World Food Programme Warns Strait of Hormuz Closure Has Intensified Hunger Crisis in Afghanistan

The World Food Programme has warned that the war in the Persian Gulf and prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz have pushed an additional 45 million people globally into critical food insecurity, bringing the total to 260 million.

Sharp rises in energy and fertilizer prices are identified as key drivers, with oil prices increasing 30 percent to around 100 dollars per barrel and chemical fertilizer prices rising 50 percent since February.

Afghanistan ranks among the worst affected countries. An additional 2.3 million people there now face food insecurity, while 4.9 million mothers and children already suffer acute malnutrition. Trade routes have been disrupted, with 60 percent of Afghanistan's trade previously routed through Iran until February. Other contributing factors include the prolonged closure of the Pakistan border, floods, earthquakes, and reduced foreign aid.

The World Food Programme has lost 40 percent of its budget in Afghanistan since 2024. Delivery times for aid have increased from 10 days to as long as 75 days, leaving one million children without nutritional support. The agency now reaches only one in seven children in need.

The World Bank reports that Afghanistan's per capita GDP has decreased 5.6 percent.