of Kabul,

Khost city has been heavily affected by the

influx of returning refugees and by years of

drought. Moreover, women in this former

Taliban stronghold have traditionally been

under-educated and isolated from activities

away from home.

The tailoring project was devised to provide

Khosts most vulnerable women with an

opportunity to acquire skills to become self-

reliant. At the end of the project, they received

sewing machines, and some of them have

started sewing clothes in their neighborhood

or for the markets.

We can start a new life by ourselves now,

Nasima says. And so she is looking ahead,

hoping that her daughters will follow her steps.Girls with skills are most wanted in this

community, she adds with a smile.


21/40

Annual Report 2003


17

A one-yearschool construction pilot projectcommenced in April 2003. In order to build

the capacity of the Ministry counterparts and

to increase the level of community participation,

the project is carried out in close partnership

with the Department of Construction of the

Ministry of Education, UNICEF and local

communities. The project aims to construct 56

classrooms, 84 toilet units for students and

teachers and 14 wells or hand pumps and water

distribution tanks; to provide 2,352 sets of

classroom furniture for 4,704 students; to setup 14 water and sanitation committees; and to

train 14 hand-pump technicians. By end-2003,

45 percent of the above plan was met.

In Afghanistan, many

teachers may not be

paid for months at a

time, and hence rely

on second or third

jobs to meet their

families needs. As a

result, attendance and

the quality of

teaching is

compromised.

The food-for- teachers programme was createdto encourage teachers, through monthly oil

rations, to attend their classes regularly. The

provincial Departments of Education in

Nangarhar, Laghman, Kunar and Nuristan

provinces were anxious to implement WFPs

food-for-education projects directly, and the

food-for-teachers project proved to be the

perfect pilot.

WFP staff in Jalal Abad assisted the

Departments staff in planning their projects

and preparing the proposal, a distribution plan

and budget. Once the projects were approved,

the training of school staff on management,

storage and distribution of food began. The

trained staff, including the inspectors were

responsible for monitoring the distributions

that would take place in all districts of their

respective provinces.

So far, the school staff have successfully

distributed 690 MT of vegetable oil, most ofwhich were provided by the USA, to 10,432

teachers in 500 schools. The food-for-teachers

activity has encouraged the Department of

Education to better oversee and more

frequently communicate with the large number

of teachers in their province, Haji Sabet-U-

Rahman, the Departments focal point in

Nangarhar stated.

There have also been additional benefits: the

record keeping system set up and monitoringvisits have allowed the tracking of those

teachers who change schools or are no longer

teaching.

The oil has encouraged teachers who were

involved in other businesses to return to school

and teach again. Now that they are not involved

in other income-earning activities, they have

more time to prepare their lessons,

Mohammad Karim, the Departments focal

point in Laghman, says.

The success of this partnership with Ministry

of Education officials has strengthened the

capacity of the Departments to monitor and

implement projects. It has now been expanded

to include the implementation of school feeding

projects in two provinces. This partnership has

provided an opportunity to Departments to

better monitor rural schools and to improve of

the education system in all the provinces.

To maximize the impact of school feeding, theMinistry of Education, the Ministry of

Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, FAO,

UNICEF and WFP initiated a school garden

pilot projectthat aims to:

develop education gardens as a practical tool

to teach biology and nutrition and to enhance

environmental awareness;

establish fruit tree nurseries to provide

schoolchildren with small business skills,

local communities with seedlings and schoolswith additional funds;

supplement school feeding rations with fruits

and vegetables, rich in micro-nutrients; and

Bringing Teachers Back to School


22/40

WFP Afghanistan


18

WFP selected 14 demonstration schools for

the project. The pilot project is fully funded

by WFP and implemented by the school

administration in collaboration with parent-

teacher associations. FAO will provide technical

assistance in liaison with the Ministry of

Agriculture and Animal Husbandry.

In 2003, Afghanistan was chosen as one of

the pilot countries to implement the ARGOS

school feeding monitoring system. To date,92 out of 144 ARGOS devices have been

installed throughout the country. The Ministry

of Education was closely involved in training

543 staff of the Departments of Education and

implementing partners as well as school and

community representatives in installation and

use of the electronic device.

The Wall of Peace and Learning

In December 2003, the murals

were unveiled to mark the arrival

of the second tranche of biscuits

donated by the Government of

India to Afghan children through

WFP.

