UN officials says rural Afghans have critical need for aid

By EDITH M. LEDERER
Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — A U.N. official says 4 million Afghans are facing “a food emergency” and the majority live in rural areas where $36 million is urgently needed for the coming months to ensure the planting of winter wheat, feed for livestock, and cash assistance for vulnerable families, the elderly and disabled. Rein Paulsen of the Food and Agriculture Organization said Tuesday that 70% of Afghans live in rural areas and there’s a severe drought affecting 7.3 million Afghans in 25 of the country’s 34 provinces. He says agriculture is “indispensable” to the Afghan population. He says it accounts for just over 25% of the country’s GDP, directly employs some 45% of the work force, “and most importantly it provides livelihood benefits for fully 80% of the Afghan population.”