RASC: The head of the Afghanistan department of the World Food Program (WFP) described the livelihood situation of the Afghanistani people as disappointing and said that this organization does not have the funds available to help the 10 million Afghanistani people who live below the poverty line.
The World Food Program today, Sunday, July 9, quoted Hsiao- Wei Lee, the head of the Afghanistan department, as saying that after the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, nearly 23 million Afghanistani were exposed to severe hunger.
Hsiao- Wei Lee said that currently 15 million Afghanistani people are struggling with severe famine; however, the lack of funds has made the World Food Program unable to provide aid to 10 million people.
Lee added: “My big concern is that, while these needs have been reduced a little, they are largely unmet.”
The World Food Program needs $2.2 billion in funding for food aid operations to the needy in Afghanistan in 2023.
This organization has stated that in addition to Covid-19, the Taliban’s resumption of Afghanistan, the drought and the war in Ukraine have also affected the price of food in Afghanistan.
“Before Covid 19, we saw that day laborers could work three days a week, now they work between one and a half to two days a week,” Lee added.
This official of the World Food Program also added that a large number of farmers in Afghanistan sell their essential goods in order to meet the needs of their families.
This is despite the fact that the World Food Program announced last week that the wheat yield in 2023 will likely decrease due to the ongoing drought in Afghanistan.