U.S. cuts to global food aid threaten millions as Afghanistan faces worst hunger crisis in decades

The U.S. decision to cut $560 million in food aid is deepening Afghanistan’s worst hunger crisis in decades, threatening millions. Aid groups warn of a “death sentence” as 23 million Afghans, including 3.5 million children, face life-threatening hunger.

The recent decision by the Trump administration to slash funding for the World Food Programme’s (WFP) emergency operations has sent shockwaves through the humanitarian community, putting millions of lives at risk in some of the world’s most vulnerable regions. Among the hardest hit is Afghanistan, where a devastating combination of economic collapse, drought, and ongoing instability has left nearly two-thirds of the population in desperate need of assistance. The WFP, the leading global organization fighting hunger, has issued a stark warning, calling the funding cuts a potential “death sentence” for those already on the brink of starvation. 

Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis has reached catastrophic levels, with the United Nations estimating that 23 million people, more than half the country, will require life-saving aid this year. The situation is particularly dire for children, as the nation faces its worst malnutrition crisis in history. According to WFP Acting Country Director Mutinta Chimuka, an alarming 3.5 million children are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition in 2024, with one child falling victim every ten seconds. The crisis has become so severe that even mothers, who are traditionally the primary caregivers, are themselves struggling with malnutrition, leaving families trapped in a vicious cycle of hunger and deprivation. 

The scale of the funding cuts is staggering. Reports from The Associated Press indicate that approximately $560 million in U.S. humanitarian aid to Afghanistan has been withdrawn, dealing a crippling blow to essential services. The reduction has forced cuts to emergency food distributions, medical care for malnourished infants, access to clean water, and mental health support for survivors of violence.

As humanitarian agencies scramble to fill the gap left by the U.S. cuts, calls are growing for donor nations to step up before the situation spirals further out of control. The United Nation Assistance Mission in Afghanistan has called on the international donors to continue supporting the Afghan people. The plea comes ahead of a scheduled meeting of the Afghanistan Coordination Group, set to take place this week in Istanbul, Turkey.