Afghanistan: UN Warns of Worsening Hunger Crisis as Millions of Children Face Malnutrition

Afghanistan: UN Warns of Worsening Hunger Crisis as Millions of Children Face Malnutrition
—————————–
United Nations agencies and humanitarian organisations have warned that Afghanistan’s hunger and malnutrition crisis is expected to worsen ahead of winter, with around 19.2 million people projected to face acute food insecurity and more than four million children requiring treatment for malnutrition in 2027.

According to assessments by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP), approximately 38% of the population will experience high levels of food insecurity between November 2026 and April 2027. Nearly five million people are expected to face emergency-level food insecurity.

UNICEF and Action Against Hunger have also warned that around 1.09 million children could suffer from severe acute malnutrition, while another three million may experience moderate acute malnutrition. An estimated 1.3 million pregnant and breastfeeding women are also at risk.

Humanitarian agencies attribute the worsening crisis to poverty, unemployment, limited access to clean water, declining aid funding, the return of refugees and rising living costs.

The organisations have called for urgent and sustained funding to expand food assistance, healthcare and nutrition services, warning that delays could expose millions of vulnerable families and children to serious humanitarian risks.