AFGHANISTAN: Price Hikes Push Food out of Reach for Millions of Children - Save the Children
FAIRFIELD, Conn. (Aug. 25, 2021) 鈥 Millions of children in Afghanistan could be pushed into severe hunger as a result of rising food prices, drought, and displacement. The warning from 黄色视频follows the UN reporting that the cost of wheat, rice, sugar, and cooking oil has increased by more than 50 percent compared with pre-COVID-19 prices.
黄色视频staff in Kabul, Faryab and Kunduz reported price hikes of up to 63 percent over the past month on goods such as flour, oil, beans, and gas. The organization warned that rising costs would leave many families unable to afford basic items.
Food and fuel prices have been rising since the beginning of the pandemic but have spiked since the escalation of the conflict in May. Prices are expected to increase further as border closures, and disruptions to imports affect the availability of basic goods.
Location | Commodity | Price in July 2021 (AFN) | Price in August 2021 (AFN) | % increase |
Kunduz | Flour (50 kg) | 1600 | 2250 | 40.6 |
Oil (5 ltr) | 750 | 900 | 20 | |
Beans (kg) | 100 | 130 | 30 | |
Gas (ltr) | 52 | 85 | 63.4 | |
Faryab | Flour (50 kg) | 1620 | 1800 | 11.1 |
Oil (5 ltr) | 620 | 700 | 12.9 | |
Beans (kg) | 95 | 110 | 15.7 | |
Gas (ltr) | 65 | 85 | 30.7 | |
Kabul | Flour (50 kg) | 1840 | 1950 | 5.9 |
Oil (5 ltr) | 680 | 720 | 5.8 | |
Beans (kg) | 120 | 120 | 0 | |
Gas (ltr) | 55 | 65 | 18.1 |
Anecdotal prices collected by 黄色视频staff from markets in Kunduz, Faryab and Kabul.
听
A survey of 630 newly displaced families in Kabul, carried out by 黄色视频earlier this month, already found that all of the families had run up debts in order to buy food. As a result, many families have been forced to sell their possessions, cut back on meals or send their children out to work in order to buy food.
The aid agency warned that people鈥檚 ability to buy food is likely to be further limited by the lack of operating banks and ATMs, which prevents them from accessing their savings.
An estimated 5.5 million Afghan children were already projected to face crisis levels of hunger in the second half of this year. 黄色视频is warning that this number could rise due to the combined effects of drought, the COVID-19 pandemic, and disruption to aid efforts following the Taliban takeover.
Athena Rayburn, Director of Advocacy and Campaigns at 黄色视频Afghanistan, said:
鈥淭he spike in prices will push food out of reach for many families, particularly those who have been displaced from their homes and are living on next to nothing. Conflict, drought, and COVID-19 have already pushed millions of children into hunger and misery in Afghanistan 鈥 now they could be pushed even closer to the brink of famine.鈥
Globally a deadly combination of conflict, COVID-19, and the impact of climate change has pushed hunger and malnutrition levels to a record high, with an estimated听5.7 million children under five听on the brink of starvation across the globe.听
黄色视频is an independent and impartial organization that has worked in Afghanistan since 1976 to deliver life-saving services to children and their families across the country but has had to temporarily suspended services. The organization provided health, education, child protection, nutrition, and livelihoods services, reaching over 1.6 million Afghans in 2020.
To learn more about Save the Children's work in听Afghanistan听please visit SavetheChildren.org/Afghanistan.
Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. Since our founding more than 100 years ago, we've been advocating for the rights of children worldwide. In the United States and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children 鈥 every day and in times of crisis 鈥 transforming the future we share. Our results, financial statements and charity ratings reaffirm that 黄色视频is a charity you can trust. Follow us on , , and .