FAO, WFP give early warnings on acute food insecurity

KABUL (TOLOnews): The World Food Programme and Food and Agriculture Organization warned of increasing food insecurity in Afghanistan. According to the statement of the WFP and FAO, organizations within the UN, Afghanistan is placed among 8 countries whose citizens face severe food insecurity.

“Acute food insecurity is likely to worsen over the forecast period due to the likely drop in humanitarian funding and its destabilizing impact on the fragile macroeconomic situation,” the statement said.

“Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, Pakistan, Somalia, the Syrian Arab Republic and Yemen are hotspots of very high concern and in the included countries or territories, life-threatening conditions are expected to further intensify in the outlook period.” the statement said.

Meanwhile, some economic activists said that providing the work opportunity to citizens in the country can solve the challenges of food insecurity.

“Unfortunately, Afghanistan is one of the countries in the region that lacks infrastructure. We do not have sufficient strategic infrastructure in all aspects of welfare, social and economic areas to provide for the people of Afghanistan,” said Mohammad Shabir Bashiri, a political analyst.

However, the Deputy Minister of Economy once again called on international institutions and aid agencies to continue their assistance. “With the approaching winter season and the cold weather, we ask aid agencies and the international community to pay attention and support our dear compatriots,” said Abdul Latif Nazari, Deputy Minister of Economy.

At the same time, the United Nations humanitarian coordinator, OCHA, said in a report that $93.6 million is needed to deal with the 114,000 people affected by the aftershocks in Herat.

The organization added that only 26% of the total amount of money was received.

“Overall, US $93.6M is required to assist 114K people over winter, but only 26% has been received to date. Additional funding is urgently needed to ensure people are not living in the open or in makeshift shelters as temperatures fall,” OCHA said in a report.

“The current government of Afghanistan has to make a mechanism to establish an evaluation and observer commission consisting of professional and experienced people that is also honest and united,” said Abdul Zohor Mudaber, political analyst.

Earlier, the representative and head of the World Food Programme for Afghanistan in a discussion told TOLOnews that $400 million is needed to assist the Herat earthquake victims. Right now, 15 million people are struggling to find food.