2.1.2 Prevalence of severe food insecurity (15 years old and over) (no breakdown by urbanisation) — Value — Female — All age ranges or no breakdown by age — National by country
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...
What the numbers show
2.1.2 Prevalence of severe food insecurity (15 years old and over) (no breakdown by urbanisation) — Value — Female — All age ranges or no breakdown by age — National is currently reported for 128 countries. The highest value is 62.9 % in South Sudan; the lowest is 0.5 % in Russian Federation.
The median across all reporting countries is 4.45 %, and the mean is 9.43 %.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 126.
Over the past decade 67 countries rose and 55 fell. The largest increase was in Pakistan (up 563.6%), and the largest decrease in Poland (down 73.7%).
2.1.2 Prevalence of severe food insecurity (15 years old and over): full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Sudan | 62.9 % | 2024 | down 3.8% | flat |
| 1 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 44.3 % | 2024 | up 19.1% | rising |
| 2 | Malawi | 59.6 % | 2024 | up 19.4% | rising |
| 3 | Haiti | 45.4 % | 2024 | down 1.3% | flat |
| 3 | Melanesia | 24.7 % | 2024 | up 3.8% | flat |
| 4 | Liberia | 36.3 % | 2024 | down 9.2% | flat |
| 4 | United Republic of Tanzania | 22.3 % | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Afghanistan | 34.5 % | 2024 | up 125.5% | rising |
| 6 | Sierra Leone | 31.5 % | 2024 | up 14.5% | flat |
| 7 | Namibia | 28.9 % | 2024 | down 5.6% | flat |
| 8 | Kenya | 27.2 % | 2024 | up 65.9% | rising |
| 8 | Republic of Moldova | 7.4 % | 2024 | up 362.5% | rising |
| 9 | Eswatini | 27.1 % | 2024 | — | rising |
| 9 | Lao People's Democratic Republic | 5.8 % | 2024 | down 48.7% | falling |
| 10 | Nigeria | 26.7 % | 2024 | up 167.0% | rising |
| 10 | Iran (Islamic Republic of) | 4 % | 2024 | down 56.0% | falling |
| 11 | Zimbabwe | 25.7 % | 2024 | down 28.8% | falling |
| 11 | Viet Nam | 2 % | 2024 | up 300.0% | volatile |
| 12 | Chad | 25.5 % | 2024 | down 22.7% | falling |
| 13 | Jamaica | 25.4 % | 2024 | down 8.0% | falling |
| 14 | Lesotho | 24.9 % | 2024 | down 7.8% | falling |
| 15 | Cameroon | 24.1 % | 2024 | up 12.6% | flat |
| 16 | Guatemala | 22.6 % | 2024 | up 34.5% | rising |
| 17 | Botswana | 21.9 % | 2024 | up 6.3% | rising |
| 18 | Zambia | 18.3 % | 2024 | down 18.3% | falling |
| 19 | Dominican Republic | 18.1 % | 2024 | down 29.8% | falling |
| 19 | Côte d'Ivoire | 7.9 % | 2024 | up 25.4% | rising |
| 20 | Gambia | 17.3 % | 2024 | down 25.8% | falling |
| 21 | Ethiopia | 17 % | 2024 | up 4.9% | rising |
| 22 | Angola | 16.9 % | 2024 | down 36.5% | falling |
| 22 | Cabo Verde | 6.4 % | 2024 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 23 | Madagascar | 16.8 % | 2024 | up 60.0% | rising |
| 24 | Honduras | 16 % | 2024 | up 3.2% | rising |
| 25 | El Salvador | 13.7 % | 2024 | down 8.7% | rising |
| 26 | Egypt | 13.4 % | 2024 | up 35.4% | rising |
| 27 | Benin | 13.3 % | 2024 | up 24.3% | rising |
| 28 | Mauritania | 13 % | 2024 | up 165.3% | rising |
| 28 | Uganda | 13 % | 2024 | down 36.6% | falling |
