The international community has been urged to stage an emergency relief operation to prevent Afghanistan falling victim to a devastating famine.
The international community has been urged to stage an emergency relief operation to prevent Afghanistan falling victim to a devastating famine.
The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), a UK military think tank, makes its warning in a briefing paper.
The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), a UK military think tank, makes its warning in a briefing paper.
It says food shortages now represented a greater threat to Afghanistan than the Taliban insurgency.
It says food shortages now represented a greater threat to Afghanistan than the Taliban insurgency.
It wants a similar but smaller repeat of the Berlin Airlift during the Soviet blockade of west Berlin in 1948.
It wants a similar but smaller repeat of the Berlin Airlift during the Soviet blockade of west Berlin in 1948.
The briefing paper said the Afghan population will turn increasingly to the international forces in the country for help once winter sets in.
The briefing paper said the Afghan population will turn increasingly to the international forces in the country for help once winter sets in.
The United Nations World Food Programme estimates the country will need 95,000 tonnes food aid by February.
The United Nations World Food Programme estimates the country will need 95,000 tonnes food aid by February.
The combination of light spring rains, a summer drought, poor irrigation, low crop yields and rising world food prices means there are millions of Afghans possibly facing famine. Afghanistan may be on the brink of a calamity which has the potential to undermine much of the progress which has been achieved there, especially in areas ostensibly free of insurgent activity Royal United Services Institute
The combination of light spring rains, a summer drought, poor irrigation, low crop yields and rising world food prices means there are millions of Afghans possibly facing famine. Afghanistan may be on the brink of a calamity which has the potential to undermine much of the progress which has been achieved there, especially in areas ostensibly free of insurgent activity Royal United Services Institute
The paper said: "Exactly 60 years ago, the Berlin Airlift was under way.
The paper said: "Exactly 60 years ago, the Berlin Airlift was under way.
"It brought food to millions and prevented a strategic defeat. Today, a much smaller, yet strategically significant operation could have similar effect in Afghanistan."
"It brought food to millions and prevented a strategic defeat. Today, a much smaller, yet strategically significant operation could have similar effect in Afghanistan."
The RUSI said there was now a "window of opportunity" to act before the weather conditions for flying deteriorated, and said failure to take effective action would damage the "credibility and moral authority" of the international community in Afghanistan.
The RUSI said there was now a "window of opportunity" to act before the weather conditions for flying deteriorated, and said failure to take effective action would damage the "credibility and moral authority" of the international community in Afghanistan.
It said: "Afghanistan may be on the brink of a calamity which has the potential to undermine much of the progress which has been achieved there, especially in areas ostensibly free of insurgent activity.
It said: "Afghanistan may be on the brink of a calamity which has the potential to undermine much of the progress which has been achieved there, especially in areas ostensibly free of insurgent activity.
"If the international community is found wanting, we can expect increasing frustration and anger from a population which once saw the international intervention in Afghanistan as a source of hope."
"If the international community is found wanting, we can expect increasing frustration and anger from a population which once saw the international intervention in Afghanistan as a source of hope."
A spokeswoman for the Department for International Development said: "This year alone, DFID has contributed £20.5 million to alleviate the food shortages in Afghanistan.
A spokeswoman for the Department for International Development said: "This year alone, DFID has contributed £20.5 million to alleviate the food shortages in Afghanistan.
"We believe that the best way to deal with the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan is through the recovery voucher scheme which supports farmers in drought-affected provinces in the north and north-west of the country.
"We believe that the best way to deal with the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan is through the recovery voucher scheme which supports farmers in drought-affected provinces in the north and north-west of the country.
"This is designed to increase the purchasing power of poor farmers to ensure that they are able to purchase agricultural inputs including seeds, fertilisers and tools."
"This is designed to increase the purchasing power of poor farmers to ensure that they are able to purchase agricultural inputs including seeds, fertilisers and tools."
Are you in Afghanistan and facing food shortages? Tell us about your experience using the form below:
