The United Nations issued a stark warning on Tuesday, October 20, 2026: the number of people facing acute food insecurity in Afghanistan is projected to rise to 19.2 million during the winter lean season between November and April — with five million of them expected to face emergency levels of hunger described as "one step away from famine."
The projection came from Olga Cherevko, the Afghanistan spokeswoman for the UN humanitarian agency OCHA, who spoke at a press briefing in Geneva from Kabul on Tuesday.
Boxes of food aid stored at the Hazret Ibrahim mosque in Deh Kabul for distribution to Afghan families. The UN says millions more Afghans will need help this winter. Photo: ISAF Headquarters Public Affairs Office / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
What the UN said about Afghanistan's hunger crisis
"The number facing acute food insecurity is projected to rise to 19.2 million, of which five million are expected to face emergency levels of hunger," which is "one step away from famine," Cherevko told the briefing.
The current picture is already dire. Between September and October, 15.9 million people — nearly one in three Afghans — were facing food insecurity at crisis levels or worse, including 3.4 million in emergency conditions, the agency said. The outlook, Cherevko warned, is set to deteriorate further as winter arrives.
"The food crisis in Afghanistan is not simply about whether the food is available, but also about whether people can afford it," she told the press briefing in Geneva, speaking from Kabul. "These numbers represent children whose parents cannot afford nutritious food, and families whose ability to cope has been worn down by years of conflict, economic hardship, drought and other shocks."
Millions of children at risk
The crisis is projected to hit children hardest. The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification snapshot projects that more than four million children aged six months to five years old will need treatment for acute malnutrition next year.
"Over one million of these children are expected to suffer severe acute malnutrition," said Cherevko.
She warned that the country's nutrition network is collapsing just as demand surges: around one-third of nutrition sites across the country have closed or have suspended services, "largely due to funding cuts."
"Once these services disappear, the consequences could be irreversible, particularly for children," Cherevko said.
Humanitarian workers distributing aid in Afghanistan. Around one-third of the country's nutrition sites have closed or suspended services amid funding cuts. Photo: ICRC / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Why Afghanistan is sliding toward famine
Afghanistan's hunger crisis is the product of overlapping shocks. Years of conflict, a fragile economy, and drought have worn down families' ability to cope, while international funding for humanitarian work has thinned — forcing the closure of nutrition centres at exactly the moment they are most needed.
Cherevko urged donors to act before winter sets in: "We must act before winter, not after families have exhausted all the options. That means getting food assistance to people in need, protecting livestock and productive assets, supporting farmers before critical planting windows close, and keeping essential health, nutrition and water services accessible."
The winter lean season, which runs from November to April, is when Afghan families are cut off from markets and work by snow and cold — making it the deadliest stretch of the year for those already on the edge of hunger.
US troops taking part in a humanitarian assistance operation in Afghanistan. Photo: US Army / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
What happens next
The 19.2 million figure is a projection, not a confirmed count — but the trajectory is clear. If funding does not arrive before the winter lean season begins, the UN expects the number of Afghans in emergency conditions to climb from 3.4 million to five million, edging closer to famine conditions.
For the one million-plus young children expected to suffer severe acute malnutrition, the closing of nutrition sites could mean the difference between treatment and tragedy. The coming weeks — before the first snow — are the window the UN says must not be missed.
Key takeaways
- The UN warned on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, that 19.2 million Afghans will face acute food insecurity this winter (November–April).
- Five million are projected to reach emergency hunger levels, described as one step away from famine.
- More than four million children under five will need treatment for acute malnutrition next year, per the IPC snapshot.
- Around one-third of Afghanistan's nutrition sites have closed or suspended services, largely due to funding cuts.
- OCHA's Olga Cherevko urged donors to act before winter: "We must act before winter, not after families have exhausted all the options."
Frequently asked questions
How many Afghans are facing acute food insecurity?
The UN projects the number will rise to 19.2 million during the winter lean season from November to April. Right now, between September and October, 15.9 million people — nearly one in three Afghans — are already facing food insecurity at crisis levels or worse, including 3.4 million in emergency conditions.
What does "one step away from famine" mean?
It describes the emergency level of hunger on the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification scale — the stage just before famine is declared. The UN expects five million Afghans to reach this level this winter, meaning families face extreme food gaps and rising deaths without urgent help.
How will children be affected?
The IPC snapshot projects more than four million children aged six months to five years will need treatment for acute malnutrition next year, with over one million expected to suffer severe acute malnutrition. Around one-third of the country's nutrition sites have closed or suspended services, largely because of funding cuts.
Why is Afghanistan's food crisis getting worse?
A combination of years of conflict, economic hardship, drought, and shrinking international aid funding. Families' ability to cope has been worn down, food is increasingly unaffordable even where it is available, and humanitarian services are closing as donor funding dries up.
What is the UN asking for?
OCHA's Olga Cherevko urged action before winter: food assistance for people in need, protection of livestock and productive assets, support for farmers before planting windows close, and keeping health, nutrition and water services accessible.
Has GlobalDeskNews covered aid cuts before?
Yes. The site recently reported that the UN food programme cut aid for 500,000 Palestinians in Gaza, and covered clashes between Pakistani and Afghan forces at the Kurram border last week.
Sources
- A News (AFP wire) — "UN says 19.2 mn Afghans facing acute food insecurity by April", published October 20, 2026
- Arab News (AFP wire) — same AFP wire, published October 20, 2026
- Dhaka Tribune (AFP wire) — same AFP wire, published October 20, 2026
- Al Arabiya (AFP wire) — same AFP wire, published October 20, 2026