World ‘failing Afghanistan’ during major locust outbreak: aid group

A global aid organization warned Monday that a large-scale plague of locusts is ravaging northern Afghanistan and could destroy 1.2 million metric tons of wheat, almost one-quarter of the country’s annual harvest.

Save the Children said eight million people in Afghanistan have been cut off from food aid in the past two months.

“The escalating situation threatens to plunge millions of people into worsening levels of hunger,” Save the Children said in a statement.

The locust outbreak has come as some 15.3 million people – one-third of the population – are projected to face crisis levels of hunger over the next five months, including 3.2 children, the group said.

It said that the Moroccan locust, one of the world’s most damaging plant pests, has affected eight of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces.

The locusts have the potential to destroy 1.2 million tons of wheat, approximately one-quarter of the country’s annual harvest at a cost of $480 million.

Without an urgent injection of funding, the country could spiral into famine-like conditions and aid organizations are facing a $2.2 billion shortfall in humanitarian funding to support Afghanistan’s most vulnerable children and families, especially women and girls, the group said.

“The international community owes a debt and has a moral obligation to support Afghan children, women, and families at this dire time. Children are the most affected by this crisis and millions will suffer unless humanitarian assistance is immediately increased,” Arshad Malik, the Save the Children country director, said.

“However, humanitarian aid alone is not a quick fix. The underlying drivers of hunger including resuming development aid and support to the country’s ailing economy will also need to be addressed,” he added.