They were called The Wall of

Peace and Learning and

portrayed the importance of

education as a pillar of peace.

But most of all, these murals in Kabul, Hirat

and Kandahar showed the amazing talent of

their painters, schoolchildren enrolled in WFP

school feeding programmes.

With the new Indian donation, part of an overall

pledge of one million MT of wheat by India

to WFP, more than one million schoolchildren

will receive a nutritious snack in school.

Thanking the Government of India during a

hand-over ceremony in Kabul on 8 December

2003 at Rukhsana Girls High

School, the Deputy Minister of

Education, Ishraq Hussaini

underlined Indias contribution

to increased enrolment in

primary education.

The Indian Ambassador, Vivek

Katju, said with conviction,

There is no better way to help

Afghanistan on its way toreconstruction than to support

education.

The Afghan actor and director Hashmat Khan,

partnering with WFP in the fight against global

hunger, unveiled The Wall of Peace and

Learning in Kabul. He paid tribute to the

gifted painters of Rukhsana High School,

equaled by their counterparts in Hirat and

Kandahar. Their marvelous murals will remain

as a lasting memory of the international

communitys support to education in

Afghanistan.

create new food production and income

generation activities, to strengthen both

current and future food security.

In addition, and because helminthic infestation

imposes a major negative impact on the health

and nutrition status of school-age children, many

efforts were made in deworming the student

population:

A deworming baseline study, including medical

and knowledge, attitudes and practices

(KAP) data, was conducted in collaboration

with the Ministry of Education, the Ministry

of Health and WHO.

Sensitisation materials and radio messages on

health and hygiene education were prepared

and tested with the local communities.

A teacher training kit was developed jointly

with WHO.

Deworming medicines were procured, and a

distribution plan was developed.

In March 2004, WFP will train teachers on

the distribution of the medicines and provide

them with hygiene education.


23/40

Annual Report 2003


19

Due to a lower rate of return than anticipated,the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation

revised the planning figure for 2003 from

1,010,000 to 810,000 returnees.

Some 473,600 people returned to Afghanistan

in 2003, bringing the total number of returnees

to three million. To support sustainable return

and reintegration, WFP assisted 876,700

refugees and internally displaced persons

(IDPs) in their places of origin with 14,455

MT of food, during the year.

Between February and December 2003, WFP

provided 1,484 MT of food to 48,300 IDPs

returned to their places of origin from Maslakh,

Shaidayee and Minarete camps in Hirat

province. After April 2003, Shaidayee and

Minarete camps gradually phased out, and

currently an estimated 2,920 families, i.e. some

12,800 persons, remain in Maslakh camp.

To meet the nutritional requirements of the

people who are unable to return, WFP provided

20,828 MT to 353,500 IDPs in campsin Hirat,

Hilmand and Kandahar provinces.

Return from camps in Kandahar and Hilmand

provinces to places of origin in the south and

the north has been very slow due to insecurity,

unsolved right-to-land issues and continued

drought. To promote the return of IDPs, theMinistries of Refugees and Repatriation, Rural

Rehabilitation and Development and Frontiers

and Tribal Affairs developed a Regional

Operation Plan towards Definite Solutions for

IDPs in the South. There continues to be a

need for alternative solutions for the remaining

displaced people in camps.

Refugees and Internally DisplacedPersons


24/40

WFP Afghanistan


20

Returning to Registan

Gul Mohammad believes that the drought in his homeland Registan, in southern Afghanistan,is now over and that there will be enough pasture to raise his familys livestock.

Three years ago, the continued drought dried up the wells scattered throughout the desert of

Registan, depriving kuchi nomadic pastoralists like Gul Mohammad of their only source of

water. Like thousands of others, he practically lost all his camels, goats and sheep.

Gul Mohammad was forced to leave. Along with his tribe, he moved northward to Panjwai, a

two hours drive east of Kandahar, where they could graze their remaining livestock on the shores

of the Rood river and where they hoped that, in the vicinity of the city, they would find additional

means of subsistence.

It was in 2000 that he began his life as an internally displaced person, together with 8,000 kuchi

families from Registan.

Since then, WFP has provided food assistance to the displaced kuchi nomadic pastoralists. They

receive free wheat flour, pulses, cooking oil, sugar, wheat-soya blend and iodized salt.

