2.1.2 Prevalence of severe food insecurity (15 years old and over) in Lower-middle-income economies
Lower-middle-income economies: 2.1.2 Prevalence of severe food insecurity (15 years old and over) was 16.5 % in 2024. ▲ Rising
2.1.2 Prevalence of severe food insecurity (15 years old and over) in Lower-middle-income economies, 2015–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (15 years old and over) in Lower-middle-income economies is 16.5 %, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 4.1% on the previous year and up 27.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (15 years old and over) in Lower-middle-income economies peaked at 18.8 % in 2021 and was at its lowest, 12.3 %, in 2016.
That places Lower-middle-income economies 11th out of 37 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
2.1.2 Prevalence of severe food insecurity (15 years old and over) in Lower-middle-income economies, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 12.9 % | — |
| 2016 | 12.3 % | -4.7% |
| 2017 | 13.2 % | +7.3% |
| 2018 | 14.5 % | +9.8% |
| 2019 | 16.8 % | +15.9% |
| 2020 | 18.4 % | +9.5% |
| 2021 | 18.8 % | +2.2% |
| 2022 | 18.3 % | -2.7% |
| 2023 | 17.2 % | -6.0% |
| 2024 | 16.5 % | -4.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 13.94 % | 12.3 % | 16.8 % | 5 |
| 2020s | 17.84 % | 16.5 % | 18.8 % | 5 |
Countries ranked near Lower-middle-income economies
- 8 Kenya 27.2 % compare
- 8 Republic of Moldova 7.4 % compare
- 9 Eswatini 27.1 % compare
- 9 Lao People's Democratic Republic 5.8 % compare
- 10 Iran (Islamic Republic of) 4 % compare
- 10 Nigeria 26.7 % compare
- 11 Viet Nam 2 % compare
- 11 Zimbabwe 25.7 % compare
- 12 Chad 25.5 % compare
- 13 Jamaica 25.4 % compare
- 14 Lesotho 24.9 % compare
More agriculture & rural data for Lower-middle-income economies
- Average dietary energy requirement (kcal/cap/day) — Value 2,312 kcal/cap/d (2025)
- Minimum dietary energy requirement (kcal/cap/day) — Value 1,789 kcal/cap/d (2025)
- Per capita food supply variability (kcal/cap/day) — Value 7 kcal/cap/d (2025)
- Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) 12 % (2024)
- Percentage of children under 5 years of age who are overweight 4 % (2024)
- Percentage of children under 5 years of age who are stunted (modelled) 28.9 % (2024)
- Gross domestic product per capita, PPP, (constant 2021 international) 8,996 Int$/cap (2024)
- Number of obese adults (18 years and older) (million) — Value 242.5 million No (2024)
- Dietary energy supply used in the estimation of the prevalence of 2,714 kcal/cap/d (2024)
- Prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) 43.8 % (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (15 years old and over) in Lower-middle-income economies?
- 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (15 years old and over) in Lower-middle-income economies was 16.5 % in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (15 years old and over) recorded in Lower-middle-income economies?
- The highest recorded value was 18.8 % in 2021.
- What is the lowest 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (15 years old and over) recorded in Lower-middle-income economies?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.3 % in 2016.
- How does Lower-middle-income economies rank for 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (15 years old and over)?
- Lower-middle-income economies ranks 11th out of 37 groups with data for 2024.
- Is 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (15 years old and over) rising or falling in Lower-middle-income economies?
- Over the last ten years it is up 27.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Lower-middle-income economies data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of 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. 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.