Over 17 million Afghans face acute hunger as winter looms, WFP warns
The report also notes that four million children are expected to suffer from malnutrition over the next year, and with limited access to treatment, many face life-threatening risks.
More than 17 million Afghanistan nationals are facing acute food insecurity as the country prepares for a harsh winter season, with child malnutrition at levels not seen in decades, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has warned.
According to WFP’s latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report, released on Tuesday, three million more people are currently experiencing extreme hunger in the country compared to last year, when 14.8 million were classified as facing acute food insecurity.
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The report also notes that four million children are expected to suffer from malnutrition over the next year, and with limited access to treatment, many face life-threatening risks.
“WFP has been warning for months about the clear signs of a deepening humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, and the latest data confirms our worst fears,” said John Aylieff, WFP Country Director in Afghanistan.
“Our teams are seeing families skipping meals for days on end and taking extreme measures to survive. Child deaths are rising, and they risk becoming worse in the months ahead.”
According to WFP, the crisis is being driven by multiple, overlapping challenges, including severe drought which has has affected half of Afghanistan, destroying crops and livelihoods.
“Drought has affected half the country and destroyed crops. Job losses and a weakened economy have eroded incomes and livelihoods. Recent earthquakes have left families homeless, pushing humanitarian needs to new extremes,” said the global food body.
“Forced returns from Pakistan and Iran are further compounding needs, with 2.5 million Afghans sent back to Afghanistan since the beginning of the year, many arriving malnourished and destitute. Nearly as many more are expected to return in 2026.”
Humanitarian aid, which has long helped ease the worst effects of hunger in Afghanistan, is also sharply falling. For the first time in decades, WFP says it cannot run a large-scale winter response operation while also trying to provide emergency and nutrition support nationwide.
“We need to bring Afghanistan’s crisis back into the headlines to give the most vulnerable Afghans the attention they deserve,” Aylieff added.
“We must stand with the people of Afghanistan who depend on critical support to survive, and deploy proven solutions towards a recovery with hope, dignity and prosperity.”
WFP subsequently urged donors and the international community to provide $468 million (Sh60.3 billion) to deliver life-saving food assistance to six million of Afghanistan’s most vulnerable people, adding that the funding allow families to survive the harsh winter, prevent widespread child deaths and support communities already facing hardships.
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