| 30 | Mauritius | 12.9 % | 2024 | up 118.6% | rising |
| 31 | Libya | 12.6 % | 2024 | down 5.3% | rising |
| 32 | Argentina | 12 % | 2024 | up 81.8% | rising |
| 33 | Nepal | 11.9 % | 2024 | up 17.8% | rising |
| 34 | Ecuador | 11.7 % | 2024 | up 88.7% | rising |
| 35 | Lebanon | 11.4 % | 2024 | up 338.5% | rising |
| 36 | Albania | 9.5 % | 2024 | down 11.2% | falling |
| 37 | Togo | 9.2 % | 2024 | down 36.6% | falling |
| 38 | Guinea-Bissau | 9 % | 2022 | up 8.4% | rising |
| 39 | Ghana | 8.8 % | 2024 | up 72.5% | rising |
| 40 | South Africa | 8.7 % | 2024 | up 11.5% | rising |
| 41 | Tunisia | 8.3 % | 2024 | down 12.6% | flat |
| 42 | Myanmar | 7.8 % | 2024 | up 254.5% | rising |
| 43 | Burkina Faso | 7.7 % | 2024 | up 42.6% | rising |
| 44 | Niger | 7.3 % | 2024 | down 28.4% | falling |
| 44 | Pakistan | 7.3 % | 2024 | up 563.6% | volatile |
| 46 | Paraguay | 6.7 % | 2024 | up 458.3% | rising |
| 47 | Romania | 5.7 % | 2024 | down 17.4% | rising |
| 48 | Colombia | 5.6 % | 2024 | up 12.0% | rising |
| 48 | Ukraine | 5.6 % | 2024 | up 133.3% | rising |
| 50 | Hungary | 5.4 % | 2024 | up 285.7% | volatile |
| 50 | Tajikistan | 5.4 % | 2024 | up 3.8% | flat |
| 52 | Georgia | 5.2 % | 2024 | down 29.7% | falling |
| 53 | Palestine, State of | 5.1 % | 2022 | up 2.0% | flat |
| 54 | Algeria | 5 % | 2024 | down 64.5% | falling |
| 55 | Kiribati | 4.8 % | 2024 | down 40.0% | falling |
| 56 | New Zealand | 4.6 % | 2024 | up 27.8% | flat |
| 57 | Samoa | 4.5 % | 2024 | up 32.4% | rising |
| 58 | Grenada | 4.4 % | 2024 | down 47.0% | falling |
| 58 | Malaysia | 4.4 % | 2024 | down 29.0% | falling |
| 60 | Australia and New Zealand | 4.3 % | 2024 | up 43.3% | rising |
| 61 | Australia | 4.2 % | 2024 | up 44.8% | rising |
| 61 | Peru | 4.2 % | 2024 | up 16.7% | rising |
| 63 | Netherlands (Kingdom of the) | 4.1 % | 2024 | up 192.9% | rising |
| 64 | Senegal | 3.8 % | 2024 | down 44.9% | falling |
| 65 | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 3.6 % | 2024 | up 24.1% | rising |
| 66 | Belgium | 3.4 % | 2024 | up 209.1% | rising |
| 66 | Cambodia | 3.4 % | 2024 | down 35.8% | falling |
| 68 | Sweden | 3.3 % | 2024 | up 371.4% | volatile |
| 69 | Kuwait | 3.2 % | 2024 | down 3.0% | falling |
| 69 | Mexico | 3.2 % | 2024 | down 15.8% | falling |
| 69 | Singapore | 3.2 % | 2024 | up 166.7% | rising |
| 72 | Chile | 3.1 % | 2024 | down 8.8% | flat |
| 72 | France | 3.1 % | 2024 | up 93.8% | volatile |
| 74 | Philippines | 3 % | 2024 | up 3.4% | falling |
| 75 | Portugal | 2.9 % | 2024 | down 34.1% | falling |
| 76 | Uruguay | 2.8 % | 2024 | up 47.4% | rising |
| 77 | Belize | 2.7 % | 2024 | down 38.6% | falling |
| 78 | Costa Rica | 2.6 % | 2024 | up 44.4% | rising |
| 78 | Finland | 2.6 % | 2024 | up 8.3% | rising |
| 80 | Ireland | 2.5 % | 2024 | down 10.7% | falling |
| 80 | Mali | 2.5 % | 2024 | down 24.2% | falling |
| 82 | Spain | 2.4 % | 2024 | up 118.2% | rising |
| 82 | Iceland | 2.4 % | 2024 | up 60.0% | rising |
| 84 | Malta | 2.3 % | 2024 | up 27.8% | rising |
| 85 | Canada | 2 % | 2024 | up 233.3% | rising |
| 85 | Latvia | 2 % | 2024 | up 185.7% | volatile |
