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Afghanistan hunger: UN says food is in markets but families cannot afford it as winter nears

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Editor's note: TrendDesh reported the IPC's record hunger figures for Afghanistan on 16 October. This update adds the UN aid office's findings from field visits, released on 20 October.

Afghanistan hunger is now less about whether food exists than whether people can afford it, the UN aid coordination office OCHA said on 20 October 2026. Spokesperson Olga Cherevko, briefing from Kabul after field visits, said nearly 16 million Afghans face crisis-level hunger, about 3.4 million of them in emergency conditions.

Afghanistan hunger: Communities in Afghanistan face poverty, climate shocks and the aftermath of four decades of conflict (file photo)
Communities in Afghanistan face poverty, climate shocks and the aftermath of four decades of conflict (file photo) Photo: UNAMA/Ahmad Khalid Khaliqi via UN News (editorial use with credit).

What Olga Cherevko saw in the south and northeast

“A harvest can improve, markets can have food, but families can still go hungry,” Cherevko said, calling it one of the clearest takeaways from her recent visits to southern and northeastern Afghanistan. She said the crisis is about whether people can earn an income, reach basic services and fall back on anything when the next shock comes. Record acute malnutrition levels for the August-October period have pushed hunger up for millions, according to the latest findings of the UN-supported IPC food security monitor, and the situation is set to worsen. Hunger levels are expected to rise for around 19 million people once winter begins next month, she said. “The outlook is deteriorating.” She added: “These numbers represent children whose parents cannot afford nutritious food and families whose ability to cope has been worn down by years of conflict, economic hardship, drought and other shocks.”

Key Facts

  • Crisis-level hunger: nearly 16 million people
  • In emergency conditions: about 3.4 million
  • At risk once winter starts: around 19 million
  • Reached with aid (Jan-Jul): 8.3 million
  • Possible loss by 2030: 20,000 women teachers, 5,400 female health workers (UNICEF)

“We must act before winter, not after families have exhausted their options.”

— Olga Cherevko, OCHA spokesperson

Women and girls shut out, recovery at risk

Cherevko pointed to another side of the crisis that will shape Afghanistan long after the lean season: the Taliban’s systematic exclusion of women and girls from schools and society. She cited a UNICEF report warning that if current restrictions continue, Afghanistan could lose up to 20,000 women teachers and 5,400 female health workers by 2030. That matters for nutrition, she said, because malnutrition is shaped by maternal health, access to healthcare, dietary diversity, education and the ability to earn a living. Undermining these weakens families’ ability to protect their children and makes recovery harder, according to UN News.

Afghanistan hunger: aid saves lives but cannot replace jobs

From January to July, UN agencies and humanitarian partners reached 8.3 million people with at least one form of assistance, and they continue to provide emergency and essential services, including World Health Organization care for returnees and families in eastern Afghanistan. “Humanitarian aid can and does save lives today,” Cherevko said, “but only sustained, inclusive investment in livelihoods, services and economic opportunity can help people build lives that are less dependent on emergency assistance tomorrow.” She called for investment in agriculture and rural livelihoods, local markets, jobs, water systems, health and nutrition services, and chances for women to take part in economic life. “We must act before winter, not after families have exhausted their options,” she said.

Why It Matters: Afghanistan's hunger is driven by lost incomes, not empty shelves, so food aid alone will not fix it. Winter usually deepens the crisis, which is why the UN wants action now.

Also on TrendDesh: Afghanistan hunger hits record: 15.9 million face acute food insecurity, 19.2 million by winter · Committee on World Food Security: Türk calls hunger an avoidable tragedy in a world of plenty

Source: UN News, 20 Oct 2026 · OCHA Afghanistan · IPC: Afghanistan · TrendDesh, 16 Oct: IPC record hunger

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