In an era when more risks are becoming profound realities, HotSpots H2O helps make sense of a changing, often stressed global waterscape.
HotSpots H2O: Water Conflicts to Watch in 2019
HotSpots H2O, December 17: Refugees Returning to Syria Face Devastated Water, Sewage Infrastructure
HotSpots H2O, December 10: Inequality Fuels Water Quarrels in India’s Second Most Populous State
HotSpots H2O, December 3: Water Infrastructure Still a Target in Ukrainian Conflict
HotSpots H2O, November 26: Delays and Disagreements Hinder Africa’s Largest Hydropower Dam
HotSpots H2O, November 19: Deadly Water Disputes Intensify in Central Asia as Glaciers Melt
HotSpots H2O, November 12: Three-Day Tanker Strike Reveals Water Tensions in Chennai, India
HotSpots H2O, November 5: Rohingya Refugees Face Uncertain Return Home
HotSpots H2O, October 29: Amazon River Development Imperils Indigenous Communities
HotSpots H2O, October 22: Lithium Miners Battle for Water in Chile’s Atacama Desert
HotSpots H2O, October 15: Special Report on Yemen’s Water Crisis
HotSpots H2O, October 8: Millions in South Sudan Rely on Distant, Dirty Water Sources
Closing the Gap: Afghanistan’s Hunger Crisis in the Spotlight
/in HotSpots H2O/by Zara GoundenBy Zara Gounden, Circle of Blue – April 30, 2024
Rich countries are falling short in providing essential support to combat hunger and water scarcity in low income nations, according to The Action Against Hunger 2024 Hunger Funding Gap Report. Published annually by Action Against Hunger, the report highlights a stark reality: Approximately 65 percent of funding requests went unmet for countries facing hunger crises.
Among the striking examples in this report is Afghanistan, where over 41 percent of people face crisis-level hunger or worse, the hunger funding gap stands at 72 percent. Even more concerning is the finding that despite urgent appeals, countries received only a third of the requested funding for hunger-related programs the following year.
After the 6.3-magnitude earthquakes in October 2023 and the unpredictable weather patterns accompanying the summer season, access to food and water has and will become increasingly challenging in Afghanistan.
Other studies have found similar dire circumstances. According to the World Food Program, 15.8 million Afghans are grappling with insufficient food consumption. Additionally, acute malnutrition surpasses emergency thresholds in 25 out of 34 provinces, painting a dire picture of the nation’s nutritional challenges.
The dual challenges of conflict and weather hazards hinder farmers from sowing their crops and often lead to the destruction of existing crops.
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs stated that 25 out of 34 provinces experience either severe or catastrophic drought conditions, affecting more than 50 per cent of the population.
Initiatives spearheaded by the FAO and the UN have made strides in ameliorating the situation. However, it remains a pressing concern. A key element exacerbating this challenge has been the series of consecutive droughts Afghanistan faced this year, and in the last few years. This reversal has adversely affected the entire nation.
Zara is a reporting intern at Circle of Blue. She is a Davis Scholar in her third year at New York University London, majoring in Global Liberal Studies with a concentration in Politics, Rights, and Development.
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Previous HotSpots H2O
- Closing the Gap: Afghanistan’s Hunger Crisis in the SpotlightApril 30, 2024 - 12:57 pm
- Water Depletion: A Pivotal Concern In Mexico’s 2024 ElectionFebruary 7, 2024 - 12:59 pm
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- Water Migrants: Reaching European ShoresSeptember 12, 2023 - 2:37 pm
- Water Migrants: Crisis in the Mediterranean Episode 2August 23, 2023 - 11:19 am
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