FAO appeals for $38 million to safeguard Afghanistan’s 2027 wheat harvest

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has appealed for $38.3 million in urgent funding to help protect Afghanistan’s 2027 wheat harvest, warning that soaring fertilizer prices are putting the country’s upcoming planting season at risk.

The agency said the funding would enable up to 600,000 farming households to access certified wheat seed and fertilizer ahead of the winter wheat planting season, a critical period for Afghanistan’s main staple crop.

According to FAO, fertilizer prices have surged following disruptions in global markets linked to the 2026 Middle East crisis. Although fertilizer remains available, many Afghan farmers can no longer afford it, threatening wheat production in a country where soil fertility depends heavily on the use of diammonium phosphate (DAP) and urea.

“Afghanistan’s farmers have an opportunity to benefit from a stronger agricultural season after a harsh drought year, but rising fertilizer prices threaten to put that opportunity out of reach,” said Richard Trenchard, FAO Representative in Afghanistan. “This is not a supply crisis; it is an affordability crisis.”

FAO warned that many farmers may be forced to reduce fertilizer use or plant smaller areas, leading to lower crop yields, declining household food supplies and rising debt. The impact is expected to be particularly severe for women-headed households, returnee families and food-insecure rural communities.

Farmers in Nimroz province say they are already feeling the effects. Din Mohammad said shopkeepers who previously provided fertilizer on credit no longer do so, while another farmer, Wakil, said he faces the difficult choice between supporting his family and buying seed and fertilizer.

To address the challenge, FAO plans to provide targeted subsidies through private-sector suppliers using its biometric farmer registration and e-voucher platform, known as IDEA. More than 100,000 farmers have already been registered for the upcoming campaign.

The agency said support will initially focus on the most vulnerable households before expanding as additional funding becomes available.

FAO noted that combining certified seed with adequate fertilizer and good farming practices can increase wheat yields by 32.8 percent. It stressed that funding secured by mid-September would allow farmers to obtain essential inputs before planting begins, helping protect next year’s harvest, strengthen food security and reduce future humanitarian needs in a country where agriculture remains the main source of income for most of the population.