The World Bank has approved a grant of $97.50 million, from the International Development Association (IDA), to provide regular and predictable cash support to Afghans affected by drought and COVID-19 and improve food and nutrition security.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the World Bank stated that the grant will also help build Afghanistan’s drought early warning and response systems.

“The grant will help finance the Drought Early Warning, Early Finance, and Early Action Project (ENETAWF),” the statement said.

According to the statement, the project will complement regular humanitarian relief efforts and provide unconditional cash support and cash-for-work benefits to about 2.2 million Afghans in the 78 districts most affected by food insecurity and drought.

“The project will provide regular targeted financial assistance to households to build resilience and scale-up support across the country before and during droughts. It will also support the Government of Afghanistan to deliver critical weather, water, and climate information services, disseminate early warnings, and strengthen disaster preparedness within communities,” the statement read.

“The IDA grant complements grants of $115 million from the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund, a multi-donor trust fund managed by the World Bank on behalf of 34 donors, plus $8 million from the Global Risk Financing Facility, and $2 million from the program for Asia Resilience to Climate Change Multi-donor Trust Fund.”

“Afghanistan is one of the countries most affected and vulnerable to climate change and natural disasters, and its weak response system has further contributed to this vulnerability,” said Henry Kerali, World Bank Country Director for Afghanistan.

“This new financial assistance will help the Government of Afghanistan lessen drought impacts that have displaced millions of Afghans and pushed them into poverty. The project’s support to Afghan rural households will contribute to overall poverty reduction and economic recovery,” Kerali added.

The organization stated that Afghanistan is highly vulnerable to intense and recurring droughts, which further undermine its growth and stability.

“Natural disasters have spurred displacement, poverty, and food insecurity among rural Afghans, which the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated. Rural households, dependent on subsistence agriculture in drought-prone, rainfed areas, are especially vulnerable to food and nutrition insecurity,” the World Bank said.

The World Bank noted that the project will be implemented by the Minister of Rural Rehabilitation and Development, under which the National Emergency Operations Center in the disaster management agency will be strengthened.

“In addition, a Disaster Risk Management Resource Center will be established at the ministry.”

“In line with the World Bank Group’s institutional strategy on Fragility, Conflict, and Violence, the investments outlined in this project will seek to mitigate drivers of fragility by addressing some of its root causes and it will seek to strengthen the institutions necessary to transition the country out of fragility,” the statement concluded.