Soaring levels of child malnutrition in Afghanistan according to the United Nations agency's report, marking a record spike.
In Afghanistan, a sharp rise in child malnutrition has been linked to a drop in emergency food assistance over the past two years. This is due to dwindling donor support, particularly a significant reduction in US aid.
The US, being the largest funder of the World Food Programme (WFP), provided $4.5 billion of the $9.8 billion in donations last year. However, in April, the administration of US President Donald Trump cut off food aid to Afghanistan, a move that has had a severe negative impact on child malnutrition and food insecurity.
The termination of US aid programs, which previously made up over 40% of Afghanistan's humanitarian assistance, has drastically reduced food aid and nutrition efforts essential for vulnerable populations, particularly children. As a result, nutrition and health centers have closed, putting thousands of malnourished children at increased risk.
The reduction in aid has led to the closure of hundreds of health facilities and the reduction of essential services, critically undermining healthcare and nutrition support. About half of Afghanistan’s population (approximately 23 million people) now require food aid, and the loss of US funding has devastated food assistance crucial for ensuring access to adequate food, especially for women and girls.
One in three children in Afghanistan is stunted due to malnutrition, a statistic that underscores the gravity of the situation. The WFP continues to require $539 million to help the most vulnerable families in Afghanistan, a fact previously mentioned. The organisation also needs $15 million specifically to cover the response to returning Afghans from Iran.
The WFP has supported 60,000 Afghans returning from Iran in the last two months, but their efforts are strained due to insufficient funding. Climate change in Afghanistan is also exacerbating the problem, causing drought, water shortages, declining arable land, and flash floods. These factors are further contributing to food insecurity and malnutrition.
Matiullah Khalis, head of the National Environmental Protection Agency, stated that climate change is having a profound impact on the lives and economy of the Afghan population, particularly those in rural areas. The mass returns from neighboring countries, which are deporting foreigners living there illegally, are also worsening food insecurity.
In summary, the US aid cut has led to closure of over 400 health facilities and nutrition centers in Afghanistan, a sharp reduction in food aid programs essential for child nutrition and general food security, increased risk of malnutrition and preventable deaths, especially among children, and a rise in humanitarian despair and food insecurity affecting millions. These developments highlight the critical role played by US aid in Afghanistan’s humanitarian landscape and the severe consequences of its withdrawal on children's nutrition and overall food security.
- The US aid cut has significantly impacted the health-and-wellness sector in Afghanistan, leading to the closure of over 400 health facilities and nutrition centers.
- The reduction in US aid funding has directly contributed to a rise in child malnutrition and food insecurity in Afghanistan, with one in three children now suffering from malnutrition.
- The environmental-science field in Afghanistan is also affected by climate change, as it exacerbates problems such as drought, water shortages, declining arable land, and flash floods, further increasing food insecurity and malnutrition.
