Food & Nutrition Security Analysis

in Afghanistan
Introduction
a land of rugged mountains and
resilient people,
Afghanistan
• located in south Asia, has a population of around 40.1
million and an average annual growth rate of 2.3%.
• With 90% of the population being poor and 75%
living in rural areas
• The country is predominantly agrarian, with 80% of
the population engaged in agriculture or husbandry.
• Only 12% of land is suitable for irrigated and arable
cultivation, and 46% of the land is under permanent
grasslands. 39% of the country is mountainous, and
3% is forest-surrounded
Prevalence rates of Food and Nutrition Insecurity, Hunger
and Malnutrition

● 54.5% of the population lives below the

poverty line in Afghanistan and
● above 53.2% of the total population is
undernourished .
● 35% total population, needed emergency food
and agricultural livelihood assistance
● This country was categorized as the 171st
food security country in the world in 2015

Figure: Prevalence undernourishment in

Afghanistan in the period 2001/2018.
 Prevalence rates of Food and Nutrition Insecurity, Hunger
and Malnutrition

● Over 40.9% of Afghan children below the age of five are

stunted
● More than 2.5 million children are acutely malnourished
● The deficiency of vital micro-nutrients (such as iron and
iodine) affects about 72% of children (below five years of
age)
● More than a quarter (29%) of the population cannot meet
their calorie requirements.

Figure: Percentage of moderate food insecurity in

Afghanistan in the period 2014/2019.
Seasonal Food Insecurity
Spring

Summer

Autumn

Winter
 Causes based on Theoratical Framework

Affect Affect
Low agricultural Unempoyment
productivity & Low Availability Access
Gender Desparity
food production Poverty

Food & Nutrition

Insecurity
Conflicts Poor Education
Disasters Health
Climate Change Wash
Affect Stability Affect Utilization
(Short & long)
 Food and nutrition
Insecurity

Immediate
Dietary Pattern Diseases cause

Lack of Water, Hygiene & Underlying

Lack of Education cause
availability Sanitation

Poverty

Environmental Factor
Basic cause
Gender Inequality

Conflict & war

Weak Governance
The Consequences of Food
& Nutrition Security

Health

Social

Economic
 Children
Health • Afghanistan has a high rate of stunting in children under five (41%),
indicating chronic undernutrition.
• Only half of Afghan babies are exclusively breastfed and 12% receive
adequate meals.
• Malnutrition and health-related diseases have led to 13000 newborn
deaths since January 2022.

Women
• Afghanistan's obesity prevalence is lower than
regional averages
• Diabetes affecting 14.4% of women and 13.7% of
men
• Anemia prevalence is 42.6℅
Social
 In 2019, 1.44 million Afghans (5.13%) suffered from
depression, with women being more prone to the condition.
 A 2003 survey found high rates of clinical depression and
suicidal ideation among women in Taliban-controlled
regions.
 The country is facing a humanitarian crisis, with 15.8
million Afghans not consuming enough food.
Economic
The Taliban has taken control,
leading to job losses, lack of cash,
and rising food prices.
Acute food insecurity analysis

WFP urgently needs US$670 million

between January and June 2024 to reach 15.2
million people with lifesaving support

GDP and Under Nourishment rates

Food Security Indicators:
Food Security Indicators
Average Dietary Energy Supply
These indicators assess different dimensions ofAdequacy
food security. Average Value of Food
Production
Share of Dietary Energy Supply
Derived from Cereals, Roots &
Tubers
Average Protein Supply
Percent of Paved Roads over Total Reflects physical infrastructure for food
Roads
Domestic Food Price Level Index
Prevalence of Undernourishment
Percentage of Children Under 5
Years Affected by Wasting,
Stunting, and Underweight
Prevalence of Anemia Among
Pregnant Women and Children
Under 5
What they measures
Compares food supply with
requirements
Evaluates the evolution of total food
production
Highlights the importance of staples in
food supplies
Examines the availability of proteins
access
Measures economic access based on
food prices
Indicates dietary energy deprivation
Reveals nutritional status
Assesses micronutrient deficiencies
 Nutritional Assessment Methods
Estimate total food availability and compare it to population
01 Food balance sheets needs

Food Insecurity Experience Measures severity and frequency of food insecurity at the
02 Scale (FIES): household level.

Food Consumption Score

03 (FCS)
Composite score for assessing household diet quality.

Household Dietary Diversity

04 Score (HDDS):
Composite indicator of dietary diversity.

Children's Dietary Diversity

05 Score (CDDS):
Measures dietary diversity among children under five.

Uses height, weight, and BMI to assess nutritional status.

06 Anthropometric measures
 Polices, strategies, and programs in addressing food and nutrition
security in Afghanistan
Strategy /Policy Main Objectives Targeted Key points
persons
Afghanistan Food The plan aims to eliminate hunger and food Children, Adult Increasing
Security and Nutrition insecurity by increasing agricultural productivity, Male and female, productivity,
Plan developing an early warning system, improving all kinds of early warning
(2019 – 2023) infant and young child feeding practices, people. system,
providing adequate sanitation facilities, enhancing
improving nutrient availability, promoting wild nutritional status
and indigenous species, and increasing the
availability of animal-sourced foods.