With this support, Gul Mohammad has managed to save a little from his on-and-off daily wages

and has started re-building a small herd of sheep and goats in preparation for his return to Registan.

WFP has helped us through the most critical situation of our lives, he says.

The supplementary feeding programme con-

tributes to the treatment of children and pregnant

and nursing women with acute malnutrition

and the prevention of futher deterioration of

their nutritional status.

Based on an agreement signed with the Ministry

of Health and UNICEF in March 2003, WFP

provides food inputs to supplementary feeding

projects endorsed by the Ministry and UNICEF.

In 2003, WFP provided 1,847 MT of food to

40,620 beneficiaries.

In August, the Ministry of Health, UNICEF

and WFP finalised a strategy to phase out

emergency supplementary feeding projects.

Although these are well-grounded as a short-

term intervention in areas with high levels of

wasting, long-term interventions need to bedeveloped to address the underlying causes of

malnutrition.

The Urban Vulnerable

The bakery programme addresses the needs of

the most vulnerable urban households, headed

by widows, the disabled or the aged, with no

able-bodied family members to participate in

income generating activities. During 2003,

WFP expanded the programme in collaboration

with various government counterparts to cover

four cities, including Kabul, Jalal Abad, Mazari

Sharif and Kandahar.

Between April and December, WFP provided

11,500 MT of fortified wheat flour and iodized

salt to 83 bakeries. Over 29,350 urban vulner-

able families (176,100 beneficiaries) received

a daily ration of five loaves of bread 400 g

each per family at a subsidized price.

WFP is also making efforts to strengthen the

operational and financial sustainability of the

bakery projects.

Supplementary and InstitutionalFeeding


25/40

Annual Report 2003


21

Through institutional feeding projects, mini-

mum nutritional requirements are provided to

orphans, hospital in-patients, hospital staff on

night duty and caregivers of malnourished

children admitted to therapeutic feeding centers

set up by the Ministry of Health and UNICEF.

In 2003, 14,000 beneficiaries received 1,343

MT of food.

After careful targeting and training of hospital

staff, the Ministry of Health gradually expanded

the institutional feeding programme in 2003.

WFP has made efforts to promote the use of

wheat-soya blend, a nutritionally balanced food

suitable, especially, for malnourished children.

In collaboration with the Ministry of Health

and WHO, 100,710 tuberculosis patients and

their family members received 4,918 MT of

wheat, pulses, vegetable oil, sugar, wheat-soya

blend and iodized salt. Main objectives were

to help ensure patients access to treatment to

provide patients with adequate nutrition during

the treatment period, and to encourage them

to complete the treatment. It has been demon-

strated that the provision of food has a signifi-cant impact on the reduction of drop-out rates

of patients.

Rural Vulnerable

WFP provided 2,680 MT of food to 99,600

rural vulnerable people unable to participate

in food-for-work activities implemented in

their communities. Target beneficiaries included

drought-affected landless or small land holding

farmers, households headed by elderly or dis-

abled people, widows, orphans, people affected

by natural disasters, the seasonally unemployed,

and people surviving mainly on charity.

In order to improve the targeting of the rural

vulnerable and to better address their needs,WFP is making efforts to build capacities of

implementing partners and to strengthen the

involvement of communities.

Emergency Assistance

In collaboration with the Government, WFP

assisted 110,300 people affected by natural

disasters in 2003 such as floods, sandstorms,

landslides and drought, with 1,022 MT of food.

Disarmament, Demobilization andReintegration

WFP signed an agreement on the Disarmament,

Demobilization and Reintegration with the

Afghanistans New Beginnings Programme, to

provide 12,710 MT of food as a one-time food

package to 100,000 ex-combatants, for a three-

year period.

The package consists of 100 kg of wheat, 14

kg of pulses, 11.1 kg of oil and 2 kg of iodized

salt per person, to help them reintegrate into

civilian life.

The pilot phase of the project, covering one

thousand combatants in six locations, started

in Kunduz in October 2003. In 2003, some2,108 ex-combatants received 267 MT of food

in Kunduz, Gardez and Kabul.

With a cash contribution of US$805,369

from the Government of Canada, WFP

initiated Food Plus activities, including

small-scale wheat flour fortification and

deworming. Possibilities to produce locally

fortified biscuits are under review. The

purpose of the initiative is to help the

vulnerable people improve their nutritionalstatus and health through promoting the use

of food fortified with micronutrients,

essential vitamins and minerals lacking in

the diet of many Afghans.

