News & Stories How can we tackle hunger in Afghanistan? Right now, it is estimated that a staggering 15 million people in Afghanistan face acute food insecurity and 3.2 million of those are children under the age of five facing malnutrition. Acute food insecurity is when a person's inability to consume adequate food puts their lives or livelihoods in immediate danger. Donate Today How does Afghanaid work to overcome and prevent food crises in Afghanistan? Here are four ways we're working to reduce hunger: 1. Emergency Food Assistance In the face of acute food insecurity, Afghanaid is providing emergency food parcels and cash support to the most vulnerable populations, often in some of the most remote, hard to reach places of the country. Emergency food parcels include essential food items like flour, rice, oil, and pulses, which are crucial for maintaining basic nutrition. Cash assistance gives families a vital injection of funds so they can afford produce at the market, and meet other basic needs. Afghanaid targets those most in need with this support, such as families with young children, pregnant and lactating women, people with disabilities and the elderly. In doing so, we work to address the immediate dangers posed by acute food insecurity and help prevent malnutrition and related health complications. 2. Helping communities adapt to climate change Ranked as the 8th most vulnerable country in the world to the effects of the climate crisis, Afghanistan is already drastically experiencing the impacts of the warming planet. Droughts and floods have been one of the main causes of food insecurity in Afghanistan over the past several years as agricultural yields have been decimated. To support communities to adapt to the changing climate, we build flood protection walls and gully plugs and dig trenches and contour terraces to reduce the destruction of flooding. We reforest and improve vegetation cover to restore biodiversity, improve soil, and increase groundwater retention. We build water reservoirs, solar-powered wells and irrigation canals to improve access to water and sustain farmland through drought. We install early warning systems and train first aid teams to enable villages to prepare and respond when disasters do occur. This varied support enables communities to adapt for the future, to prevent the climate crisis from driving even more acute hunger. 3. Strengthening Agricultural Livelihoods Once urgent needs are met, and with communities better protected against flood and drought, Afghanaid then works alongside communities to build thriving livelihoods. Agriculture forms the backbone of Afghanistan's economy - more than three quarters of the population relies on farming for their income. But climate change, poor infrastructure, and limited access to resources has made it really difficult for these land and livestock-dependent families to produce enough. Throughout our 40 year history, Afghanaid has supported farmers to increase their agricultural productivity. For example, we provide improved seeds, and fertilisers, we provide tools and create community agro-service centres, we conduct training on water management, crop diversification, and animal care, we help farmers store and add value to their produce, we train and strengthen local veterinary services and we improve access to markets. This enables communities to better meet their food needs, maximise their incomes and reduce dependency on external aid, cultivating sustainable food systems. 4. Women-Led Solutions Beyond agriculture, Afghanaid engages in broader community development initiatives that contribute to enhanced food security - as well as inclusion. This includes creating income-generating opportunities for women through vocational training and small business support. From tailors to soap-makers, by diversifying household income sources, families can afford to buy food even during periods of scarcity, and all the while, women can gain respect and greater financial independence despite the enormous restrictions they face. Moreover, Afghanaid promotes the establishment of community-based savings groups for women, where members can pool resources and provide loans to one another during times of need. These initiatives foster financial resilience, enabling communities to better withstand economic shocks that could otherwise lead to food insecurity. What we've achieved together so far in 2024 343,230 Men, women and children supported with emergency assistance. 84,440 People supported to adapt to the impacts of the climate crisis. 70,250 Households supported to strengthen their livelihoods. Read the stories beyond the numbers We need your help For more than forty years, Afghanaid has been partnering with communities to bring an end to hunger and other crises in Afghanistan. We're more committed than ever to making that happen - but we need your help. Please select a donation amount (required) £10 Could buy 10 apple trees for a family, providing them with a new source of income and nutrition. £50 Could cover the costs of a water tap, giving a village access to clean drinking water. £100 Could cover the costs of an emergency food parcel to feed a whole family for 1 month. Other Set up a regular payment Donate Today Manage Cookie Preferences