The food security situation in Afghanistan remains alarming with over 15 million people, or 36 percent of the population being food insecure. Of the 15 million, 12.4 million have acute food insecurity. Acute food insecurity is when a person's inability to consume adequate food puts their lives or livelihoods in immediate danger, according to the World Food Programme (WFP).
Reports show that 25 of Afghanistan’s 35 provinces are experiencing acute malnutrition above emergency thresholds. Life-saving nutrition support is needed over the next 12 months for almost half of children under five, and a quarter of pregnant and breastfeeding women.
Natural disasters have taken a devastating toll on the country with several 6.3 magnitude earthquakes which struck Herat province in October 2023, and floods struck the northeastern and northwestern regions in May 2024.
The deadly earthquakes and aftershocks flattened villages and left an estimated 1,482 fatalities, 2,100 injuries, 43,400 people affected, and 114,000 people requiring humanitarian aid.
The floods affected more than 80,000 Afghans, with approximately 7,800 homes confirmed as either destroyed or damaged. The loss of homes displaced over 5,000 families, in addition to damage and destruction to roads, bridges, health facilities public schools, agricultural land, and livestock have been lost.
With challenges that have a significant impact on already crisis levels of food insecurity, the Udhiyah/Qurbani Meat Distribution Project organized by Life for Relief and Development, is a much-needed lifeline.
The Udhiyah Project aimed to distribute fresh meat to vulnerable households in the Laghman and Kapisa provinces of Afghanistan. Through the purchase and sacrifice of six sheep and six oxen, the project provided essential protein/fresh meat to beneficiaries during the Qurbani period.
A total of 584 households (280 in Laghman and 304 in Kapisa) received meat from June 17-19, 2024, with distributions carefully managed to ensure equitable access.
LIFE provided 2 kg of meat per household from sheep and 3 kg per family from oxen, allowing vulnerable households to experience an immediate improvement in their dietary intake, particularly of protein-rich foods. This contributes to better overall health outcomes, especially for children and elderly individuals who are most vulnerable to malnutrition.
