- EU allocates EUR 15 million top-up to the UN World Food Programme (WFP) in Afghanistan.
- Funding covers 12 months with increased focus on agribusiness and food safety for market development.
- Locally produced snacks for primary schools and climate resilience investments continue.
- Programme targets women, children and vulnerable rural communities.
- WFP states the investment delivers triple return: livelihoods, food systems, opportunities for women and youth.
Background
The European Union has committed an additional EUR 15 million to its ongoing partnership with the UN World Food Programme (WFP) under the programme for Building Climate Resilience and Strengthening Food Systems in Afghanistan. The funding covers a period of 12 months and extends the EU's long-standing engagement in food and climate programmes in the country.
Objectives and Interventions
The programme addresses the compounding challenges of food insecurity, malnutrition, poverty and climate change through an integrated approach combining:
- Home-grown school feeding
- Climate-resilient livelihoods
- Sustainable natural resource management
- Private-sector engagement in agribusiness
Over the coming 12 months, greater emphasis will be placed on agribusiness, including food safety and quality for market development. Home-grown school feeding will continue in a more targeted manner through locally produced snacks for primary school children, while significant investment in climate resilience will be maintained.
Quotes
Eric Beaume, EU Delegation Head of Cooperation:
"The European Union's contribution to WFP demonstrates our continued commitment to the Afghan people, notably women, children and vulnerable local communities. By investing in agribusiness, food value chains and school feeding, the EU is helping to strengthen nutrition, protect livelihoods and reinforce the economic resilience of vulnerable rural communities. Through this integrated approach, we are not only addressing immediate food needs, but also helping communities withstand natural disasters and the growing long-term impacts of climate change."
John Aylieff, WFP Representative and Country Director in Afghanistan:
"We are grateful to the European Union for their strategic investment. This contribution is designed to deliver a triple return on investment: strengthened livelihoods and resilience, more robust local food systems and expanded opportunities for women and youth. This partnership underscores the vital role of sustained international support in addressing Afghanistan's urgent food security and livelihood needs."
Consequences
The top-up builds on the EU's longstanding support for resilience and school feeding programmes in Afghanistan. The programme actively strengthens the local private sector by promoting local procurement and creating strong linkages with humanitarian programmes. The targeted focus groups are women, children and vulnerable rural communities.