Agriculture in the mountainous regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province of Pakistan is mainly a small farm activity. Generally, there is scarcity of resources considered inevitable for farming such as land, water, etc., and consequently, food insecurity is a major concern in the region. The on-going war on terror and floods have further increased the magnitude of the problem. Coping with the multifaceted and complex problem of poverty and food insecurity in these conflict-affected mountainous areas is a challenging task for the state and communities themselves.

Globally, social safety nets (SSNs) are considered important tools for social protection and alternative means to ensure food security among poor and marginalised groups. Considering this fact, the Government of Pakistan, with assistance from international development donors, has initiated mega income and food support projects during the recent past. But the question remains: who has access to these programmes and who is excluded?

In this perspective, the main objectives of this paper are to explore different types of social safety nets in the study area; to analyze the perceptions of small farmers towards access and effectiveness of social safety nets; and to identify and analyze the perceived role of SSN in food security. The research was conducted in the Battagram district of KPK. Both qualitative and quantitative paradigms of social research were used to obtain data. Quantitative study was conducted by using pre-tested and validated interview schedule from 120 randomly selected farmers from six villages of Battagram. Qualitative data were also collected for holistic understanding of the issue through key-informants’ interviews and focus group discussion.

This research study on SSNs within the thematic frame of social exclusion addresses the multitude of problems faced by the small farmers in fragile and conflict-hit areas. Various types of SSNs – formal and informal – are being offered by the state and non-governmental organisations including non-state actors. However, exclusion on the basis of social capital, land holding and caste/tribe was reported in the area.  Modest political/social capital and lack of awareness were found as major obstacles to the access to SSNs.