TYPE OF MEETING:
DATE & LOCATION
CHAIR PERSON:
NOTE TAKER:
ATTENDEES:
Regional FSAC meeting- North East Region- Badakhshan
Monday, 31st March 2014, WFP Faizabad Meeting Hall
Najibullah Rahmani (Head of WFP Faizabad Sub Office)
Rahmatullah Mowahid (FSAC Focal Point)
FAO, WFP, Shelter for Life (SFL), Oxfam, Concern, Mission East, DAIL Badakhshan,
Focus, ANDMA Badakhshan, CSO Badakhshan, BWHO, GIZ-EMERG, (12
Agencies, 14 Participants)
MEETING AGENDA
Item
Subject
Agency Presenting
1.
Opening, introduction and overview of the meeting’s objectives
WFP
2.
Review of the actions items of the previous meeting and adoption of the
previous meeting’s minute
Updates on Seasonal Food Security Assessment (SFSA) 2014
Issue of precipitation and low rainfall in Badakhshan
Update on NRVA/ALCS progress and issues
ERM Presentation
Updating of FSAC members on District Level IPC Analysis
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
FAO
Concern
FAO
CSO
Mission East
WFP
AOB



Ideas on invitation of FSAC members from Kunduz, Baghlan and
Takhar provinces to the FSAC meetings.
Selection of new IPC Coordinator and Deputy IPC Coordinator for
North East Region
Faizabad Green-belt preservation, irrigation and maintenance issue
All
MEETING Action points
MIN
1
2
3
4
ACTION ITEM
FSAC partners to report their activities on monthly basis.
The list of selected districts and SFSA Action Plan to be shared with
the FSAC members
To inform FSAC in Kabul about the voluntarily contribution of
FOCUS, Concern and Oxfam in conducting the SFSA in
Badakhshan province
Follow up with BWHO for the possibility of conducting the Preharvest assessment in Badakhshan province (WFP)
RESPONSIBLE
PARTY
All
ASAP
WFP
ASAP (Done)
WFP
ASAP (Done)
WFP/BWHO
ASAP (Done)
5
To provide regular updates on the progress of NRVA/ALCS Survey
6
Sharing of District Level IPC Analysis map with FSAC members
Mr. Hasibullah
(CSO)
WFP
7
Confirmation of next FSAC meeting Venue in Kunduz FAO office
FAO
8
Introduction of new IPC Coordinator and Deputy Coordinator for
North East Region
All
TIMELINE
Regular Basis
ASAP
Until next
meeting
ASAP
NEXT MEETING
DATE
Thursday,
29th
May 2014
LOCATION
FAO Office, Kunduz
MEETING MINUTES
MINUTE NO:
1
AGENDA:
Opening, introduction and overview of the meeting’s
objectives
FACILITATOR:
WFP
DISCUSSION POINTS:
The meeting was chaired by the Head of WFP Faizabad Sub Office. He welcomed the participants
followed by a short round of introduction. Moreover he explained the agenda, together with the overall
objectives of the current meeting.
Action Point
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Nil
MINUTE NO:
AGENDA:
FACILITATOR:
2
Review of the actions items of previous meeting
and adoption of previous meeting’s minute
FAO
DISCUSSION POINTS:
The last meeting minute & action points were reviewed by Dr. Nazifa Natique (FAO). Most of the actions of
previous meeting were addressed, except the Mission East’s ERM presentation. As this action point wasn’t addressed
for several meetings; Mission East was requested to take the final decision whether to keep or remove it from the
agenda/action points.
In addition, all FSAC partners were requested again to share their monthly reports in order to have a good reflection
of the region’s situation.
Action Point

