KABUL, Afghanistan — The Taliban-run agriculture ministry in a statement on Tuesday said that the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) plans to allocate 42% of its activities in Afghanistan to development projects next year.
According to the statement, Richard Trenchard, FAO’s country representative, reportedly conveyed this plan during a meeting with Taliban Agriculture Minister Ataullah Usmani.
The FAO has not publicly commented on the meeting or the claims made by the Taliban.
The statement added that Mr. Trenchard emphasized that FAO’s primary goal is to assist Afghan farmers. However, he added that the organization also intends to expand its development initiatives in the coming year.
Hunger crisis worsens
The announcement comes amid an escalating hunger crisis in Afghanistan. The World Food Programme (WFP) recently reported that food insecurity is severely affecting mothers and children, with approximately 12.4 million people in Afghanistan experiencing “acute” food insecurity.
WFP has identified Afghanistan as one of 22 countries facing a hunger crisis globally. The organization has warned that without sufficient donor support and adequate funding, its operations in Afghanistan will be unsustainable.
Funding challenges amid restrictions
The United Nations has previously stated that donor countries have significantly reduced aid to Afghanistan this year. The cuts are largely attributed to restrictions imposed by the Taliban, particularly on women’s participation in the workforce.
The U.N. warned that reduced funding has led to severe budget shortfalls for aid organizations, worsening the humanitarian crisis in the country.
