UN alerts worsening drought endangering Afghanistan's food security

Kabul [Afghanistan], August 4 (ANI): Afghanistan is facing a severe drought, with below-average rainfall, dry soil, and crop failures threatening livestock and food security across multiple vulnerable provinces, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned, Khaama Press reported.

In a report published on August 3 on its official X account, OCHA stated that reduced rainfall and dry soil conditions have significantly impacted rain-fed wheat production and placed livestock at serious risk due to fodder shortages, Khaama Press noted.

Rainfall levels remain below average, while higher-than-normal temperatures and extremely low soil moisture have worsened the situation. The most affected provinces include Badghis, Ghor, Faryab, Sar-e Pol, Samangan, Baghlan, Takhar, Badakhshan, Daikundi, Bamyan, Parwan, and Kabul. Only Herat province has returned to relatively normal conditions, Khaama Press reported.

This year's monsoon season began earlier than usual and with greater intensity, complicating weather patterns across the country. While some rain is forecast in select areas, experts warn it may not be sufficient to reverse the prolonged drought's impact or restore agricultural productivity.

The ongoing drought poses a serious threat to food security and livelihoods in Afghanistan, prompting urgent calls for international assistance to support farmers, protect livestock, and stabilise vulnerable rural communities.

Compounding these challenges, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) reports that Kabul now houses over 40 per cent of Afghanistan's total urban population, with most residents living in unsafe informal settlements, Khaama Press reported. This high concentration of vulnerable populations in Kabul's informal settlements further intensifies the country's humanitarian crisis amid worsening drought conditions.

According to the agency, four out of every five people in Kabul reside in informal areas that lack basic infrastructure and are highly exposed to environmental hazards.

UN-Habitat warned that these communities "face increasing risks from extreme weather events driven by climate change," placing millions of residents in danger, as cited by Khaama Press.

The organisation said immediate measures are essential to "strengthen climate resilience and address the unsafe living conditions that dominate Afghanistan's capital."

The report further pointed out that most returnees to Afghanistan are forced to live in these informal settlements, which frequently lack healthcare, sanitation, and other basic services.

Highlighting the deepening humanitarian and environmental crisis, UN-Habitat noted, "Kabul's fragile housing situation has become both a humanitarian and environmental challenge."

As per Khaama Press, the agency emphasised that without urgent investment in infrastructure, climate adaptation, and essential services, "Kabul's most vulnerable citizens will remain trapped in cycles of risk and deprivation." (ANI)

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