National Public This policy framework focuses on improving Mother and Maternal and
Nutrition Policy and nutrition outcomes in Afghanistan Child child nutrition,
Strategy 2015-2020 micronutrient
supplementation,
Dietary
diversification.
 Polices, strategies, and programs in addressing food and nutrition
security in Afghanistan
Strategy /Policy Main Objectives Targeted Key points
persons
Increase availability of The outcome aims to enhance the availability of Rural Farmers, Strengthen
nutrient-rich foods nutritious foods by improving irrigation and Women production
through domestic (local) increasing crop quality, quantity, productivity, system, build
food production. and diversity resilience,
culturally
appropriate,
nutritious foods.
Increase the nutritional The outcome focuses on improving infant and Adolescent girls Promote healthy
and market value of young child feeding practices in line with WHO and women of diets, national
foods (wheat, other and UNICEF recommendations, and improving reproductive age, food-based
staple foods, and animal maternal and adolescent nutrition dietary
products) guidelines.
 Polices, strategies, and programs in addressing food and nutrition
security in Afghanistan
Strategy /Policy Main Objectives Targeted Key points
persons
Ensure adequate It can lead to improved incomes, employment, All persons Addressing
economic and physical and access to essential social services, such as poverty, promote
access to food, especially education and health services, reducing poverty healthier
for vulnerable and food- and unhealthy conditions. environment
insecure population
groups.
Ensure food and The Government, UN, donors, and NGO Person related to Seasonal factors,
nutrition supplies and community collaborate in disaster preparedness income Natural disasters,
basic services over time and response through emergency clusters, Conflicts, and
and in emergency including Food Security and Agriculture. Market shocks.
situations.
 Polices, strategies, and programs in addressing food and nutrition
security in Afghanistan
Strategy /Policy Main Objectives Targeted Key points
persons
Improve the quality of The outcome focuses on improving infant and Adolescent girls, Promote healthy
nutritious diets, young child feeding practices in line with WHO women of diets, national
particularly among and UNICEF recommendations, and improving reproductive age food-based
women, children, and maternal and adolescent nutrition dietary
vulnerable groups guidelines.

Improve water, Eliminating the major underlying causes of food All kinds of Promoting
sanitation, and hygiene and nutrition security level people education,
as well as education for sanitary
better nutrition. environment
Critical evaluation of policies and strategies
related to food availability and accessibility:

 Afghanistan's agricultural sector, which

supports nearly three-quarters of the
population's livelihoods and contributes 28% to
the GDP

 Nearly 70% of cropland is under wheat

cultivation,
Criticism on Availability and
Accessibility Poor
Complicated transportation
system and
political situation 01 infrastructure

02
Inadequate budget 03 Inadequate
allocation economic
resources
04
Natural disasters 05
and climate
related concerns
Recommendations on availability and accessibility

0
02 03
1
Increase food productivity (by Improve infrastructure Increase budget allocation and
using appropriate pesticide, transportation system and proper distribution of resources
improved technology) to raise storage. and monitoring progress
the production and the income
of the farmers and rural people
02
01 03

Recommendations
Critical evolution of policies and
strategies related to food utilization
and health:

-Half of the population has borderline

food intake, with 30% lacking adequate
protein

-Over 29% of the population unable to

meet their calorie requirements
 Criticism on Utilization and Health

01 03

Gender
Inadequate 02 inequality
04
investment in food
and nutrition sector
Inadequate investment in Lack access to primary
education and maternal health services, low
nutrition quality water
Recommendations on Utilization and Health

Improving Improving monetary and

maternal evolution system and
nutrition 01 encouraging evidence
based planning for
nutrition related programs
02
Reducing
malnutrition 03 Improving health,
education and
among women
agricultural sectors.
and children
04
 Enhancing Food and Nutrition

Policy Security in Afghanistan

Brief
Current Situation:
• Over 15 million people (approximately 36% of the
population) being food insecure.
• 41% stunting
• 9.5% wasting
• One out of every three adolescent girls in the country
experiences anemia.
Challenges
• Poor Infrastructure
• Inadequate Institutional capability
• Poor monitoring
• Disconnection in conflict area Policy
Recommendations
Diversify crops Social Protection Climate-smart
Resilience to climate change,
market fluctuations Programs Agriculture
immediate relief to vulnerable Resilience to natural calamities
populations
Water Education &
management Health care service
Improve agricultural acess
Address malnutrition & prevent health
complications
Policy Empowering Women in Post-Harvest
Management for Food and Nutrition
Security in Afghanistan.
Brief
Current Situation
1. Limited Women Participation: But cultural
norms, resource scarcity, and limited training
2. High Post-Harvest Losses: Inadequate
methods result in notable deficits
3. In the grape cultivation sector,
• Contractor loss stands at 9.0%,
• Wholesaler loss at 10.3%
• Retailer loss at 12.0%.
Policy Recommendations:
Women's Training Access to Resources
and Capacity and Technologies
Building 01 02

Monitoring &
Market Access and
Evaluation
04 03 Value Addition
Thank
you Presented By,
Muzahidul Islam
Tahmina Akter Munni
Sadimul Islam Tazim
Tapan Bishas