Afghanistan faces record acute hunger and malnutrition as winter looms

According to a hunger monitor released Thursday, Afghanistan is experiencing its highest recorded levels of acute malnutrition and hunger, with 15.9 million people classified as acutely food insecure. The IPC data show that more than 32 percent of the population is in crisis or worse, including 3.4 million in emergency phase four. Contributing factors include disease outbreaks, inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene, and sharply reduced access to nutrition services.

Forecasts for the November-April winter lean season warn that nearly 19.2 million Afghans could face crisis-level food insecurity, with about 5 million in emergency conditions. Children under five are projected to require treatment for acute malnutrition throughout 2027. The World Food Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organisation have issued urgent appeals for funding to scale food aid, agricultural support, and malnutrition treatment, stressing that the window for effective action is rapidly closing.