https://www.live-feeds.com/feed/after-taliban-banned-opium-kids-became-malnourishedContinuously updated, source-cited coverage. https://www.live-feeds.com/feed/after-taliban-banned-opium-kids-became-malnourishedhttps://www.live-feeds.com/feed/after-taliban-banned-opium-kids-became-malnourished#u169816Mon, 02 Nov 2026 11:25:14 +0000Afghanistan opium poppy cultivation has surged despite a strict ban imposed by the Taliban, driving families back to illicit farming as widespread economic hardship and hunger take a severe toll. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime 2026 Afghanistan Opium Survey, the area under cultivation expanded by 330 percent, reaching approximately 43,300 hectares. Afghan farmers report that they can no longer feed their children by growing legal crops like cotton and wheat alone, eroding the enforcement of the sweeping prohibition that initially began in 2022.Why it mattersThe ban ha