Paris: The combined effects of war and drought related to global warming have placed a third of the Afghan population – 14 million people with severe or acute hunger risk, the UN World Food Program warned.
A terrible assessment came when the country faced an uncertain future after the Taliban directed the government to take power over the weekend.
“2021 is a very difficult year for Afghanistan,” WFP representatives and state director Mary-Ellen McGroarty told AFP in a telephone interview from Kabul.
The warning of the “horrendous humanitarian crisis”, McGroarty said he intended to remain in the South Asian country with WFP “to give a very necessary humanitarian response which is now needed”.
The war-hit country faces a second severe drought in three years, above the battle and displacement of people, he said.
“We are in a terrible situation, the latest analysis shows that 14 million people have been at risk with severe or acute hunger,” added McGroarty, added that two million children at risk of malnutrition.
Wheat production has fallen 40 percent after one of the driest periods in almost 30 years.
“It has a devastating impact on livestock,” explained McGroarty.
“Because conflict has increased right throughout the country, farmers cannot harvest land, they run away from their homes,” he said.
The gardens have been destroyed in several regions, along with civil infrastructure such as bridges, dams and roads.
“So, today, when you have a combined impact of conflict with drought, food is starting to be expensive.” The current price of wheat is now 24 percent higher than an average of five years.
– ‘winter will come’ – McGroarty said it was a priority for WFP to be able to stay and safely help the Afghan population.
The UN food assistance arm negotiated to get “unobstructed humanitarian access”, he said.
“We are impartial, we move away from political discussions and things like that,” McGroarty said.
“We have a horrendous humanitarian crisis, it is very important that we can increase operations for the next few months.” WFP hopes to reach nine million people in Afghanistan at the end of the year.
“In some areas where there is a new authority, the Taliban, we have continued operations, but we have to do many things, far more, we need to go out there.” WFP has 480 staff right in Afghanistan, including 440 Afghan citizens.
“Winter will come,” he warned.
“We get a severe winter in Afghanistan …
many communities are cut off …
so we have to get food stocks to these areas.”