2.1.2 Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity (both sexes or) in Africa
Africa: 2.1.2 Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity (both sexes or) was 57.3 % in 2025. ▲ Rising
2.1.2 Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity (both sexes or) in Africa, 2014–2025
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, 2.1.2 prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity (both sexes or) in Africa stood at 57.3 %.
That represents a change of down 3.0% on the previous year and up 25.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, 2.1.2 prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity (both sexes or) in Africa peaked at 59.1 % in 2024 and was at its lowest, 45.1 %, in 2014.
Africa ranks 4th of 33 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 12 years of available data.
2.1.2 Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity (both sexes or) in Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 45.1 % | — |
| 2015 | 45.6 % | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 49.9 % | +9.4% |
| 2017 | 51.4 % | +3.0% |
| 2018 | 51.4 % | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 51.8 % | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 54.6 % | +5.4% |
| 2021 | 57.7 % | +5.7% |
| 2022 | 57.6 % | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 57.8 % | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 59.1 % | +2.2% |
| 2025 | 57.3 % | -3.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 49.2 % | 45.1 % | 51.8 % | 6 |
| 2020s | 57.35 % | 54.6 % | 59.1 % | 6 |
Countries ranked near Africa
- 1 Democratic Republic of the Congo 83.5 % compare
- 1 Sierra Leone 91.1 % compare
- 2 South Sudan 90.4 % compare
- 3 Haiti 86.7 % compare
- 3 United Republic of Tanzania 59.2 % compare
- 4 Afghanistan 85.3 % compare
- 5 Malawi 82.9 % compare
- 5 Caribbean 53.7 % compare
- 5 Melanesia 56 % compare
- 6 Liberia 81.2 % compare
- 7 Iran (Islamic Republic of) 40.5 % compare
- 7 Nigeria 78.6 % compare
More agriculture & rural data for Africa
- Oilcrops, Oil Equivalent — Production, annual growth rate -1.55 % change on previous year (2024)
- Oilcrops, Cake Equivalent — Area harvested, annual growth rate -1.7 % change on previous year (2024)
- Oilcrops, Cake Equivalent — Yield, annual growth rate -4.56 % change on previous year (2024)
- Oilcrops, Cake Equivalent — Production, annual growth rate -6.19 % change on previous year (2024)
- Oilcrops, Oil Equivalent — Area harvested, annual growth rate -1.64 % change on previous year (2024)
- Oilcrops, Oil Equivalent — Yield, annual growth rate 0.0886 % change on previous year (2024)
- Pulses, Total — Area harvested, annual growth rate -0.6343 % change on previous year (2024)
- Pulses, Total — Production, annual growth rate 2.33 % change on previous year (2024)
- Pulses, Total — Yield, annual growth rate 2.99 % change on previous year (2024)
- Milk, Total — Milk Animals, annual growth rate 1.06 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is 2.1.2 prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity (both sexes or) in Africa?
- 2.1.2 prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity (both sexes or) in Africa was 57.3 % in 2025, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest 2.1.2 prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity (both sexes or) recorded in Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 59.1 % in 2024.
- What is the lowest 2.1.2 prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity (both sexes or) recorded in Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 45.1 % in 2014.
- How does Africa rank for 2.1.2 prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity (both sexes or)?
- Africa ranks 4th out of 33 groups with data for 2025.
- Is 2.1.2 prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity (both sexes or) rising or falling in Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Africa 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 (both sexes or no breakdown by sex) (all age ranges or no breakdown by age) (no breakdown by urbanisation) — 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.