The UN World Food Programme (WFP) will cut assistance to two million Afghans starting from September due to a lack of funds. This year, a total of 10 million Afghans have lost WFP support.
"Due to a massive funding shortfall, WFP will only be able to provide emergency assistance to three million people per month in the future," the organization stated.
As of September 2023, nearly 35.5 million people in Afghanistan, or around 90% of the population, are experiencing food shortages, according to the WFP.
"Amid an already alarming level of hunger and malnutrition, we are forced to choose between supporting the malnourished and the starving, leaving millions of families struggling for their next meal. "With the limited resources we have left, we cannot assist all those on the brink of destitution" said Xiao-Wei Li, a representative of WFP in Afghanistan.
In March, the WFP had to reduce rations from 75% to 50% for communities facing extreme hunger. In April and May, the organization had to cut off food assistance to eight million people.
The funding reduction means that 1.4 million pregnant women, young mothers, and their children will no longer receive specialized nutrition to prevent malnutrition, the organization noted. In the coming months, the WFP expects a sharp increase in the number of people seeking food centers, as children find it increasingly difficult to survive.
In the next six months, $1bn will be needed to feed 21 million people with essential food items and provide them with means of livelihood, according to the organization.
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