CHEGHECHERAN, 19 May 2008 (IRIN) - Over 22,500 "most vulnerable" families (about 112,500 individuals) in Ghor Province, central-western Afghanistan, who have been severely affected by rising food prices and drought are in dire need of humanitarian assistance, according to aid agencies and provincial officials.

Several non-governmental organisations (NGOs), including Coordinating Humanitarian Affairs (CHA), World Vision and Afghan Aid, and some government bodies have identified tens of thousands of "most vulnerable" people in all of Ghor's 10 districts in need of urgent relief and who could face starvation and/or migrate to other provinces.

To avert a humanitarian crisis in Ghor, the provincial authorities have demanded 1,733 tonnes of food aid through a joint appeal which has also been endorsed by local NGOs.

The survey identified 8,000 other "vulnerable" families for whom food aid has not been requested.

"Food has become unaffordable for many already poor families," said the survey. "Drought and lack of quality seeds, fertilizers and other agricultural requirements also present a worrying prospect for this year's harvest," it said.

Despite heavy snowfall in parts of Afghanistan, including Ghor Province, there is a rainfall deficit of at least 200mm in areas which normally receive 400-800mm annually, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on 18 May, adding that this would most probably affect agricultural production.

"Should the 2008 harvest be poor, both the food aid requirements and the number of vulnerable people would rise sharply," FAO said.

Dependent on food aid?

The poor prospects for agricultural production in 2008 mean that most of Ghor's estimated over 500,000 population - who mostly rely on agriculture and livestock as their main source of income - will probably depend on food aid in the months ahead, experts have said.

However, the emergency food aid appeal envisages only one ration of 50kg of wheat and rice, 5kg ghee and sugar, 20kg of beans, 2kg of salt, and 1kg tea for every five-member family listed as most vulnerable.

Tents, jerry cans, blankets, soap, fodder and medicines have also been requested.

"The requested aid will only temporarily meet the needs of the most needy," said Gulam Yahya Rasoli, head of the provincial department of the Afghan Red Crescent Society.

"We definitely require long-term solutions to overcome mounting challenges," Rasoli told IRIN.

Amid growing tension over access to food and the availability of food in local shops, several people in Lal-o-Sarjungle District said they had lost the means to cope with worsening food-insecurity.

"We already sold or lost our animals," said Azizullah, an elderly resident of Lak-o-Sarjungle.

"I have nothing in my home to sell [in order to] buy food for my family," said another man.

In October 2007 aid agencies demanded 14,000 tonnes of mixed food aid to assist tens of thousands of hungry people in Ghor Province and avert a human tragedy during winter.

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) said 14,000 tonnes of food was distributed to thousands of beneficiaries in Ghor in 2007 and up to 16,000 tonnes will be distributed through food-for-work projects in 2008.

Additionally, WFP runs other food aid projects such as education-incentive aid, and food aid for tuberculosis patients which cover up to 87 percent of the total population in Ghor Province.

Poor roads, insecurity

Much of Ghor Province is 2,500m above sea-level and the mountainous terrain usually becomes impassable after heavy snowfalls in winter. Many parts of the province are vulnerable to flash floods in spring and drought in summer.

Owing to poor roads and insecurity, the delivery of food and non-food items to Ghor and its isolated districts has been a major factor in raising prices.

"One kilogram of rice is 90 Afghanis [US$1.90] and so is cooking oil," said Sayed Akbar Amiri, a UN official in Ghor, adding that 50kg of wheat sold for over $50.

"Most people are poor and cannot afford even a sack of wheat for a month," Amiri said.

a-sp/ad/at/cb

© IRIN. All rights reserved. More humanitarian news and analysis: http://www.IRINnews.org

IRIN news

Interested in humanitarian issues? Take a quick survey here.