Of these, 17.5 million people – more than three quarters of them women and children – have been prioritized for support under the coordinated response.
Food and basic hygiene.
Food security and sanitation remain among the most urgent needs.
The Afghanistan Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan projects that during the 2025-2026 lean season, more than one-third of Afghanistan’s population will face crisis-level food insecurity or worse, as defined by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).
This means that many households will only be able to meet their minimum food needs by depleting essential livelihoods, which represents a sharp deterioration compared to the previous year.
The current drought has also caused the loss of almost 80 percent of rainfed wheat crops in several regions, leaving many families without food reserves for the winter.
Sanitary conditions are equally dire: an estimated 25 percent of households this year relied on unimproved water sources, while 37 percent lacked soap for basic hygiene.
The response will prioritize water, sanitation and hygiene needs in areas most affected by drought, cholera outbreaks, disasters and large-scale returns.
Return home to the crisis
Afghanistan is facing one of the largest and fastest-growing returnee-related displacement crises in the world, with around five million people returning to the country this year.
More than 2.6 million Afghans returned from Iran and Pakistan, driven largely by stricter immigration policies and deteriorating protection conditions.
Many have returned to districts already struggling with poverty, food insecurity, drought and limited access to basic services, further testing local capacities.
More help for less
In 2026, humanitarian partners aim to reach more people with fewer resources.
The $1.71 billion needed represents a 29 percent reduction compared to the resources needed in 2025. However, it aims to achieve about 4 percent more than last year’s goal.
These changes have been “driven by increased prioritization, notable efficiency gains, and a strategic shift away from high-cost and less sustainable interventions,” the response plan notes.