Afghanistan Peace CampaignGerman aid group HELP warns Afghanistan’s severe drought has cut wheat harvests by 60% in the west, pushing millions closer to hunger amid worsening climate-driven crises.
The German aid organization HELP has warned that Afghanistan is facing one of its most severe food crises in recent years, with drought devastating wheat production.
According to a statement issued Thursday, the ongoing drought has caused wheat harvests in western Afghanistan to plummet by nearly 60 percent compared to last year. The group said this dramatic decline poses a direct threat to the food security of millions of Afghan families.
HELP noted that over the past 12 months, Afghanistan has been battered by climate shocks, including severe droughts and sudden flash floods. These disasters have left more than nine million people vulnerable and pushed 19 provinces toward the brink of a humanitarian crisis.
International agencies have repeatedly described Afghanistan as one of the countries most at risk from climate change, given its reliance on traditional farming and lack of modern water management systems. Successive droughts have eroded agricultural output, leaving communities increasingly dependent on aid.
The worsening climate conditions are compounding Afghanistan’s broader humanitarian crisis, already marked by widespread poverty, conflict aftershocks, and economic isolation since the Taliban takeover.
Aid agencies, including the World Food Programme and the UN humanitarian office, have warned that without urgent international support, millions could face acute hunger in the coming months.
HELP’s statement stressed the urgency of increased humanitarian assistance and climate adaptation measures, warning that the country’s fragile food systems cannot withstand repeated climate shocks without sustained international intervention.