FSAC partners to report their activities on monthly basis.
MINUTE NO:
3
AGENDA:
Updates on Seasonal Food Security Assessment (SFSA)
2014
FACILITATOR:
Concern
DISCUSSION POINTS:
The list of the selected districts for conducting Seasonal Food Security Assessment and the SFSA plan were shared
with the FSAC members and they were asked if they would like to conduct voluntarily the assessment in the selected
districts. The following NGOs have shown their interest to conduct the SFSA in Badakhshan province:
•
Focus Humanitarian Assistance (if any other NGO does not want to volunteer) is ready to conduct the
SFSA in 3 districts of Wakhan, Jurm and Baharak. If other partners volunteer to conduct SFS Assessment in any of
these districts; they are most welcome.
•
Concern Worldwide volunteered to conduct SFSA in Kohistan district.
•
Oxfam volunteered to conduct SFSA in Faizabad center (Urban area).
In addition to the above; FSAC partners were briefed about the planned Pre-harvest Assessment in all regions of
Afghanistan. The Pre-harvest assessment will be done by WFP and FEWSNET through international and national
NGOs. The aim is to have a better understanding of the harvest condition and Food Security situation in advance for
appropriate planning.
This data is also collected by MAIL but unfortunately; MAIL circulates the report very late (even months after the
harvest) which makes the MAIL’s data less useful. However as experienced during the last years; finally both of the
Pre-harvest Assessments had shown almost the same results (around 95% similar findings and recommendations).
This time the Pre-harvest assessment will be conducted In four districts of Badakhshan province (Argo,Teshkan,
Arghanj Khah and Yaftale Payeen), and WFP asked the FSAC partners if they would like to take part.
Badakhshan Women Help Organization (BWHO) shown interest to conduct the survey for WFP in Badakhshan
province and claimed that they have long experience in conducting surveys and assessments in the region.
Action Point
1. The list of selected districts and SFSA Action Plan to be shared with the FSAC members
2. To inform FSAC in Kabul about the voluntarily contribution of FOCUS, Concern and Oxfam in conducting
the SFSA in Badakhshan province
3. Follow up between WFP and BWHO for the possibility of conducting Pre-harvest assessment in
Badakhshan province
MINUTE NO:
4
DISCUSSION POINTS:
AGENDA:
Issue of precipitation and low rainfall in Badakhshan
FACILITATOR:
FAO
Dr. Nazifa Natique briefed the FSAC partners about the concern raised at FSAC Early Warning Information Working
Group (EWIWG) meeting in Kabul regarding the low precipitation in North East Region. The main points of the recent
available data were shared with the FSAC members.
Below are the summery of the extracted points from the report of WFP Emergency Preparedness and Response
Branch:

October to April constitutes a critical rain and snow season during which the majority of Afghanistan
2 | FSAC CR Minutes of Meetings-Jan 19/01/ 2014





receives its annual rainfall. From the end of October 2013 to March 2014, the seasonal rainfall amounts
have been generally below average with the greatest deficits in the northeast.
A series of recent rain and snow storms in March have recently improved seasonal deficits, but in general
rain and snow deficits remain
Although snow cover is currently near average, the depth of the snow, and the amount of water contained in
the snowpack remains well below average across the region
Greatest deficits in Afghanistan are currently in North East, although they have been somewhat mitigated in
the first few weeks of March. However seasonal anomalies are over 300 mm below average. The exception
to this has been in Provinces surrounding Kabul which have experienced above average precipitation with
anomalies of 50 to 100 mm.
Rain-fall in January 2014 compared with the same time last year show significant decrease in most part of
the country except some area in southern and North-western part of the country.
Comparison of rainy days for the month of January 2014 with the same months of last year shows
significant decrease of rainy days aside from few areas in south and south-east.
It is estimated that the raining will increase in North East region during the month of April, and in that case,
the water deficit may improve, therefore, no major threat to the crops due to low rainfall are expected.
Action Point
None
MINUTE NO:
5
DISCUSSION POINTS:
AGENDA:
Update on NRVA/ALCS progress and issues
FACILITATOR:
CSO/ALCS
Mr. Hasibullah (CSO-NRVA/ALCS) Supervisor for Badakhshan province provided updates about the
NRVA survey in Badakhshan province. He mentioned that the 3rd round of NRVA is completed and the 4th
round will start in April 2014. He also added that due to the following issues; they are suffering many
difficulties in conducting the NRVA/ALCS survey in Badakhshan province:
 The allocated amount of transportation cost for Badakhshan and other provinces are the same,
though the costs in Badakhshan are very high comparing to other provinces.
 Badakhshan has many inaccessible/hard to access areas which makes the survey progress very
slow and sometimes “impossible”
 Some of the selected districts for NRVA Survey are located in Darwaz area which is not
accessible from Afghanistan and the only way to reach is from Tajikistan that requires Passport
and Visa, but considering the very low transportation cost paid by CSO and limited time for
completion of the survey; they are not able to conduct the survey there (this time).
 In case they can get the visa, they are not able to carry GPS with them. For this issue FOCUS
office mentioned that they have the possibility to provide GPS in the border districts to CSO
teams.
FSAC partners requested CSO to provide regular updates on the progress of NRVA/ALCS Survey.
Action Point