| 85 | North Macedonia | 2 % | 2024 | down 45.9% | rising |
| 88 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1.9 % | 2024 | up 35.7% | rising |
| 89 | Czechia | 1.8 % | 2024 | up 157.1% | volatile |
| 89 | Denmark | 1.8 % | 2024 | up 80.0% | rising |
| 89 | Greece | 1.8 % | 2024 | down 30.8% | falling |
| 92 | Bulgaria | 1.7 % | 2024 | unchanged | rising |
| 92 | Estonia | 1.7 % | 2024 | up 112.5% | rising |
| 94 | Norway | 1.6 % | 2024 | up 23.1% | flat |
| 95 | Azerbaijan | 1.5 % | 2024 | up 200.0% | volatile |
| 95 | Montenegro | 1.5 % | 2024 | down 31.8% | falling |
| 97 | Slovakia | 1.4 % | 2024 | up 16.7% | rising |
| 98 | Austria | 1.3 % | 2024 | down 7.1% | rising |
| 99 | Lithuania | 1.2 % | 2024 | down 52.0% | falling |
| 100 | Sri Lanka | 1.1 % | 2024 | up 83.3% | rising |
| 101 | Switzerland | 1 % | 2024 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 102 | Serbia | 0.9 % | 2024 | down 43.8% | flat |
| 103 | Brazil | 0.8 % | 2024 | down 20.0% | volatile |
| 104 | Germany | 0.7 % | 2024 | down 36.4% | flat |
| 104 | Israel | 0.7 % | 2024 | down 36.4% | falling |
| 104 | Mongolia | 0.7 % | 2024 | up 40.0% | rising |
| 107 | Croatia | 0.6 % | 2024 | up 20.0% | rising |
| 107 | Kyrgyzstan | 0.6 % | 2024 | down 25.0% | falling |
| 107 | Slovenia | 0.6 % | 2024 | down 40.0% | rising |
| 107 | Thailand | 0.6 % | 2024 | down 14.3% | falling |
| 107 | Republic of Korea | 0.6 % | 2024 | up 20.0% | rising |
| 112 | Armenia | 0.5 % | 2024 | down 61.5% | falling |
| 112 | Belarus | 0.5 % | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 112 | Indonesia | 0.5 % | 2024 | down 16.7% | falling |
| 112 | Japan | 0.5 % | 2024 | unchanged | rising |
| 112 | Kazakhstan | 0.5 % | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 112 | Luxembourg | 0.5 % | 2024 | down 72.2% | volatile |
| 112 | Poland | 0.5 % | 2024 | down 73.7% | falling |
| 112 | Russian Federation | 0.5 % | 2024 | down 37.5% | falling |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- Low-income economies 27.7 %
- Middle Africa 34.9 %
- Low Income Food Deficit Countries (LIFDCs) 25 %
- Caribbean 24.6 %
- Eastern Africa 23.7 %
- Sub-Saharan Africa 23.2 %
- Small island developing States (SIDS) 20.7 %
- Oceania excluding Australia and New Zealand 23 %
- Least Developed Countries (LDCs) 20.5 %
- Africa 21 %
- Asia 8.4 %
- Western Africa 19.9 %
- Southern Asia 17.1 %
- Central Asia and Southern Asia 16.6 %
- Lower-middle-income economies 16.5 %
- Land Locked Developing Countries (LLDCs) 16.3 %
- Western Asia 13.9 %
- Western Asia and Northern Africa 13.1 %
- Northern Africa 12.3 %
- Southern Africa 10.6 %
- Oceania 9.2 %
- World 9 %
- Central America 7.1 %
- Latin America and the Caribbean 6.9 %
- South America 5 %
- Central Asia 2.8 %
- Northern Europe 2.7 %
- Upper-middle-income economies 2.6 %
- Europe 2 %
- Western Europe 2 %
- South-Eastern Asia 1.9 %
- Northern America and Europe 1.9 %
- Eastern Europe 1.7 %
- High-income economies 1.7 %
- Southern Europe 1.6 %
- Northern America 1.4 %
- United States of America 1.3 %
- Eastern Asia and South-eastern Asia 1.2 %
- Eastern Asia 0.9 %
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.