Following a feasibility survey in Badakhshan

province and Kabul city, 20 demonstration

mills were selected. The Ministry of Health

and WFP developed an action plan and

signed an interim agreement in December2003 to start fortification in ten flour mills

in Kabul city in January 2004.

Small-scale Flour Fortification


26/40

WFP Afghanistan


22

Winter Preparedness

WFP estimated that during the winter of 20032004, nearly 612,000 vulnerable people livingin areas that will become inaccessible due to extreme weather conditions and poor road

infrastructure will be in need of some 30,000 MT of food assistance. Accordingly, WFP have

positioned food stocks in 49 districts of 14 provinces across the country.

Pre-positioning of food stocks began at the end of September and continued throughout December.

By mid-December, 27,609 MT of mixed commodities were pre-positioned in targeted districts.

Beneficiaries will receive food rations through food-for-work projects, where feasible, or through

the rural vulnerable programme.

Region Provinces Food dispatched

(MT)

East

South

West

Center

TOTAL

Balkh, Faryab, Samangan, Saripul

Badakhshan, Baghlan

Kunar, Nuristan

Uruzgan

Ghor, Badghis

Bamyan, Ghazni, Wardak

9,652

3,622

1,431

4,617

2,251

6,036

27,609

North

North East


27/40

Annual Report 2003

Monitoring and Evaluation

23

rom April to December 2003, WFP moni-

tored 61 percent of the total 177,000 MT

of food dispatched in 1,476 monitoring visits.

Interviews took place with 17,000 beneficiaries

and 1,150 implementing partners staff, disclos-

ing that the great majority of the beneficiaries

received and consumed their rations. Only two

percent of the food was either used to pay for

transportation or exchanged for other food

commodities. In general, food was delivered

in a timely manner, and food quality and ration

sizes were acceptable to and known by the

beneficiaries. The interviewees confirmed that

WFPs food aid helped them enhance theirfood security, reduce their food expenditure

and avoid depletion of their assets.

The performance of implementing partners was

rated between August and October 2003, based

on seven indicators: targeting, implementation

capac ity, capacity building efforts, gender, in-

tegrity, cooperation with authority and reporting

capacity. Out of 176 implementing partners,

including 142 national and 34 international

NGOs,72 percent were rated good or above,

21 percent satisfactory and seven percentunsatisfactory. WFP will discontinue its part-

nership with those that received unsatisfactory

ratings.

With the transition from emergency to recovery

activities, WFP made efforts to strengthen

results based management and monitoring, in

order to be able to measure the outcomes and

impact of food aid on local livelihoods.

With a contribution from the United Kingdom

Department for International Development

(DFID), WFP made efforts to strengthen func-

tional linkages among vulnerability analysis

and mapping, monitoring and evaluation, and

implementation of projects, to develop an

integrated monitoring system that includes

both monitoring of projects and assessing the

food security status of populations.

F


28/40

WFP Afghanistan

Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping

24

6Full details of the NRVA methodology, including questionnaires canbe found on the following website: www.af/cg/lsp.

ow that emergency needs are waning,

thanks to Afghanistans increased food

production and economic growth, the vulnera-

bility analysis and mapping unit (VAM) has

reduced its focus on rapid response assessments

addressing emergen-

cy needs of vulnera-

ble populations. In-

stead, in collaboration

with various Minis-

tries and other stake-

holders, VAM has

concentrated on as-

sessing risks andvulnerabilities of lo-

cal livelihoods by ap-

plying broade

methodolo gies that include a wide range of

indicators.

A major achievement in 2003 was the develop-

ment and implementation of the 2003 National

Risk and Vulnerability Assessment (NRVA),

coordinated and led by WFP on behalf of the

Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Develop-ment (MRRD) and launched in July 2003.

Building on the methodology of the 2002 VAM

Countrywide Food Needs Assessment of Rural

Populations, as well as on consolidated data

needs, the NRVA methodology was developed

by a wide group of stakeholders6. Data covered

risks, vulnerabilities, needs, priorities and

intervention preferences of the community,

men and women, and different wealth-groups

in nearly 1,900 rural and nomadic communities

across the country. 269 surveyors of which

111 were women participated in the data

collection during the three-month period.

