UN Warns Nine Million Afghans Face Famine as Crises Converge

KABUL – The United Nations issued a stark warning Thursday that more than nine million people in Afghanistan—nearly a quarter of the population—are confronting severe food insecurity, with record-levels of malnutrition threatening an entire generation of children.

The crisis, detailed in a new report from the World Food Programme (WFP), has been dramatically exacerbated by a recent series of powerful earthquakes, compounding an already dire humanitarian situation fueled by economic collapse, climate shocks, and mass displacement.

A Deepening Catastrophe

According to the WFP, acute food insecurity now affects millions of households, who are often forced to skip meals, sell off essential assets, or survive on bread and tea. The agency reports that severe acute malnutrition among children under five and pregnant and breastfeeding women has surged to record highs. Without therapeutic treatment, this condition is life-threatening, stunting physical and cognitive development in children, with consequences that can last a lifetime.

“The convergence of these crises is creating a perfect storm of hunger,” a WFP spokesperson stated. “We are seeing families make impossible choices every day, such as choosing between feeding their children or keeping them warm.”

Epicenter of Despair in Eastern Provinces

The eastern provinces of Kunar and Nangarhar, the epicenters of the recent earthquakes, are among the hardest hit. These regions were already grappling with critical malnutrition rates before the tremors destroyed homes, farmland, and critical infrastructure. The disasters have not only caused immediate casualties but have also obliterated livelihoods, pushing already vulnerable communities to the brink.

Compounding Pressures on Scarce Resources

The situation is further strained by the ongoing, large-scale return of Afghan families expelled from Pakistan. The influx of hundreds of thousands of returnees, many arriving with little more than the clothes on their backs, has placed immense pressure on scarce local resources and overstretched humanitarian aid. This has intensified competition for food, shelter, and work, creating tensions within host communities that are themselves struggling to survive.

Logistical and Financial Hurdles Hamper Response

Humanitarian efforts face monumental challenges. WFP has provided emergency food assistance to over 58,000 people in the most affected provinces, including Kunar, Nangarhar, and Laghman. However, delivering aid to many remote, mountainous villages remains nearly impossible. Rugged terrain, roads made impassable by landslides or damage, and collapsed communication networks are leaving entire communities isolated and without help.

Compounding these logistical nightmares is a critical funding shortfall. The WFP emphasized that its current financial resources are insufficient, allowing it to reach fewer than one million people per month—a fraction of those in need. The agency faces a staggering funding gap of approximately $622 million to sustain its life-saving operations in Afghanistan over the next six months.

A Call for Urgent Action

Humanitarian experts are raising the alarm that without an immediate injection of new funds, the most vulnerable populations—particularly women and children in the earthquake-ravaged east—risk descending into catastrophic levels of hunger, officially defined as famine-like conditions.

The compounded impact of natural disasters, economic isolation, and chronic poverty underscores Afghanistan’s profound dependence on international aid. With winter approaching, the window to pre-position supplies and save lives is narrowing rapidly. The international community, the experts caution, must act now to prevent a manageable crisis from becoming a full-blown catastrophe.

 

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