2.1.2 Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity (15 years old) in Latin America and the Caribbean
Latin America and the Caribbean: 2.1.2 Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity (15 years old) was 26.1 % in 2024. ▲ Rising
2.1.2 Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity (15 years old) in Latin America and the Caribbean, 2015–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in %.
Analysis
Latin America and the Caribbean recorded 26.1 % for 2.1.2 prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity (15 years old) in 2024.
The figure is down 9.4% on the previous year and up 2.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, 2.1.2 prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity (15 years old) in Latin America and the Caribbean peaked at 35.2 % in 2021 and was at its lowest, 25.6 %, in 2015.
That places Latin America and the Caribbean 18th out of 37 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
2.1.2 Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity (15 years old) in Latin America and the Caribbean, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 25.6 % | — |
| 2016 | 28.2 % | +10.2% |
| 2017 | 29.3 % | +3.9% |
| 2018 | 29.6 % | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 31.6 % | +6.8% |
| 2020 | 34.3 % | +8.5% |
| 2021 | 35.2 % | +2.6% |
| 2022 | 32.4 % | -8.0% |
| 2023 | 28.8 % | -11.1% |
| 2024 | 26.1 % | -9.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 28.86 % | 25.6 % | 31.6 % | 5 |
| 2020s | 31.36 % | 26.1 % | 35.2 % | 5 |
Countries ranked near Latin America and the Caribbean
More agriculture & rural data for Latin America and the Caribbean
- ILO - ILO Modelled Estimates — Share of employment in agriculture in 7.12 % (2025)
- ILO - ILO Modelled Estimates — Share of employment in agriculture in 16.69 % (2025)
- ILO - ILO Modelled Estimates — Share of employment in agriculture in 12.72 % (2025)
- ILO - ILO Modelled Estimates — Employment in agriculture - ILO 9,098 1000 No (2025)
- ILO - ILO Modelled Estimates — Employment in agriculture - ILO 29,996 1000 No (2025)
- ILO - ILO Modelled Estimates — Employment in agriculture - ILO 39,094 1000 No (2025)
- Minimum dietary energy requirement (kcal/cap/day) — Value 1,861 kcal/cap/d (2025)
- Average dietary energy requirement (kcal/cap/day) — Value 2,409 kcal/cap/d (2025)
- Per capita food supply variability (kcal/cap/day) — Value 13 kcal/cap/d (2025)
- Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) 31.5 % (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is 2.1.2 prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity (15 years old) in Latin America and the Caribbean?
- 2.1.2 prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity (15 years old) in Latin America and the Caribbean was 26.1 % in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest 2.1.2 prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity (15 years old) recorded in Latin America and the Caribbean?
- The highest recorded value was 35.2 % in 2021.
- What is the lowest 2.1.2 prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity (15 years old) recorded in Latin America and the Caribbean?
- The lowest recorded value was 25.6 % in 2015.
- How does Latin America and the Caribbean rank for 2.1.2 prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity (15 years old)?
- Latin America and the Caribbean ranks 18th out of 37 groups with data for 2024.
- Is 2.1.2 prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity (15 years old) rising or falling in Latin America and the Caribbean?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Latin America and the Caribbean data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of 2.1.2 Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity (15 years old and over) (no breakdown by urbanisation) — Value — Female — All age ranges or no breakdown by age — National. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The Suite of Gender Indicators presents a set of indicators relevant to agrifood systems that are disaggregated by sex, with the aim of highlighting gender differences across agrifood systems. The initial set of indicators is based on those used in FAO’s 2023 Status of Women in Agrifood Systems (SWAFS) report and on the recommendations of an expert consultation held in December 2023, and covers key dimensions including economic participation, governance, agency, social norms, assets and services, education, health, and nutrition. Indicator selection was informed by expert judgment and by the availability of data with sufficient geographic and temporal coverage to enable meaningful comparisons across regions and over time. While most indicators are produced and published by FAO and other international organizations, the objective of this domain is to provide a one-stop shop for sex-disaggregated data on agrifood systems.