WFP Warns of Catastrophic Hunger Crisis in Afghanistan as Winter Approaches Amid Drastic Aid Cuts

Humanitarian Crisis Deepens in Afghanistan

The World Food Programme (WFP) has issued a stark warning regarding the rapidly escalating hunger and malnutrition crisis in Afghanistan, as the country braces for a harsh winter. The agency reports that malnutrition among women and children could reach levels 'not seen in recent years' due to severe funding shortfalls and the impending cold season.

Drastic Reduction in Aid Amid Funding Shortages

The WFP has been forced to implement drastic cuts to its food assistance programs in Afghanistan. Due to severe funding shortages, aid has been reduced by an alarming 80 percent, impacting millions of vulnerable individuals. The number of Afghans receiving food assistance has plummeted from 10 million to just 2 million. Carl Skau, Deputy Executive Director of the WFP, stated that the organization has lost nearly half of its total funding, describing it as the 'worst budget crisis' it faces globally in 2025. This reduction has slashed the share of Afghans receiving food assistance from 14% to a mere 1% since October 2025.

Alarming Malnutrition Rates Among Women and Children

The humanitarian situation is particularly dire for Afghanistan's most vulnerable populations. United Nations estimates indicate that approximately 3.5 million Afghan children under five are suffering from acute malnutrition. Furthermore, over 1.2 million pregnant and breastfeeding women are facing severe nutritional deficiencies or acute malnutrition. Some reports suggest that nearly 5 million mothers and children are currently malnourished, with a child in Afghanistan becoming malnourished every 10 seconds. The WFP has warned that many children could face life-threatening conditions and potentially die from malnutrition and exposure during the winter months.

Compounding Factors and Urgent Appeals

The approaching winter is expected to exacerbate an already critical situation, with UN officials warning that the country could face its 'most catastrophic winter in nearly twenty years'. Several factors contribute to this deepening crisis, including:

• Prolonged drought and other natural disasters
• Economic collapse and entrenched poverty, with 48 percent of the population living below the poverty line
• Restrictions on aid operations, including the barring of women from working with UN agencies, which limits essential service delivery
• The influx of forced returnees from neighboring countries like Pakistan and Iran

The WFP urgently requires US$568 million for life-saving operations up to February 2026 to avert a wider catastrophe. The UN's 2025 humanitarian appeal for Afghanistan, scaled back to $1.62 billion, was only 13.3% funded as of April, highlighting a significant gap in international support. Without immediate and sustained funding, humanitarian organizations fear that millions of Afghans will descend into deeper hunger and acute malnutrition, particularly women and children.