The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Afghanistan has welcomed a £40 million (over US$50 million) contribution from the United Kingdom for emergency food assistance in Afghanistan.

The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s (FCDO) contribution will help WFP support more than 1.2 million people with emergency food assistance.

According to a statement issued by the UN agency, plans to provide preventive malnutrition treatment for nearly 150,000 children and more than 140,000 pregnant and breastfeeding mothers.

The funding will also enable 77,000 food-insecure people to participate in asset creation projects that help communities become more productive and resilient to the impacts of the climate crisis.

“The UK remains committed to supporting the people of Afghanistan,” said UK Minister for the Middle East and North Africa, Hamish Falconer.

“This new funding to the World Food Programme will help more than one million people with vital emergency food and nutrition assistance. We are also investing in interventions that will help build the resilience of vulnerable communities, better equipping them to prepare for the impacts of climate change,” he said.

WFP meanwhile said that with this funding they will be able to procure almost 9,000 tons of essential food items including fortified wheat flour, fortified vegetable oil, split peas, and iodized salt for distribution under its emergency and resilience programmes and over 1,900 tons of specialized nutritious food to prevent malnutrition.

Nearly $29 million will go to families as cash or vouchers to buy food at local markets or receive it from local commercial retailers.

“WFP often remains the last lifeline for Afghan women and families who can barely make ends meet and need food assistance to survive,” said Hsiao-Wei Lee, WFP Country Director in Afghanistan.

“With support from our partners like the United Kingdom, WFP can reach some of the most vulnerable people but importantly also continue to build a more resilient, food secure future for rural communities.”