Growing food insecurity in Afghanistan: Report
USD 93.6M is required to assist 114K people over winter, but only 26% has been received to date. Additional funding is urgently needed to ensure people are not living in the open or in makeshift shelters as temperatures fall
Representative Image (Image: IANS)
KABUL: Afghanistan has emerged as one of eight countries whose citizens suffer from acute food insecurity, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation and the World Food Programme, TOLOnews said in its report.
"Acute food insecurity is likely to worsen over the forecast period due to the likely drop in humanitarian funding and its destabilizing impact on the fragile macroeconomic situation," the World Food Programme and Food and Agriculture Organization said in a statement.
Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, Pakistan, Somalia, the Syrian Arab Republic and Yemen are the other countries who are facing a food crisis.
"Unfortunately, Afghanistan is one of the countries in the region that lacks infrastructure. We do not have sufficient strategic infrastructure in all aspects of welfare, social and economic areas to provide for the people of Afghanistan," said Mohammad Shabir Bashiri, a political analyst, according to TOLOnews.
The Deputy Minister of Economy did, however, reiterate his request for relief organisations and international organisations to keep helping.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has said that urgent aid is required for people in Afghanistan as winters are approaching.
"Overall, USD 93.6M is required to assist 114K people over winter, but only 26% has been received to date. Additional funding is urgently needed to ensure people are not living in the open or in makeshift shelters as temperatures fall," OCHA said in a report, according to TOLOnews.
"The current government of Afghanistan has to make a mechanism to establish an evaluation and observer commission consisting of professional and experienced people that is also honest and united," another political analyst, Abdul Zohor Mudaber said.
Earlier this month, the World Bank noted that half of all Afghans are living in poverty. The World Bank has revealed the figures in its latest monthly report known as the "Afghanistan Economic Monitor," TOLO News reported.
According to the report, total exports amounted to USD 1.3 billion from January to September 2023, marking a slight decrease of 0.5 per cent in comparison to the same period in 2022.
Pakistan remains Afghanistan's largest export market, accounting for 55 per cent of total exports, followed by India at 29 per cent. According to the report, imports reached USD 5.7 billion, showing a 27 per cent growth, TOLO News reported.