About DCA
DCA has been working in Afghanistan since 1988, supporting herder and pastoralist communities to build sustainable livelihoods. DCA operates at the intersection of humanitarian response, development, and peacebuilding. DCA's Vision is" Empowered and resilient Afghan farmers and pastoralists, driving sustainable and climate-friendly food production for the People of Afghanistan. Our approach is community-driven and structured around four interlinked pillars:
- Livelihoods and food security
- Extension and training services
- Value chain development
- Institutional capacity strengthening
We mainstream gender equality and One Health approaches across all programs—acknowledging the interconnection between human, animal, and environmental health, especially in the context of emerging epidemics and zoonotic diseases.
Project Background:
The Crisis Response Initiative Supplementary Financing (CRISF) is an IFAD-financed grant implemented by the Dutch Committee for Afghanistan-Livestock Programs (DCA) to consolidate and scale the results achieved under the earlier CRI and RPSF interventions in Afghanistan. The project responds to persistent rural fragility, climate stress, weak service delivery, and limited access to markets and finance that continue to affect livestock-dependent households.
The first phase will include six-core-provinces, Herat, Kabul, Baghlan, Laghman, Nangarhar, and Logar, covering 30 new districts not supported by previous CRI projects (CRI I and II). In the second phase, the targeting will also include seven non-core provinces, including Bamyan, Wardak, Paktia, Paktika, Khost, Parwan, and Kunar, with 59 districts that have already benefited from CRI support but still require longer-term support to achieve sustainable outcomes. In the first phase, the core provinces will receive the full package of support, and in the second phase, the non-core provinces will receive support to address remaining gaps in the value chain approach.
CRISF aims to strengthen livestock value chains through four interlinked components: (i) upstream value chain enhancement; (ii) downstream value chain enhancement; (iii) financial services for value chain expansion; and (iv) project management and institutional strengthening. Cross-cutting attention is given to women’s participation, youth inclusion, nutrition, climate resilience, monitoring, and knowledge management.
