“2021 is an extraordinarily difficult year for Afghanistan,” WFP representative and country director Mary-Ellen McGroarty told AFP in a telephone interview from Kabul.
Warning of a “horrendous humanitarian crisis unfolding”, McGroarty said she intended to remain in the South Asian nation with the WFP “to deliver the much needed humanitarian response that is now required”.
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The war-torn country is facing its second severe drought in three years, on top of the fighting and displacement of people, she said.
“We are in a dire situation, the latest analysis indicates that 14 million people are already at risk of severe or acute hunger,” McGroarty added, adding that two million children are at risk of malnutrition.
"The past days have been heavy with worry, but I know that our humanitarian work must continue."
READ: WFP's Country Director for #Afghanistan, Mary-Ellen McGroarty writes about WFP's work in the country where one in three people are hungry https://t.co/zLsglUFZwF
— WFP Media (@WFP_Media) August 19, 2021
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Wheat production has fallen 40 per cent after one of the driest periods in almost 30 years.
“It’s had a devastating impact as well on livestock,” McGroarty explained.
“As the conflict has escalated right across the country, farmers are unable to harvest the land, they’re fleeing from their homes,” she said.
Orchards have been destroyed in some areas, along with civilian infrastructures such as bridges, dams and roads.
“So, today, when you have the combined impact of the conflict with the drought, food is getting expensive.”
The price of a bag of wheat is today 24 percent higher than the five-year average.
Governmental development cooperation with #Afghanistan is currently suspended due to lack of preconditions. NGOs are doing important additional humanitarian work. We are in close exchange so that food security/education can be maintained to support the population. pic.twitter.com/fGNuNxNPvI
— Olaf Deutschbein (@OlafDeutschbein) August 19, 2021
“The situation in #Afghanistan has all the hallmarks of a humanitarian catastrophe.”@PhiriTomson briefs on the worsening crisis in #Afghanistan where 1 in 3 people are acutely food insecure and a tide of hunger grows. pic.twitter.com/D5E2iVT22U
— WFP Media (@WFP_Media) August 13, 2021
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‘Winter is coming’
McGroarty said it was a priority for the WFP to be able to stay and safely assist the Afghan population. The UN’s food-assistance arm negotiates to gain “unimpeded humanitarian access”, she said.
“The conflict has combined with drought and the socioeconomic impact of COVID-19 to push an already dire situation closer to a catastrophe.”
WATCH: The @WFP Country Director for #Afghanistan, Mary-Ellen McGroarty gives a briefing on the situation from #Kabul pic.twitter.com/0o3SbGljvQ
— WFP Media (@WFP_Media) August 19, 2021
“We don’t take sides, we stay away from political discussions and stuff like that,” McGroarty said.
“We have a horrendous humanitarian crisis unfolding, it’s essential that we’re able to scale operations over the next couple of months.”
The WFP hopes to reach nine million people in Afghanistan by the end of the year.
“In some of the areas where there are new authorities, the Taliban, we have resumed operations, but we need to be doing much, much more, we need to get out there.”
The WFP has 480 staff right across Afghanistan, including 440 Afghan nationals.
“Winter is coming,” she warned.
“We get severe winters in Afghanistan… many communities are cut off … so we need to get food stocks into those areas.”
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A great tide of hunger looms over #Afghanistan.
WFP remains dedicated to maintaining its guiding principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, and operational independence as it seeks to serve the Afghan people.
— World Food Programme (@WFP) August 20, 2021
In 2008 I went to #Afghanistan for a food security mission with @WFP. Wheat was expensive, winter was harsh, and the Serena hotel was bombed a few days before. Tough… yet in Kabul and Mazar-i-sharif I met incredible people. Afghans deserve that we keep fighting for them 💪🏼
— Ludovic Subran (@Ludovic_Subran) August 14, 2021
AFP with additional input from GVS