KABUL, Afghanistan — Afghanistan is experiencing the most severe rise in malnutrition in its recorded history, the UN World Food Program said on Wednesday, calling the crisis “record-breaking” and warning that millions of children are at risk without sustained international funding.
“This is a record-breaking emergency,” WFP Afghanistan said in a post on X. “Afghanistan is facing the sharpest rise in malnutrition ever. Children are being hit hardest. We need sustained funding to save lives.”
According to the agency, 3.5 million children in Afghanistan are projected to suffer from malnutrition in the coming year.
The warning comes amid deepening economic distress, rising food insecurity, and shrinking humanitarian aid. In a previous report, the WFP said the recent suspension of U.S. humanitarian funding — particularly cuts to emergency food assistance — has severely impacted food security across the country.
The organization noted that the funding gap is placing the greatest burden on vulnerable communities, particularly women and children who rely heavily on international support.
The crisis is compounded by rising inflation and the return of Afghan migrants from Pakistan, many of whom require urgent assistance. According to WFP data, Afghanistan’s overall inflation rate climbed to -0.3 percent in February — up from -10.2 percent a year earlier — indicating a reversal in deflationary trends and mounting pressure on basic goods.
The WFP has also warned that disease outbreaks such as malaria, dengue, and tuberculosis may surge if the health and nutrition systems continue to weaken. Efforts to eradicate polio — still endemic in Afghanistan and Pakistan — are also at risk due to resource shortfalls.
The agency has urged international donors to restore and sustain critical aid for Afghanistan. “To save lives,” the WFP said, “we need sustained funding.”
