19.2 million Afghans face acute hunger this winter

By the Editorial Team · Wednesday, October 21, 2026

The United Nations projects that 19.2 million people in Afghanistan will face acute food insecurity this winter, up from 15.9 million in early fall, with five million at emergency hunger levels and over four million children needing malnutrition treatment next year. This worsening crisis is driven by funding shortfalls, ongoing conflict, economic decline, and natural disasters, prompting urgent calls for increased international aid to prevent widespread famine.

The number of people facing acute food insecurity in Afghanistan is projected to rise to 19.2 million during the upcoming winter season from November through April, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). This marks a significant increase from the 15.9 million people reported between September and October who were experiencing food insecurity at crisis levels or worse. Of those, approximately 3.4 million were already in emergency conditions.

OCHA’s Afghanistan spokeswoman, Olga Cherevko, described the situation as "one step away from famine," warning that five million people could face emergency levels of hunger in the coming months. The crisis is not only about food availability but also the widespread inability of families to afford sufficient nutrition. She emphasized the need for prompt action before winter worsens the conditions, advocating for increased food assistance, livestock protection, support for farmers before critical planting periods, and maintaining access to essential health, nutrition, and water services.

The United Nations also highlighted the severe impact on children, projecting that more than four million children under six will require treatment for acute malnutrition in 2027. Among these, over one million are expected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition. Cherevko stressed that these figures reflect families depleted by years of conflict, economic hardship, drought, and other shocks.

Efforts to combat the crisis are being hampered by funding shortages, with around one-third of nutrition sites across Afghanistan having closed or suspended services due to cuts in humanitarian aid. The loss of these services poses a grave risk, especially for children, as timely nutrition support is crucial to prevent irreversible damage.

The ongoing food insecurity is exacerbated by a sharp decline in international aid since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. The Taliban’s imposition of strict Islamic law, including restrictions on women's access to education and public life, has led to widespread international condemnation and the near exclusion of the Taliban government from global diplomatic and financial systems. As a result, humanitarian funding has fallen drastically, with the United Nations reporting it has received less than 30 percent of the required funds to provide life-saving assistance as of late August.

Additional challenges include natural disasters and the forced return of millions of Afghans from Iran and neighboring countries, further straining the country’s fragile economy and food security. The United Nations and humanitarian agencies are urging the international community to increase support to mitigate the worsening crisis before the winter months deepen the humanitarian toll.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.