KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Afghanistan is grappling with the sharpest rise in malnutrition ever recorded, the World Food Programme (WFP) has warned, describing the crisis as “record-breaking” and one that threatens the lives of millions of children.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, the UN agency said that an estimated 3.5 million children are projected to suffer from malnutrition in 2025. The WFP urged sustained international funding to keep critical aid operations running and save lives.
“This is a record-breaking emergency,” WFP Afghanistan said. “Afghanistan is facing the sharpest rise in malnutrition ever. Children are being hit hardest. We need sustained funding to save lives.”
Malnutrition has long been a serious issue in Afghanistan, but the situation has worsened significantly in recent years. The crisis is fueled by a combination of prolonged drought, natural disasters, large-scale displacement, widespread unemployment, and growing food insecurity.
The Taliban’s return to power in 2021 further intensified the humanitarian catastrophe, triggering economic collapse and a dramatic decline in foreign aid. According to the WFP, around four million children, infants, and breastfeeding mothers experienced malnutrition in Afghanistan last year.
The overall humanitarian outlook for Afghanistan remains grim. The UN has projected that nearly 23 million people, more than half of the country’s population, will require humanitarian assistance in 2025. Of those, 14.8 million are expected to face acute food insecurity, and 7.8 million women and children will need immediate nutrition support.
Aid agencies warn that a sharp drop in funding is threatening the future of essential life-saving programs, particularly for women and children. The United States, once Afghanistan’s largest donor, has suspended parts of its humanitarian support amid concerns over Taliban interference with aid delivery — a move that critics say is worsening an already dire situation.
The WFP has previously described the U.S. suspension of food assistance to Afghanistan and similar countries as a “death sentence” for millions facing extreme hunger and starvation.
