GENEVA: The number of people facing acute food insecurity in Afghanistan is projected to rise to 19.2 million during the winter lean season from November to April, the United Nations said on Tuesday, highlighting the worsening humanitarian crisis under Taliban rule.
Of those affected, around five million people are expected to face emergency levels of hunger, leaving them one step away from famine, according to Olga Cherevko, Afghanistan spokeswoman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
“The number facing acute food insecurity is projected to rise to 19.2 million, of which five million are expected to face emergency levels of hunger,” Ms Cherevko told a press briefing in Geneva.
The warning underscores the scale of Afghanistan’s food crisis as millions of people prepare to enter the harsh winter months with insufficient access to food.
The number of people facing acute food security in Afghanistan is set to rise to 19.2 million during the winter lean season between November and April, the United Nations says.
https://t.co/fMHJ0nMXEe
— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) October 20, 2026
The projected increase also raises concerns about the ability of vulnerable households to cope with declining purchasing power, limited employment opportunities and disruptions to humanitarian assistance.
READ ALSO: Afghanistan’s Hunger Crisis Deepens as Unemployment and Poverty Expose Taliban’s Economic Failures
The crisis presents a major challenge for the Taliban authorities, who have governed Afghanistan since returning to power in August 2021. The scale of the projected hunger crisis raises questions about the authorities’ capacity to address widespread poverty, strengthen livelihoods and ensure that vulnerable communities can access essential food supplies.
Humanitarian needs remain particularly pressing ahead of winter, when harsh weather and difficult access to remote communities can complicate the delivery of aid. Without adequate assistance and effective measures to improve food access, millions of Afghans risk facing further hardship in the coming months.
The UN’s projection highlights the urgent need for sustained humanitarian support and measures to protect vulnerable families from deteriorating food security.
