Afghanistan has had its worst drought in 27 years, destroying harvests and exacerbating food shortages. Maher* lives in an area once famous for its almond orchards but his market garden is all but dead. The father of six says: ‘We used to grow almonds but now those trees are as dry as the rest of the land. The droughts have caused so much havoc in this area; there are acres of farmland destroyed. Many families like mine are living on the edge.’ * Names have been changed. Photographers have not been named for security reasons

Rahim, one of Maher’s sons, misses his mother, who is in hospital with one of his brothers. Maher says:‘Life has been tough with the droughts this year. Some days we have been left with no choice but to eat grass. This has left my son and wife sick; the doctor said their intestines have been damaged. Every day, I pray for their fast recovery’

Rahim watches his sister cooking. Today the family will eat, thanks to a cash-distribution programme. Maher says: ‘Currently we have some provisions to make bread. We can make around two meals a day.’ Over the past six months, funds from the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) appeal have supported nearly a quarter of a million people with money to meet their needs, giving them the freedom to buy food, medicines or fuel

The drought that destroyed Maher’s almond trees has contributed to rising food prices across the country, but it is only part of the problem. Afghanistan has always been heavily dependent on imported grain and vegetable oil. World food prices have spiked with the war in Ukraine, sending the cost of imported wheat further out of reach

Farhana*, who has two children, says flour and other food prices have more than doubled in the past year: ‘A 10-litre barrel of vegetable oil was up to 900 Afghanis [about £8] last year. Now the price is 2,000 Afghanis’

Husna*, four, is Farhana’s youngest child. The family made it through winter but relies on cash assistance distributed through local charities. Farhana says: ‘Since receiving the cash, I have been able to provide proper clothing and food for my children so they can thrive. I hope the food we buy can give them enough energy to live a successful life’

The World Food Programme in Afghanistan says that while the price of wheat flour has risen by about 50%, wages are lower than last year. And work is often not available: economic collapse has caused mass unemployment. When he can, Ali works as a labourer for about $3.50 (£3) a day. When he cannot work, he collects rubbish to burn as fuel to heat the house or to sell. He says: ‘I make only $1 to $2 a day collecting bottles. I can’t recall a day that my children could eat three times a day. Some days they left the table half-starved’

Ali’s family includes three sets of twins. None of Ali’s children are in school. He cannot afford to send them, as school supplies are not free in Afghanistan, and his family are surviving on a knife-edge

Education has been disrupted for millions of children across Afghanistan, including 17-year-old Mohammed’s younger siblings. Since his father died from cancer last year, Mohammed has become the breadwinner for his mother and eight brothers and sisters. He makes a couple of dollars a day, not enough to buy food for them all, let alone books and pencils. One by one, each of the siblings dropped out of school

Mohammed’s eight-year-old sister, Zaida, gets ready to leave for school in her uniform. Mohammed’s mother says that getting some cash help has meant her children can return to school – but they are still short of food. ‘Mohammed was able to pay for schoolbags and books for his brothers and sisters instead of buying food’