EU adds $17m to WFP programme as climate shocks deepen Afghanistan’s food crisis

The European Union has added $17.4 million to its ongoing partnership with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Afghanistan, extending support for climate-resilient livelihoods, school feeding and agribusiness as drought and food insecurity continue to strain rural communities.

 

The additional funding, announced on 31 August, will extend the programme for another 12 months and support efforts addressing food insecurity, malnutrition, poverty and climate change.

Eric Beaume, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Afghanistan, said the support was aimed at strengthening nutrition and protecting vulnerable rural livelihoods.

“By investing in agribusiness, food value chains and school feeding, the EU is helping to strengthen nutrition, protect livelihoods and reinforce the economic resilience of vulnerable rural communities,” he said.

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Food systems and school feeding

Under the programme, greater attention will be given to agribusiness, including food safety and quality for market development. Home-grown school feeding will also continue through locally produced snacks for primary school children.

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John Aylieff, WFP Representative and Country Director in Afghanistan, said continued international support remained important for the country’s food and livelihood needs.

“This partnership underscores the vital role of sustained international support in addressing Afghanistan’s urgent food security and livelihood needs,” he said

Climate pressure on farmers

Agriculture remains central to Afghan livelihoods. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) says agriculture is the main source of food, jobs and income for 80 per cent of Afghans, leaving rural communities particularly exposed to climate emergencies, including drought and floods, as well as water scarcity.

Afghanistan is also facing a deepening hunger and malnutrition crisis. WFP says 17.4 million people require urgent food assistance, while 4.9 million women and children are expected to require treatment for malnutrition in 2026.

WFP has said the 2025 drought, one of the worst in a decade, affected more than half the country and caused widespread crop failures. The agency says Afghanistan’s wider food crisis is also being driven by economic pressures and declining humanitarian support.

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Afghanistan European Union United Nations climate action