With inputs from FAO and the World Bank,

risks and vulnerabilities of individual house-

holds were also assessed.

According to preliminary findings, the highest

proportions of people at risk of not being

able to meet their minimum food

requirements are concentrated in the south and

east. Those areas are also the most insecure in

the country.

Moreover, communities in those areas rely on

as yet unreplenished underground water and

have endured

cold spells that

damaged crops

prior to the

summer harvest.

An estimated 3.8

million rural

Afghans will not

be able to meet100 percent of

their daily food

requirments, and

3.2 million will not be able to meet 80 percent.

The voluminous dataset will continue to be

analyzed in partnership with various Ministries

and other stakeholders during 2004. Key

analyses will include a joint MRRD / WFP

study to determine the levels of food insecurity

and to devise appropriate intervention strategies;a MRRD / World Bank / WFP poverty line

study; a Ministry of Health / UNICEF study

to look at dietary diversity as an indication of

nutritional status; and a Ministry of Agriculture

and Animal Husbandry / FAO food security

and agricultural study.

Urban vulnerability pilot studieswere

conducted in early 2003 in 17 urban centres in

collaboration with the Ministry of Rural


of Refugees and Repatriation and the Ministry

of Urban Development and Housing. The target

urban centres were mapped to identify

municipal boundaries and access to facilities

and services for resident populations.

Preliminary socio-economic breakdowns,

information on markets, labour opportunities,

sources of income, agriculture and livestock

data were collected, enabling a ranking exercise

of the most vulnerable urban areas.

N


29/40

Annual Report 2003

Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping

25

% of District population

0%

1% - 25%

26% - 50%

51% - 75%

76% - 100%

Not accessed due to insecurity

Draft Release December 2003

Transitional Islamic State

Of Afghanistan

MRRD

The boundaries and namesof the maps do not imply official endorsementor acceptance by the United Nations, WFPAfghan istan VAM Unit, 15-12- 2003

The information gathered through the pilot

study will guide the planned in-depth urban

household assessment to be conducted in

partnership with the Government in 2004.

With participation of the Ministry of Rural


of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry and

NGOs, rapid emergency food needs assess-

ments (REFNAs)were conducted in 20 districts

of the country in the spring of 2003 to update

the findings of the 2002/2003 countrywide

vulnerability assessment and to rapidly assess

the impact of natural disasters on peoples lives

such as the floods in Takhar province in May

2003.

Government staff were trained at both central

and provincial levels is on basic food security

and vulnerability concepts and assessment

methodologies. 114 staff from the Ministries

of Rural Rehabilitation and Development, Ref-

ugees and Repatriation, Urban Development

and Housing, Health, Womens Affairs and

Education as well as the Central Statistics Office

were trained on NRVA data collection. In addi-

tion, 41 staff from the Ministries of Rural

Rehabilitation and Development, Refugees and

Repatriation, Urban Development and Housing,

Health and Womens Affairs were trained and

participated in urban vulnerability pilot studies

and REFNAs.

In order to allow gender data mainstreaming

throughout all VAM activities, 12 women mon-itors were recruited. This has allowed assess-

ment and understanding of womens vulnerabil-

ities, especially through NRVA, where for the

first time rural women were asked directly

about their views on vulnerabilities, contribu-

tions to the household economy and livelihood

constraints.

NATIONAL RISK AND VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT PRELIMINARY FINDIGS:

Estimated % of the District population that will not meet 80% of their projected minimum

yearly food requirements between the 2003 and 2004 summer harvests based onincome PopulationSource: CSO estimates 2003/2004


30/40

WFP Afghanistan

Logistics Management

26

system, sewage disposal system, office building

and related ancillary works is currently

under design. The warehouse is constructed onland provided by the Government, which WFP

leases free of charge, for 11 years. Permanent

structures built on site will eventually be handed

over to the Government. A similar arrangement

has been made in Kandahar, where the munic-

ipality provided WFP with land for five years.

The construction of two warehouses with a

capacity of 3,000 MT will start in 2004.

As part of ongoing capacity development initi-

atives, warehouse management training courses

were organized for Government counterparts

and implementing partners. 80 Government

staff participated in training sessions held in

Kabul, Kandahar, Jalal Abad, Fayz Abad, Kun-

duz, Hirat and Mazari Sharif.

