The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has distributed 87,400 wheat cultivation packages to farming families across Afghanistan, the agency said on Sunday.

"Certified wheat seeds, paired with quality fertilizer, have proven to produce higher yields than traditional varieties, helping families grow more food, feed communities and earn income," the FAO said in a statement.

Afghanistan's food security situation is worsening, with a recent FAO report projecting that 17.4 million people will face high levels of acute hunger during the harsh winter lean season.

About 80 percent of the country's population of over 36 million relies on agriculture for their livelihoods. However, farmers face significant challenges, including limited access to advanced equipment, reliance on traditional farming methods, inadequate road infrastructure for timely market transport, lack of cold storage facilities and insufficient supplies of improved seeds.

(Cover: Hold the wheat, focus on the global food crisis. /VCG)