A group of aid agencies has warned that nearly three million people in Afghanistan are facing hunger as the region's harsh winter months approach.

The group of nine charities, including Oxfam and Save the Children, said Friday this year's severe drought has left communities with very little food.

The agencies said the scarcity, combined with soaring food prices, have caused families to skip meals, borrow money or even migrate. They said many schools have closed because children are having to work.

The United Nations launched an emergency appeal for $142 million in October to help relieve the situation, but so far international donors have funded only 7 percent of that amount.

Oxfam's director in Afghanistan, Manohar Shenoy, said there is little time left to provide communities with the help they need before certain areas become inaccessible due to inclement weather. He said snow is already falling in some areas.