Afghanistan is facing its worst child malnutrition crisis on record, the World Food Program announced Monday, highlighting a critical funding shortfall of $539 million needed to assist the country’s most vulnerable populations.
According to the agency, nearly 10 million people—roughly a quarter of Afghanistan’s population—are suffering from acute food insecurity.
One in three children is experiencing stunted growth, a direct consequence of inadequate nutrition.
The WFP attributed the deteriorating situation to a sharp drop in emergency food assistance over the past two years, driven largely by a decline in contributions from international donors.
A significant blow came in April when the United States, under the administration of President Donald Trump, ceased its food assistance to Afghanistan.
The US had previously been the WFP’s largest donor, providing $4.5 billion out of a total $9.8 billion in global donations last year.
Earlier American administrations had maintained robust humanitarian support for Afghanistan as part of broader strategies aimed at curbing poverty, mitigating conflict, and reducing irregular migration and extremism.
Exacerbating the crisis is the rising number of Afghans returning from neighboring countries. Deportations of undocumented migrants are straining already overstretched resources, further complicating relief efforts.
In the last two months alone, the WFP has provided support to 60,000 Afghans repatriated from Iran—just a fraction of those crossing back into the country.
“Going forward, the WFP does not have sufficient funding to cover the returnee response at this time and requires $15 million to assist all eligible returnees from Iran,” said WFP Communications Officer Ziauddin Safi.
He added that the agency urgently needs $539 million to continue providing support to Afghan families through January.
The humanitarian crisis is being further intensified by the effects of climate change. Worsening droughts, shrinking water resources, reduced arable land, and frequent flash floods are ravaging rural communities.
“Drought, water shortages, declining arable land, and flash floods” are having a “profound impact” on livelihoods and the economy, said Matiullah Khalis, head of Afghanistan’s National Environmental Protection Agency.
