Child malnutrition has reached critical levels in a third of Afghanistan’s provinces, with the U.N. World Food Program (WFP) warning that the situation is expected to worsen due to funding shortfalls. These shortages are forcing cuts in crucial food distributions and other support services.
"We must act now to stem the rise in child deaths, which this crisis is provoking," said John Aylieff, WFP’s country director in Afghanistan, in a statement. "It is already too late for too many."
Nutrition specialists report that severe wasting among children, a condition characterized by acute malnutrition and extreme thinness, has worsened in over three-quarters of the country this year. Children suffering from wasting require immediate therapeutic feeding, but many arrive at health facilities too late or never make it at all.
In 2025, 142 health centers were forced to close due to aid reductions, resulting in over 13,000 children losing access to nutrition treatment. Nearly 3.7 million Afghan children are projected to suffer from acute malnutrition this year, along with 1.2 million pregnant and breastfeeding women, according to WFP projections.
The WFP identified 12 Afghan provinces as having reached critical levels of acute child malnutrition, a record number. The agency cited a combination of factors contributing to the crisis, including ongoing conflict, high unemployment, escalating food prices, disease outbreaks, poor water and sanitation infrastructure, and reduced humanitarian funding.
Supply shortages have also disrupted the delivery of nutrition products, partly due to conflict in the Middle East and a nine-month closure of Pakistan’s border. These disruptions have left nearly one million malnourished women and children without essential nutrition services for five months.
From August through October, WFP is suspending food distributions aimed at preventing famine in the most severely affected areas due to a lack of funding, despite this period typically being the peak season for malnutrition. The agency stated it urgently requires $540 million over the next six months to address the escalating crisis.
Humanitarian groups operating in Afghanistan are struggling with significant funding cuts. In February, Aylieff indicated that previous cuts had been "devastating," forcing the agency to turn away three out of every four acutely malnourished children. Funding for food assistance has decreased by approximately 59% since 2022, even as humanitarian needs have surged.
While the U.S. pledged $800 million to WFP in June, intended to assist over 38 million people in at least 37 countries, the larger $1.71 billion humanitarian appeal for Afghanistan remains underfunded, at just over 26% of its target. This underfunding is particularly alarming as malnutrition and other indicators of crisis are worsening in the country.