Over 14 Million Afghans Facing Food Insecurity, Warns ICRC

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has warned that over four decades of armed conflict have left Afghanistan highly vulnerable to natural disasters and the impacts of climate change.

In a statement, the ICRC highlighted the severe economic consequences of this vulnerability, noting that the agricultural sector the main source of income for approximately 80 percent of Afghanistan’s population has been one of the hardest hit by extreme climate events, including droughts, unseasonal rainfall, and floods.

According to the Red Cross, more than 14 million Afghans are currently grappling with severe food insecurity.

Katharina Ritz, head of the ICRC’s delegation in Kabul, stated that farmers and communities dependent on agriculture are facing extremely harsh conditions, warning that challenges could further worsen the country’s already fragile food security situation.

In 2024, the Red Cross provided assistance to over 50,000 Afghan farmers by helping them purchase essential items such as seeds, fertilisers, and farming tools to boost their productivity.

The organisation also noted that decades of armed conflict have damaged many irrigation canals across Afghanistan, severely affecting farmers’ ability to preserve their crops. To tackle this issue, the ICRC has been rehabilitating water sources and improving access to secure irrigation for agricultural lands.