UN: “By March 2025, at Least 14.8 Million People in Afghanistan Will Face Acute Food Insecurity”

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Afghanistan has warned that despite the provision of humanitarian aid over the past years, hunger remains widespread in Afghanistan. By March 2025, at least 14.8 million citizens of the country will face acute food insecurity.

The organization states that in 2025, a total of 7.8 million children under the age of five and women will require food assistance. Among them, approximately 3.5 million children will suffer from acute malnutrition, and 1.1 million women will need medical treatment.

OCHA also notes that nearly 23 million citizens of Afghanistan will require humanitarian assistance in 2025 to ensure their survival. The organization estimates that it will need around 2.5 billion USD to assist nearly 17 million vulnerable individuals in Afghanistan next year.

OCHA has highlighted that humanitarian needs are expected to intensify due to seasonal climate shocks and climate change in Afghanistan in the coming year. It warns of potential droughts and decreased rainfall, particularly in the northern and northeastern regions of the country.

The organization attributes worsening living conditions for women, as well as an increase in forced and early marriages, to the restrictions imposed by Afghanistan’s interim government, particularly the new law on promoting virtue. It also states that Afghanistan’s economy has shrunk by one-third over the past three years.

OCHA evaluates Afghans’ ability to sustain themselves as severely weakened, citing the compounded effects of restrictions imposed by the interim government, a fragile economy, natural disasters, and climate change.

Although the interim government is reportedly making efforts to accelerate employment generation and reduce poverty through developmental projects, mining activities, and attracting foreign investment, the level of poverty and hunger in Afghanistan remains so high that it will take many years to see a significant decline in these crises.