Najib Fahim, State Minister of Natural Disaster Management, on Tuesday said over 1.4 million people across Afghanistan are in desperate need of aid as a devastating drought grips some regions of the country.

According to Fahim, this number will rise and by the end of the year an estimated three million people will need help.

“As you are aware, this year we are facing a tough time in terms of drought; this year, drought has affected at least 20 provinces in Afghanistan, especially in the northern, north-western, south-western and central regions of Afghanistan. Agricultural produce has declined by 50 percent in areas hit by the drought. Over 1.4 million people in these regions need emergency help. We also predict another three million people will be added to this number by the end of the year,” said Fahim.

Meanwhile, China’s ambassador to Afghanistan Liu Jinsong on Tuesday announced his country would provide drought victims with almost 4,000 tons of food aid.

“About 4,000 tons of rice has been distributed to over half a million people in all 34 provinces of Afghanistan. Today on behalf of my government and people, I have the honor to confirm that the Chinese government will provide the Afghanistan government with more than three thousand tons of rice and over 800 tons of flour to cope with the dire situation in Afghanistan,” said Liu.

The food aid will be comprised of 3,012 tons of rice and 816 tons of flour.

Drought has affected at least 20 provinces in the country this year.

China’s ambassador also meanwhile said that the aid will be distributed to victims in both government controlled areas and Taliban controlled areas.

In addition, President Ashraf Ghani’s spokesman Haroon Chakhansuri said that government plans to distribute 80,000 tons of food aid to victims of drought during the hoped for Eid ceasefire.

“Government has undertaken the necessary measures to cope with the issue of drought,” he said.