Severe Food Insecurity in Afghanistan Worsens as Winter Begins

The World Food Programme (WFP) has warned in its latest report that severe food insecurity has sharply increased in Afghanistan with the onset of winter, leaving over 17 million people facing critical food shortages.

According to the report, the number of vulnerable individuals has risen compared to last winter, climbing from 14.8 million to more than 17 million people. This situation reflects the extreme fragility of household livelihoods across the country.

The agency also cautioned that a reduction in humanitarian aid funding has exacerbated conditions for children, with nearly four million now suffering from malnutrition. The WFP warned that unless the situation improves, the risk of child mortality could rise significantly during the current winter.

The organization stressed the urgent need for $468 million in funding to provide food assistance to six million people this winter. Relief agencies have repeatedly stated that, in addition to economic and climate-related impacts, the Taliban administration’s restrictive policies and its inability to manage the growing economic crisis have severely hindered millions of Afghans’ access to food and essential services.