2.1.2 Number of severely food insecure people (both sexes or no) in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: 2.1.2 Number of severely food insecure people (both sexes or no) was 295,004 1000 No in 2025. ▲ Rising
2.1.2 Number of severely food insecure people (both sexes or no) in Sub-Saharan Africa, 2014–2025
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in 1000 No.
Analysis
Sub-Saharan Africa recorded 295,004 1000 No for 2.1.2 number of severely food insecure people (both sexes or no) in 2025.
That represents a change of down 2.4% on the previous year and up 59.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, 2.1.2 number of severely food insecure people (both sexes or no) in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 302,224 1000 No in 2024 and was at its lowest, 174,280 1000 No, in 2014.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 5th out of 32 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 12 years of available data.
2.1.2 Number of severely food insecure people (both sexes or no) in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | 1000 No | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 174,280 1000 No | — |
| 2015 | 185,448 1000 No | +6.4% |
| 2016 | 211,597 1000 No | +14.1% |
| 2017 | 225,713 1000 No | +6.7% |
| 2018 | 226,587 1000 No | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 239,926 1000 No | +5.9% |
| 2020 | 267,457 1000 No | +11.5% |
| 2021 | 277,226 1000 No | +3.7% |
| 2022 | 275,950 1000 No | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 284,203 1000 No | +3.0% |
| 2024 | 302,224 1000 No | +6.3% |
| 2025 | 295,004 1000 No | -2.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 210,592 1000 No | 174,280 1000 No | 239,926 1000 No | 6 |
| 2020s | 283,677 1000 No | 267,457 1000 No | 302,224 1000 No | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 2 Ethiopia 26,130 1000 No compare
- 3 Kenya 15,517 1000 No compare
- 4 Afghanistan 15,465 1000 No compare
- 4 Democratic Republic of the Congo 50,323 1000 No compare
- 5 Egypt 15,297 1000 No compare
- 6 Pakistan 14,620 1000 No compare
- 6 United Republic of Tanzania 16,908 1000 No compare
- 7 Iran (Islamic Republic of) 5,537 1000 No compare
- 7 Malawi 12,882 1000 No compare
- 8 Cameroon 7,955 1000 No compare
- 8 Melanesia 3,453 1000 No compare
More agriculture & rural data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 10.7 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.5534 units per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1791 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 299.6 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.53 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.6% (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 395.96 billion current US$ (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 17.9% (2025)
- Rural population 731.42 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is 2.1.2 number of severely food insecure people (both sexes or no) in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- 2.1.2 number of severely food insecure people (both sexes or no) in Sub-Saharan Africa was 295,004 1000 No in 2025, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest 2.1.2 number of severely food insecure people (both sexes or no) recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 302,224 1000 No in 2024.
- What is the lowest 2.1.2 number of severely food insecure people (both sexes or no) recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 174,280 1000 No in 2014.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for 2.1.2 number of severely food insecure people (both sexes or no)?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 5th out of 32 groups with data for 2025.
- Is 2.1.2 number of severely food insecure people (both sexes or no) rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 59.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of 2.1.2 Number of severely food insecure people (both sexes or no breakdown by sex) (all age ranges or no breakdown by age) — Confidence interval: Upper bound. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
As the custodian agency of 22 SDG indicators, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is responsible for curating and refining the methodologies of these indicators, collecting data from national sources, ensuring their quality and compatibility with applicable standards and classifications, and disseminating data at global level. This FAOSTAT domain complements the global SDG database administered by the United Nations Statistical Division (UNSD), as well as FAO’s SDG indicators portal, by providing access to the available data for all SDG Indicators under FAO custodianship. While this metadata page provides summary information on all SDG indicators data disseminated through FAOSTAT, indicator-specific metadata can be accessed from the link on the right hand navigation column. This additional metadata file provides details on the methodology used to compile each indicators, their data sources and the contact information of the relevant FAO focal point. It includes the links to the official SDG Indicator metadata documents accessible from the UNSD global SDG database.SDG Indicators under FAO custodianship, consisting of 22 indicators and 66 series that fall under six goals: • Goal 2: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.• Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.• Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.• Goal 12: Responsible consumption and production.• Goal 14: Life below water: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources.• Goal 15: Life on land: Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity loss.