WFP Warns of Rising Child Malnutrition in Afghanistan as Winter Nears

The World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that hunger across Afghanistan is expected to worsen during the winter months, with child malnutrition projected to reach its annual peak. The agency stressed the urgency of scaling up food assistance as harsh weather threatens to cut off remote communities from vital supply routes.

John Aylieff, WFP’s head of operations in Afghanistan, said food stocks must reach vulnerable families before heavy snowfall blocks transportation in mountainous areas. He noted that timely intervention could help curb the sharp rise in child malnutrition that typically occurs during winter, when access to food and healthcare becomes more limited.

WFP has previously ranked Afghanistan as the fourth most affected country globally for acute child malnutrition. According to the agency, around one in three people in the country faces hunger. Current estimates indicate that nearly five million mothers and children are suffering from malnutrition, with conditions continuing to deteriorate.

The agency also warned that more than 17 million Afghans are facing severe food insecurity as winter approaches, alongside persistently high levels of acute malnutrition. Aylieff cited decades of conflict, prolonged drought, and recurring earthquakes as factors deepening the crisis, emphasizing that long-term investment is needed to support recovery and sustainable stability.