The European Union’s representation in Afghanistan has announced a donation of 7.6 million euros to address climate change and food insecurity in the country through an agricultural project.
In a statement on Thursday, the EU in Afghanistan stated that this project will be carried out in partnership with Afghanaid, targeting the provinces of Badakhshan, Daykundi, Ghor, Jowzjan, Samangan, and Takhar.
To address food insecurity in vulnerable communities, the EU’s financial support will enable Afghanaid and its partners to implement a comprehensive program aimed at securing basic needs for rural people, creating income-generating opportunities, and promoting climate-smart agricultural techniques to restore agricultural land for food production.
According to the EU, Afghanistan faces widespread food insecurity, particularly impacting women, youth, and households with disabled members. In April 2023, approximately 17.2 million citizens of the country experienced high levels of acute food insecurity.
The country is also highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, facing ecological threats like droughts floods, and increasing temperatures.
Raffaella Iodice, EU Chargée d’Affaires in Afghanistan, expressed the EU’s commitment to assisting the people of Afghanistan, especially the most vulnerable groups in local communities, such as female-headed households struggling to meet their basic needs.
Charles Davy, Managing Director of Afghanaid, emphasized the importance of empowering vulnerable households to grow more food, strengthen and diversify their incomes, particularly for people with disabilities, who are disproportionately affected by the current crisis.
Afghanistan is currently facing one of the most server humanitarian crisis in the world. According to the UN, approximately 28.8 million people require urgent humanitarian assistance in the country. The Taliban bans on women’s employment for international organizations (NGOs) and UN offices have added to the complexity of an already challenging environment.
The UN humanitarian agencies estimate that $2.26 billion is needed between June and December 2023 to provide essential multi-sectoral assistance to 20 million people in Afghanistan.
