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FAO seeks $38 million to help Afghan wheat farmers amid fertilizer surge
The UN agency says higher fertilizer costs, tied to global market disruptions after the 2026 Middle East crisis, could cut winter wheat yields by pushing farmers to use less fertilizer or plant smaller areas.
World Grain reports that the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is appealing for funding to help Afghan farmers facing higher fertilizer prices ahead of the winter planting season, warning the situation could jeopardize the country’s 2027 wheat harvest.
The FAO is asking for $38 million to support access to fertilizer and certified wheat seed for 600,000 farming households, citing a sharp jump in fertilizer costs after disruptions to global markets linked to the 2026 Middle East crisis.
The FAO said Afghanistan’s low soil fertility makes wheat production dependent on adequate applications of diammonium phosphate (DAP) and urea, and that rising prices may force farmers to reduce fertilizer use or cultivate smaller areas, lowering production and household food availability while increasing debt.
The agency also warned the impact is expected to hit hardest households already under economic pressure, including women-headed households, returnee families, and food-insecure rural communities with limited ability to absorb additional costs and shocks.
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