Timely start of wet season however Crisis (IPC Phase 3) and Emergency (IPC Phase 4) persist

Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or Emergency (IPC Phase 4) food insecurity outcomes continue throughout most of the country. The areas worst affected by drought in Badakhshan, Badghis, and Daykundi provinces will continue to face Emergency (IPC Phase 4) outcomes through the peak of the lean season. The number of households facing Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or worse outcomes is likely to increase through the lean season as the total food insecure population is anticipated to be between 6 and 7 million due to the negative impacts of drought, conflict, continued weak labor opportunities, and below-average remittances from Iran and Pakistan.

Based on information from the Nutrition Cluster, the nutritional status of IDP children and pregnant and lactating women (PLW) is at a high risk of deteriorating due to the lack of adequate food, shelter, and other basic necessities through the lean season. MUAC screenings in September and October of IDP children in Herat city indicates about 25 percent of children 6-59 months are classified as acutely malnourished signifying a situation of concern. From January to September 2018, over 389,000 children under 5 years of age received lifesaving nutrition services.

Field reports indicate with the start of the wet season, winter wheat planting is ongoing in many areas. Although, delays in planting have been reported in parts of Baghlan, Balk, Faryab, Kunduz, Samangan, and Sar-e-Pul as early precipitation prevented land preparation activities and seed distributions have not been completed. In southern areas, there has not been enough rainfall to date to facilitate planting which is typical for this time of year.

Displacement due to conflict has now surpassed displacement due to the drought. Conflict has displaced over 300,000 people to date in 2018 and an estimated 260,000 people are displaced due to drought, mainly in northwestern and western Afghanistan, according to UNHCR. In November, over 3,000 households were displaced in Bamyan and Ghanzi provinces due to conflict. Since the beginning of the year, over 721,500 undocumented Afghans have returned from Iran and Pakistan (IOM). Conflict affected households and returnees face difficulties re-establishing livelihoods.