To provide regular updates on the progress of NRVA/ALCS Survey (Mr. Hasibullah from CSO)
MINUTE NO:
6
DISCUSSION POINTS:
AGENDA:
ERM Presentation
FACILITATOR:
Mission East
This Agenda point has been repeatedly considered for the last 4 FSAC meetings, but Mission East
couldn’t present it due to their workloads and staff turn-over.
As ERM activities has been finished in Mission East; in agreement with Mission East representative; it has
been decided to exclude this agenda point.
Action Point
None
MINUTE NO:
7
DISCUSSION POINTS:
AGENDA:
Updating of FSAC members on District Level IPC Analysis
FACILITATOR:
WFP
Mr. Rahmatullah Mowahid (North East Region’s IPC Coordinator) briefed the FSAC partners about the
above agenda point.
District Level Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis are completed for all districts of
Badakhshan province and the Acute Food Insecurity Worksheets are shared with FSAC/IPC Team in
Kabul for Peer Review. Upon completion of the Peer Review; the IPC team in Kabul will produce the
District Level IPC Maps which will be shared with all the stakeholders.
3 | FSAC CR Minutes of Meetings-Jan 19/01/ 2014
Below is the summary of IPC District Level Phase Classification in Badakhshan province:



15 districts in Phase 4 (Emergency): Arghanjkhah, Kohistan, Yawan, Teshkan, Shahre
Bozurg, Raghistan, Shighnan, Khahan, Kufab, Maimai, Shukai, Zebak, Kiran o Monjan, Nusai
and Wakhan
11 districts in Phase 3 (Crises): Faizabad, Argo, Yaftale Sufla, Khash, Darayeem, Jurm,
Shuhada, Wardooj, Tagab, Yomgan and Eshkashim
2 districts in Phase 2 (Stressed): Kishm and Baharak
Action Point

Sharing of District Level IPC map with FSAC members (WFP)
MINUTE NO:
AGENDA:
FACILITATOR:
8
AOB
All
DISCUSSION POINTS:

Ideas on invitation of FSAC members from Kunduz, Baghlan and Takhar provinces to the FSAC
meetings.
Usually, all the listed FSAC members in North East Region are invited for the FSAC meetings; but as the NGOs
and Departments working in Kunduz, Baghlan and Takhar are not always able to attend FSAC meetings in
Faizabad (which is located in a corner of the region); the Regional FSAC meeting reflects mostly the situation and
issues of Badakhshan province. The issue has been discussed among the FSAC partners and it has been
decided to have FSAC meetings in rotation between the 4 provinces. Therefore the next regular FSAC meeting
will be held in Kunduz province.

Selection of new IPC Coordinator and Deputy IPC Coordinator for North East Region
During the first IPC meeting it was agreed that the IPC Coordination responsibility must be shared among the
FSAC members. This rotation of IPC Coordination will promote the quality of the IPC activities in the region also
empowers more IPC/FSAC technical members. Therefore the IPC Coordinator (WFP) and the Deputy IPC
Coordinator (OXFAM) would like to hand-over the responsibility to other interested/capable organizations.
The point has been discussed among the FSAC members and Mr. Wadood Wadeed from DAIL Badakhshan has
shown interested to be the IPC coordinator for the North East Region (subject to renewal of his contract with DAIL
in Badakhshan).
Regarding the Deputy IPC Coordinator; all the FSAC partners agreed to have a female Deputy Coordinator, in
order to have gender balance. Therefore Ms. Storay Yazdanparast (Oxfam), Ms. Azima Roya (Concern) and Dr.
Nazifa Natique (FAO) were asked to decide among themselves and introduce the new Deputy IPC Coordinator
for North East Region.

Faizabad Green-belt preservation, irrigation and maintenance issue
DAIL Badakhshan mentioned the issue of Faizabad Green-belt that needs maintenance. It had been
established and previously supported by WFP/DAIL for 3 years, but WFP handed-over the project to
DAIL and since then stopped supporting the project. DAIL requested FSAC members (who has similar
projects) to support DAIL in maintenance and extension of the project.
Action Point
1. Confirmation of Venue in Kunduz city (Dr. Nazifa from FAO)
2. Introduction of new IPC Coordinator for North East Region upon confirmation (all)
3. Introduction of the Female Deputy Coordinator for NER IPC (FAO, Concern and Oxfam)
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