Cash Transfer Programme Participatory Consultation, Feasibility and Market Study in Burmese Refugee Camps -- Sharon Truelove Edelweiss Silan Technical Programme Director, TBC March 14, 2016

TBC 2016 Preparedness Programme in Thailand Strengthening Sustainable Development Capacities and Focusing Humanitarian Assistance to the Most Vulnerable Readiness Organisational Development Participation and Governance Economic and Social Development Emergency Response Humanitarian Support TBC Strategic Direction programme ProtectionAccountabilityProtectionAccountability ProtectionAccountabilityProtectionAccountability Food Assistance Targeted Food distribution Pilot Cash Transfer Programme Charcoal distribution Alternative Cooking Fuels/Energy Return planning Food Assistance Targeted Food distribution Pilot Cash Transfer Programme Charcoal distribution Alternative Cooking Fuels/Energy Return planning Nutrition Infant and Young Child Feeding, Therapeutic Feeding, Nursery School lunches, Nutrition surveillance, Return planning, Nutrition Infant and Young Child Feeding, Therapeutic Feeding, Nursery School lunches, Nutrition surveillance, Return planning, Community Management Preparedness Program Camp Management, Refugee Participation, Coordination of Basic Services, Protection and Accountability, Advocacy, Refugee led Preparedness and return planning Community Management Preparedness Program Camp Management, Refugee Participation, Coordination of Basic Services, Protection and Accountability, Advocacy, Refugee led Preparedness and return planning Shelter and Settlement Shelter Assistance, Settlement Management – Housing Policy, Disaster Risk Reduction, Settlement Planning Training,Small scale construction and furniture making skills trainings, Shelter and Settlement Shelter Assistance, Settlement Management – Housing Policy, Disaster Risk Reduction, Settlement Planning Training,Small scale construction and furniture making skills trainings, Food Security and Livelihoods Community Agriculture Entrepreneurship Development Community Livelihoods Management Return planning Food Security and Livelihoods Community Agriculture Entrepreneurship Development Community Livelihoods Management Return planning Community Driven Natural Resource Management

Food Basket Rice Oil Fish paste Salt Asia Remix Yellow Split Peas

Aimed to: “ Determine the feasibility of shifting partially or fully from TBC’s current commodity provision approach to a cash- based approach in the delivery of humanitarian assistance to refugees in the 10 camps along the Thai/Myanmar border.”

Preferences Refugees are understandably risk averse Around half of the refugees (51%) are hesitant to switch from ration to the “unknown” aspects of cash

Market Readiness Market chains are in vibrant operation Traders are keen to expand sales and have the means and capacity to do so. Abundant producers Sufficient processors Numerous large wholesalers, Abundant medium sized wholesalers (with private means to transport), Sufficient large scale haulage companies Numerous alternative independent transporters

Access to Financial Services and Credit Larger camp shopkeepers have access to safe systems for sending or receiving money. Beneficiaries and smaller vendors have restricted movement to access money transfer agencies. Insufficient national identity documents for bank accounts or access to mobile phone reception.

Spending Decisions > 50% will spend on food and cooking fuel. Very little will spend on “non-essential” needs Food spending decision –not spending on only rice staple (36%) but spread spending around nutritionally rich and diverse food groups.

Stockpiling Issues 4 of 9 camps are currently stockpiled. Measures have been recommended to ease the transition towards shopkeeper and individual household stockpiling.

Vulnerable Groups Cash transfer will help vulnerable groups access heavy goods easier as small shops are close to their houses more than distribution point.

Recommendations

Unconditional Cash Transfer Unconditional cash is recommended. Women as primary beneficiaries. Means should be found outside CTP for nutrition specific vulnerable groups or by slightly adjusting the main CTP technical design

Staggered Programme Roll Out Existing in camp market systems will require a period of time in order to scale up their operations to support a full cash programmed that will meet the volume of the main ration goods for the entire camp population.

Direct Cash Delivery to Beneficiaries Refugees extremely limited access to sufficiently safe transfer mechanism. Cash to be delivered for the pilot through existing systems using the bank accounts and then delivery by the vehicle of the community organization. TBC will need to establish improved systems in readiness for the full cash programme by negotiating with banks and security companies for them to deliver cash to camps.

Improving Market Access and Connectedness for Smaller Vendors In the short term, smaller shopkeepers will be able to place orders with wholesalers through TBC camp office and that on payment, these wholesaler invoices will be paid through a TBC bank account until alternative sustainable relations can be established between shopkeepers and large wholesaler/ transporters.

Rainy Season Stockpiling Measures Pre-rain lump sum payments alongside increasing support for household level storage Staggering programme introduction to allow traders time to build storage capacity. TBC buffer stocks Hiring out of existing TBC warehousing Cash for work to help improve and maintain roads

A Monthly Minimum Cash Grant Amount Minimum amount based on the ration before Sep 2013 and likely real market price (at realistic purchasing and transportation systems for smaller shopkeepers.

Integrating the Cash Programme with Shelter and Livelihoods aspects Large proportion of purchases that are made within camps to largely refugee owned businesses, bodes well for the potential multiplier effects of any future CTP, as many of the benefits should remain within camp. The integration of a substantial income generation and livelihoods development programme will be essential to maximize the multiplier benefits to refugees as well as for preparedness for return purposes.

Cash Sensitization Campaigns TBC needs campaigns to convince 51% of households surveyed who would prefer to stick to the existing in-kind, ration approach. The poorest of the poor are usually most risk averse, and therefore a staggered roll out is recommended to allow reluctant individuals to observe the impacts on the neighbors before joining.

Background Readiness for CTP Negotiation and advocacy with government authorities and donors Stakeholders sensitization Staff training and recruitment Financial service provider negotiation and preparation for MoU. Establish solid baseline information Risk analysis

Initial Preparation for CTP Rapid research and technical design assessments for CTP across remaining camps Research and assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the rice reductions and new CMT approach and its appropriateness for use within a CTP. Traders and wholesaler briefings and capacity building, facilitation/establishment of associations for small traders, development of M&E systems, etc.

Preparing for Return