UN Warns Over 17 Million at Risk of Food Insecurity in Afghanistan

News Desk 

Islamabad: More than 17 million people in Afghanistan are facing acute food insecurity this winter, a sharp increase from last year, the United Nations warned on Tuesday.

“The situation is getting worse, and we need to act now as Afghanistan is entering the winter period when needs are highest,” said Jean-Martin Bauer, Director of Food Security and Nutrition Analysis at the UN World Food Programme (WFP).

Speaking at a press briefing in Geneva, Bauer said the number of people experiencing acute food insecurity has risen by nearly three million compared to last year. He also warned that almost four million children are currently suffering from acute malnutrition.

From WFP’s headquarters in Rome, Bauer attributed the worsening crisis to multiple factors, including prolonged drought damaging crops and livestock, earthquakes that have pushed many families into poverty, and significant reductions in international aid.

He added that the return of more than 2.5 million Afghans from Iran and Pakistan this year has further strained the country’s already limited resources and fragile infrastructure. WFP expects a similar number of returnees in 2026.

The agency currently has only 12 percent of the funding required to run its programmes in Afghanistan. As a result, Bauer said WFP has been unable to carry out routine winter preparations, such as pre-positioning food supplies in the most vulnerable areas.

He urged international donors to step up support to prevent “the most extreme impact” of the crisis.

“We need $570 million over the next six months to provide essential assistance to about six million people in Afghanistan,” Bauer said, stressing the need to keep the country in global focus due to its “very high levels of vulnerability.”