Overview: The food security situation in Afghanistan continues to be alarming with more than 14 million people – one third of all Afghans - experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above) between March and May 2021. The situation in rural and urban areas will become even more critical over the next few months due to the combined impact of COVID-19, high food prices and widespread unemployment, and the La Niña weather phenomenon which has resulted in below-average precipitation in the 2020/21 season and is expected to impact both irrigated and rainfed wheat production in 2021, resulting in a below average wheat harvest as well as reduced pastures and adverse impacts on livestock health and production. Furthermore, the conflict situation is expected to deteriorate over spring-summer months and will likely result in high levels of internal displacement and worsening food insecurity.
Furthermore, the food insecurity situation will continue to worsen during the lean season due to the impact of the protracted conflict, reduced income fueled by COVID-19, the prolonged dry spell, reduced snow cover, localized floods, and high temperatures.