Upon completion of emergency activities, WFP

handed over to the Government demining ma-

terials, snow clearing equipment (snow mobiles,

caterpillars, muskeg vehicles and 15 snowblades) as well as the Chagcharan base camp.

During the year, efforts were made to improve

quality of logistics services and business rela-

tions with local partners:

Contracting procedures were reviewed and

standardized to improve transparency in se-

lection of partners and monitoring of trans-

porter performance as well as more timely

payments.

ome 200,000 MT of food commodities

were delivered to Afghanistan during the

year, out of which 79 percent, i.e. 158,600 MT

were transported through the southern Pakistan

corridor, with the balance through the northern

corridor (Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajiki-

stan).

With the availability of alternative, more cost

efficient and cost effective supply routes, three

external hubs Osh (Kyrgyzstan), Turkmena-

bad (Turkmenistan) and Ishkashim (Tajikistan)

were closed during the year. Two new corri-

dors Traceca (via the Black Sea) and NizhnyPianj - Sherkhan Bandar were used during

the year. The Bandar Abas corridor in Iran was

used as the main entry point for the delivery

of biscuits from India.

Direct delivery of food from Karachi port to

Afghanistan to further minimize transshipment

costs was tested. However, results were not

satisfactory, as conditions for international

transport exchanges including security are not

yet in place between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

As a result of these measures, which contributed

to reducing costs, landside transport, storage

and handling (LTSH) rates have been reviewed

and are expected to be at significantly lower

levels in 2004. Monitoring of available funds

was intensified, allowing accurate allocations

for essential logistics developments. Budget

control efforts were made at every step of the

logistics chain, including the revision of project

LTSH rate twice during the year.

The construction of a new warehouse complex

in Kabul with a storage capacity of 15,000 MT,

a truck park, a workshop and an office building

started in the second half of 2003. Phase I and

II erection of a boundary fence; installation

of water tanks, electrical lightening, wash bays

and toilets; construction of two warehouses

and workshop are ongoing. Phase III site

S


31/40

Annual Report 2003

Logistics Management

27

WFP Afghanistans First Two Donkeys

Since October 2003, two donkeys can be seenclimbing the slopes of Katakam hill, just outside

Maymana city in the northwestern Afghanistan

Faryab province. If you stand close enough,

you can read the signs around their necks:

Property of WFP.

There is no mistake: the donkeys are part of

WFP Afghanistans assets! The sub-office in

Maymana bought the animals for US$180 each

in order to bring food, water and supplies to

the security guards stationed at the top ofKatakam hill, seven kilometers away from the

sub-office.

The guards protect a VHF communication

repeater station on the hilltop. Since its estab-

lishment in February 2003, the repeater has

facilitated the operation of VHF radios for all

United Nations agencies and international or-

ganisations in Maymana.

Now that the uphill trek no longer requires a

four-wheel-drive vehicle, the guards get their

supplies always on time, no matter what the

weather conditions are. And the only fuel

needed is grass!

When asked why the donkeys carry signs, staff

says, In case they wander off.

Periodic reviews of transport companies were

carried out in order to obtain competitive

transport rates at satisfactory performance

levels.

Milling activities in Pakistan, for Afghanistan,

were reviewed and the market was analysed

to enable the selection of best performing

and reliable milling companies in Peshawar

and Quetta.

A comprehensive technical and financial

review of the truck fleet was carried out in

order to identify the most appropriate and

cost effective types and quantities of trucks

and to avoid a potential negative impact onlocal economy.

Maintenance and repair workshops were

established and improved in Fayz Abad, Hirat

and Mazari Sharif, and mobile workshops,

were maintained in Kandahar and Kabul.

Containerized transport of vegetable oil was

opted for instead of transport in break bulk

whenever possible, resulting in reduced losses.

42 WFP staff were trained on the CommodityMovement Process and Analysis System

(COMPAS) followed by improved integrity

and accuracy of data pertaining to movements

and stocks of WFP food in the region.

COMPAS was instrumental in creating reli-

able statistical reports as well as facilitating

transporter payments.


32/40

WFP Afghanistan

Finance / Administrative Management

28

n 2003, the WFP Information Network and-

Global System (WINGS) replaced the manualfinancial system of

WFP in Afghanistan.

The implementation

of WINGS was invalu-

able in the biennial

financial closure of its

accounts at 31

December 2003 for

the first time on a full

accrual basis and

three months earlier

than in the past. To provide technical guidance

and support to this biennial financial closure

process, several training sessions and work-

shops took place for all WINGS users.

