14 million people in Afghanistan face acute food insecurity: World Food Programme

Kabul: The hunger crisis in Afghanistan is deteriorating, with 14 million people in the country facing severe food insecurity, local media reported on Wednesday, citing the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) report.

In its latest report, the WFP mentioned that only one in nine people in Afghanistan who require food assistance is currently getting support and stressed that the gap between humanitarian needs and the funding that is available is increasing, Afghanistan-based news agency Khaama Press reported.

The WFP said one in three people in Afghanistan is facing severe hunger and child malnutrition has reached critical levels in the country’s 12 provinces.

The agency said that the hunger crisis in Afghanistan is worsening due to various factors, including unemployment, increasing food prices, reduction in humanitarian funding, economic problems and disruptions in trade routes.

The agency also mentioned the impact caused by mass returns and deportations from neighbouring nations on Afghanistan.

The WFP noted that around six million Afghans have returned or have been deported from Pakistan and Iran since 2023 and warned that it has further increased pressure on Afghanistan’s fragile economy and labour market, Khaama Press reported.

WFP’s country director in Afghanistan, John Ayliffe, said that Afghanistan does not have the capacity to provide jobs and basic support to millions of Afghan returnees and warned that many people in the country were facing unemployment, poverty and hardships in accessing adequate food.

Ayliffe stated that Afghanistan’s border tensions with Pakistan and instability in West Asia have disrupted trade routes and attributed it to the 20 to 30 per cent rise in prices of essential food items, making food less affordable for poor households.

On July 14, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that over 10.7 million women and girls need humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan in 2026 and warned that they remain among the most affected due to the country’s ongoing humanitarian crisis.

According to the OCHA’s latest update on Afghanistan, restrictions imposed on women’s movement, education and employment continue to limit their access to essential services, while increasing protection risks and deepening existing vulnerabilities.

Afghanistan continues to have one of the world’s highest maternal mortality rates, with an estimated 638 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 2024.

The health sector in Afghanistan is also facing a significant strain. Shortage of women health workers, funding reductions, limited access to essential medicines and gaps in emergency obstetric care are contributing to preventable maternal and neonatal deaths, particularly in rural areas where access to healthcare remains limited, according to the OCHA.

The OCHA warned that restrictions on girls’ education are creating risks for Afghanistan’s healthcare sector by limiting the future availability of female doctors, nurses and midwives.

According to UNICEF estimates, Afghanistan could lose over 25,000 female teachers and health workers by 2030 if current restrictions continue.

IANS