2.1.2 Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity (female) (15) in Western Asia and Northern Africa
Western Asia and Northern Africa: 2.1.2 Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity (female) (15) was 32.9 % in 2025. ▲ Rising
2.1.2 Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity (female) (15) in Western Asia and Northern Africa, 2014–2025
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in %.
Analysis
Western Asia and Northern Africa recorded 32.9 % for 2.1.2 prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity (female) (15) in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.9% on the previous year and up 13.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, 2.1.2 prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity (female) (15) in Western Asia and Northern Africa peaked at 38 % in 2021 and was at its lowest, 29 %, in 2015.
That places Western Asia and Northern Africa 10th out of 33 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
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 (female) (15) in Western Asia and Northern Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 30.1 % | — |
| 2015 | 29 % | -3.7% |
| 2016 | 30.9 % | +6.6% |
| 2017 | 32.7 % | +5.8% |
| 2018 | 31.4 % | -4.0% |
| 2019 | 31.3 % | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 34.1 % | +8.9% |
| 2021 | 38 % | +11.4% |
| 2022 | 36.1 % | -5.0% |
| 2023 | 35.4 % | -1.9% |
| 2024 | 34.6 % | -2.3% |
| 2025 | 32.9 % | -4.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 30.9 % | 29 % | 32.7 % | 6 |
| 2020s | 35.18 % | 32.9 % | 38 % | 6 |
Countries ranked near Western Asia and Northern Africa
- 7 Afghanistan 75.8 % compare
- 7 Iran (Islamic Republic of) 35.2 % compare
- 8 Côte d'Ivoire 36.1 % compare
- 8 Lao People's Democratic Republic 33 % compare
- 8 Nigeria 74.9 % compare
- 9 Republic of Moldova 27.1 % compare
- 9 Yemen 74.6 % compare
- 10 Kenya 71.7 % compare
- 11 Viet Nam 8.9 % compare
- 11 Zimbabwe 67.9 % compare
- 12 Benin 64.9 % compare
- 13 Mauritania 63.7 % compare
More agriculture & rural data for Western Asia and Northern Africa
- Average dietary energy requirement (kcal/cap/day) — Value 2,365 kcal/cap/d (2025)
- Minimum dietary energy requirement (kcal/cap/day) — Value 1,828 kcal/cap/d (2025)
- Per capita food supply variability (kcal/cap/day) — Value 25 kcal/cap/d (2025)
- Percentage of children under 5 years of age who are stunted (modelled) 18.1 % (2024)
- Percentage of children under 5 years of age who are overweight 7.4 % (2024)
- Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) 31.6 % (2024)
- Gross domestic product per capita, PPP, (constant 2021 international) 23,360 Int$/cap (2024)
- Percentage of population using at least basic sanitation services 91 % (2024)
- Number of obese adults (18 years and older) (million) — Value 119 million No (2024)
- Dietary energy supply used in the estimation of the prevalence of 3,028 kcal/cap/d (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is 2.1.2 prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity (female) (15) in Western Asia and Northern Africa?
- 2.1.2 prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity (female) (15) in Western Asia and Northern Africa was 32.9 % 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 (female) (15) recorded in Western Asia and Northern Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 38 % in 2021.
- What is the lowest 2.1.2 prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity (female) (15) recorded in Western Asia and Northern Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 29 % in 2015.
- How does Western Asia and Northern Africa rank for 2.1.2 prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity (female) (15)?
- Western Asia and Northern Africa ranks 10th out of 33 groups with data for 2025.
- Is 2.1.2 prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity (female) (15) rising or falling in Western Asia and Northern Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Western Asia and Northern 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 (female) (15 years old and over) (no breakdown by urbanisation) — Confidence interval: Lower 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.