OCHA: 15.9 million Afghans face severe food insecurity ahead of winter

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned that 15.9 million people in Afghanistan are expected to face crisis-level food insecurity or worse as winter approaches, raising concerns over the country’s worsening humanitarian situation.

In a statement posted on X, OCHA said that despite food being available in markets across Afghanistan, millions of people cannot afford to purchase it due to widespread poverty, economic hardship and limited household incomes.

The agency said nearly one in three Afghans is facing severe hunger, warning that food insecurity could worsen further during the coming winter months.

OCHA also raised concerns over child malnutrition, saying more than four million children aged between six months and five years could require treatment for malnutrition in 2027.

The UN agency stressed that humanitarian assistance remains critical to saving lives, but said addressing the crisis requires longer-term investment in livelihoods, essential services and economic opportunities.

OCHA called for urgent international support ahead of winter to help vulnerable families meet their basic needs and prevent further deterioration in food security.

The agency emphasized that combining immediate humanitarian assistance with sustained investment in communities’ resilience is essential to addressing Afghanistan’s ongoing hunger crisis and reducing the impact of future economic and humanitarian shocks.