KABUL — The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has issued an urgent appeal for $34.5 million to support Afghan farmers and herders struggling under the weight of a worsening drought that is crippling livelihoods and driving hunger across the country.
In a report released Tuesday, the agency warned that the drought, now affecting half of Afghanistan’s provinces, is devastating crop production, killing livestock, and pushing millions closer to food insecurity.
According to FAO, one-third of the 9.5 million Afghans facing acute hunger live in drought-affected areas. The funds would support 1.04 million people through emergency cash transfers, livestock feed, and irrigation assistance.
The worst-affected regions are in the north, northwest, and northeast, where satellite imagery and field assessments show deteriorating conditions. The agency warned that for rural families who depend on seasonal rains for survival, the deepening drought poses “a direct threat to their survival.”
Afghanistan, already one of the world’s largest food crises, is facing a dangerous convergence of climate shocks and collapsing humanitarian support. Despite mounting needs, only 15 percent of FAO’s funding requirements for the year have been met.
“The coming weeks are critical to deliver lifesaving agricultural assistance to affected communities,” FAO said, urging donors to act swiftly to prevent further agricultural collapse, rising malnutrition, and income loss.
The appeal comes amid growing donor fatigue and global funding shortfalls that have severely impacted humanitarian operations in Afghanistan since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. International donors have slashed aid due to political concerns, the Taliban’s human rights record, and legal constraints on engagement with the regime.
UN agencies have repeatedly warned that the cumulative effect of underfunding is being felt across the country. Earlier this year, the UN’s humanitarian office (OCHA) reported the closure of hundreds of health facilities and food aid cuts to millions.
With international attention focused elsewhere, aid groups say time is running out to avert an even deeper disaster.
“Immediate, coordinated, and targeted support is essential,” FAO stressed, “to protect livelihoods, safeguard nutrition, and lay the foundation for long-term recovery.”
