KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has projected that in 2025, around 14.8 million people in Afghanistan—nearly one-third of the country’s population—will depend on food and agricultural assistance to survive.
OCHA figures show that humanitarian partners aim to prioritize aid for 14.2 million people, requiring $1.09 billion in funding to meet this critical need. This comes amid a worsening humanitarian crisis that has gripped Afghanistan since the Taliban seized power in August 2021, exacerbating food insecurity and economic collapse.
The humanitarian needs in the country have escalated dramatically over recent years. OCHA previously estimated that 22.9 million Afghans—more than half the population—would require some form of humanitarian assistance in 2025. Addressing these needs would require a staggering $2.24 billion.
In 2024, OCHA requested $3.06 billion to support vulnerable populations, but as of the latest UN reports, only about 40% of this amount had been secured. The funding gap has significantly impacted aid delivery, leaving millions at risk.
The economic collapse, driven by international sanctions, frozen assets, and a sharp reduction in foreign aid, has further deepened the crisis.
The World Food Programme (WFP) has warned of dire consequences due to funding shortages. It recently announced that it will be unable to deliver life-saving assistance to seven million people during Afghanistan’s harsh winter months.
Pauline Illef, head of WFP’s Emergency Response Division in Afghanistan, highlighted the severity of the situation, stating, “Our resources allow us to assist only one in every two families in need.” She added that without adequate support, many families will be unable to feed their children or heat their homes during the freezing winter.
