Afghanistan facing high hunger levels amid food crisis, Afghans forced to sell belongings

A new report by a Delhi-based NGO Observer Research Foundation (ORF) has revealed that Afghanistan is facing severe hunger levels and high levels of food security. The think tank released its report on the global food crisis after analysing the condition in 136 countries and the Taliban-ruled Afghanistan came out on top. 

Afghanistan underwent a regime change when the Taliban took over the country by toppling President Ashraf Ghani's government in August 2021. Since then, the country is reeling under a range of issues including human rights abuses which have drawn global condemnation, and a food crisis being the latest.

The serious food insecurity in Afghanistan

Citing the Global Hunger Index (GHI) released this year, ORF noted in its report that South Asian nations had the highest levels of stunting and wasting. "These trends are worrying for a region home to 600 million children and where over 33% of the population faces extreme poverty, a situation exacerbated by the pandemic," ORF said. 

"Poor economic and social situation has affected children and has increased food insecurity because it has a direct connection with child nutrition," Mohammad Nasir Kazimi, a doctor told TOLO News, per ANI. Many children, who were admitted to the Indira Gandhi hospital in the capital Kabul were diagnosed with malnutrition due to the lack of food and the country's poor economy. "It has been four months that my child has been sick. Doctors said that it is malnutrition and that treatment did not impact it," a mother of a malnourished child told TOLO News. 

Sharafat Zaman Amrkhil, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Health under the Taliban regime said that 2.8 million children with moderate and severe malnutrition and nursing mothers have been affected since the start of 2022. In the ongoing winter season, families in some regions experiencing snow are forced to sell their belongings in order to keep themselves warm and make ends meet. 

Citing a report by The Khaama Press, ANI revealed that an average Afghan family can only afford 82% of the basic food commodities. This was revealed by Martin Schuepp, Director of Operations of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) who expressed concerns over the economic and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.