UN warns up to 19 million Afghans could face winter hunger

The United Nations warned on Tuesday that 19.2 million people in Afghanistan could face acute food insecurity this winter, as families struggle to afford food despite an increase in wheat production.

Speaking from Kabul during a UN briefing in Geneva, Olga Cherevko, spokesperson for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), shared her observations from recent visits to southern and north-eastern Afghanistan.

“I want to start with something that can get lost when we talk about Afghanistan through numbers: a harvest can improve, markets can have food, but families can still go hungry,” she said.

According to OCHA, 15.9 million people faced crisis-level or worse food insecurity in September and October, including 3.4 million experiencing emergency levels of hunger.

Children at risk

Cherevko warned that five million people could face emergency levels of hunger between November and April, while more than four million children are expected to require treatment for acute malnutrition next year.

The crisis has been compounded by cuts to humanitarian funding, with around one-third of nutrition centres forced to close or suspend services.

“These numbers represent children whose parents cannot afford nutritious food and families whose ability to cope has been worn down by years of conflict, economic hardship, drought and other shocks,” she said.

Wheat harvest increases

Despite the worsening hunger crisis, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock announced on Tuesday that wheat production had risen by 13.4 per cent, reaching 5.15 million tonnes, up from 4.54 million tonnes last year.

However, with domestic demand estimated at 7.09 million tonnes, the country still faces a shortfall of around 1.94 million tonnes, which is partially covered by imports.

UN urges action before winter

Cherevko stressed the need for urgent assistance ahead of winter, alongside greater investment in agriculture, livelihoods and essential services to help families withstand future crises.

“And we must act before winter, not after families have exhausted all the options,” she said.

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Afghanistan United Nations Hunger