UN warns over Afghanistan drought

By Mark Dummet
BBC News, Kabul

The WFP warns an excess 2.5m people may need help

The United Nations in Afghanistan says that millions are facing hunger this year because of drought and that it does not have the resources to help.

The drought situation is worst in the south where the Taleban insurgency is at its strongest.

The UN's World Food Programme (WFP) estimates that 2.5m people will need extra assistance this year.

Many communities have only just recovered from the catastrophic drought that ended last year.

Search for food

Much of the country's wheat crop has failed this year because of lower than expected snowfall during the winter and poor spring rains. Families are already reported to be going hungry in provinces as far Badakshan in the north-east and Josjan in the west.

Thousands of people in Zabul province have left their villages to search for food, but the World Food Programme says it does not have the resources to help them.

About 6.5m Afghans were at risk of hunger before the latest drought hit the country. The UN worries that food stocks across the country may run out by the winter, when it would become almost impossible to reach many isolated villages unless food aid came in from donors.

Many communities have only just recovered from the catastrophic drought that ended last year.