In keeping with the carry-over food stocks,

the transfer of funds from the EmergencyOperation to the Protracted

Reliefand Recovery

Operation is underway.

Under a new asset manage-

ment system, the physical

inventory of all WFP assets

has been completed, with

labels being placed on all

WFP assets.

Administrative support was provided to the

closure of logistics hubs in Osh (Kyrgyzstan)

and Turkmenabad (Turkmenistan) and to the

transfer of assets from Osh and Turkmenabad

to area offices in the country.

Information and Communications Technology Management

Financial and Administrative Management

I

n 2003, WINGS was

rolled out to the country

office in Kabul, the liaison

office in Islamabad, and

the offices in Mazari

Sharif, Fayz Abad, Kabul,

Kandahar and Hirat.

WINGS will enable the

country office to manage

its resources and produce

financial reports in a more

efficient and timelymanner.

A major rewiring exercise

for more than 100

generators currently used

in the country is

underway, to improve

safety and power supply.

I


33/40

Annual Report 2003

Human Resources Management

29

To better serve the dynamic needs of the operations in a more proactive, strategic and timely

manner, the human resources unit has strengthened its capacities in 2003. All the national

staff in the unit have undertaken professional development courses, ranging from secretarial and

English language training to distance learning on Human Resources.

To better serve the needs of the more stable, less fluid operation, regularizing contractual status,

review of duties by category and ensuring adequate grade levels and salaries were the

priorities in 2003. National staff have been enrolled in the appropriate pension and insurance

schemes, and guesthouse workers received contracts that provide better terms and conditions

of service.

Looking ahead, the challenges faced by the unit include a review of future staffing needs

and the designation of core posts in the area and sub-offices. Similarly, efforts in capacity

building will intensify, based on the analysis of training needs.





34/40

WFP Afghanistan

Special Operation 10163

30

he United Nations Humanitarian

Air Services (UNHAS) has facilitatedhumanitarian operations in Afghanistan since

January 2002, by providing safe and efficient

air transport services in the country and to

neighboring countries to the staff of the United

Nations agencies, non-governmental

organizations, government counterparts and

the diplomatic corps.

Domestic UNHAS flights, operating from

Kabul, serve eight scheduled destinations in

Afghanistan: Fayz Abad, Kunduz, Mazari

Sharif, Maymana, Jalal Abad, Bamyan, Hiratand Kandahar.

Internationally, UNHAS continues to operate

round-trip passenger flights six times a week

between Kabul and Islamabad and twice weekly

to Dushanbe, Tajikistan. A bi-weekly service

from Kabul to Dubai operates on a full cost-

recovery basis.

The UNHAS aircraft, consisting of one Fokker

28 twin-jet, three Beechcraft 1900 twin-propellers, and one Beechcraft 200 twin-engine,

transported on average 4,600 passengers per

month.

TT he United Nations Joint LogisticsCentre (UNJLC) completed itsactivities in Afghanistan in March 2003,

after one and a half years of operation. The

major role of the UNJLC was to co-ordinate

the logistics of the United Nations agencies

and other organizations responding to the

humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and its

neighbouring countries.

Major achievements of the UNJLC include:

co-ordination and prioritizing common air

cargo services;

air and land logistics support to the LoyaJirga in June 2003;

logistics policy framing;

emergency road and infrastructure repairs;

logistical assistance to winter preparation;

co-ordination of the new Afghan currency

project at the provincial level; and

Government capacity building in air and land

transport, public works and rural

development.

The UNJLC received direct support from the

Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit, the United

Kingdom Department for International

Development, the Swedish Civil Aviation

Authority, the Swedish Rescue Service Agency,

the United

Nations

Assistance

Mission in

Afghanistan, the

United States

Agency for

International

Development

and WFP.


35/40

Annual Report 2003

Special Operation 10163

31

These aircraft made 3,967 flights during 2003,

flying 4,990 hours, carrying 55,275 passengers

and 1,260 MT of cargo.

The passengers included staff of NGOs (41

percent) and the United Nations agencies (41

percent), diplomatic personnel (15 percent) and

the media (1 percent). Passengers enjoyed

frequent and safe access to and around the

country.

Documents

World Food Programme Afghanistan, Annual report 2003