Afghanistan has been ranked fifth among the world’s worst-affected countries for acute hunger, the Global Food Crises 2026 report says, Afghan news agency Khaama Press reported on April 26. The UN- and EU-backed report estimates 17.4 million people in Afghanistan — about 36 percent of the population — face high levels of acute food insecurity, with 4.7 million living in emergency or famine-like conditions.
The Global Food Crises 2026 report, produced with contributions from UN agencies and partners including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), places Afghanistan behind the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Sudan and Yemen in terms of hunger severity. Globally, the report notes, 266 million people across 47 countries experienced acute food insecurity in 2025 — nearly double the proportion recorded in 2016 — underscoring that hunger is a chronic and growing global problem.
The report identifies conflict, economic instability and climate shocks as the main drivers of worsening food insecurity, affecting low-income and crisis-hit nations most severely. In Afghanistan, prolonged economic collapse, high unemployment, recurrent drought and reduced international aid have deepened the humanitarian emergency, leaving millions reliant on food assistance to survive.
Aid agencies warn that without sustained funding and secure access for relief operations, hunger in Afghanistan could worsen, with long-term consequences for children’s health, household livelihoods and national stability. The World Food Programme (WFP) has repeatedly highlighted the scale of the crisis: in a March 4 report the WFP said acute malnutrition is rising and tens of thousands of children face serious risk.
The WFP also reported that clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan have hindered vulnerable communities’ access to health services and humanitarian aid, and warned that continued fighting could push already poor and hungry families closer to a critical breaking point. Reported by Khaama Press; IANS.
Original Source: https://theshillongtimes.com/2026/04/26/afghanistan-ranked-fifth-among-nations-facing-acute-hunger-report/
Category: INTERNATIONAL,News Alert
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Publish Date: 2026-04-26 21:35:00
