2.1.2 Prevalence of severe food insecurity (15 years old and over) in Southern Asia

Southern Asia: 2.1.2 Prevalence of severe food insecurity (15 years old and over) was 17.1 % in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
17.1 %
Change on year
down 6.0%
Rank
9th
of 37 groups
All-time high
21 %
in 2021
All-time low
13.2 %
in 2016
Years of data
10
2015–2024

2.1.2 Prevalence of severe food insecurity (15 years old and over) in Southern Asia, 2015–2024

051015202015201920242015: 14.3 %2016: 13.2 %2017: 14 %2018: 15.8 %2019: 18.8 %2020: 20.8 %2021: 21 %2022: 20 %2023: 18.2 %2024: 17.1 %

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 Southern Asia is 17.1 %, measured in 2024.

That represents a change of down 6.0% on the previous year and up 19.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (15 years old and over) in Southern Asia peaked at 21 % in 2021 and was at its lowest, 13.2 %, in 2016.

That places Southern Asia 9th out of 37 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.

2.1.2 Prevalence of severe food insecurity (15 years old and over) in Southern Asia, year by year

Annual values for 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 in Southern Asia, 2015 to 2024.
Year % Change
2015 14.3 %
2016 13.2 % -7.7%
2017 14 % +6.1%
2018 15.8 % +12.9%
2019 18.8 % +19.0%
2020 20.8 % +10.6%
2021 21 % +1.0%
2022 20 % -4.8%
2023 18.2 % -9.0%
2024 17.1 % -6.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 15.22 % 13.2 % 18.8 % 5
2020s 19.42 % 17.1 % 21 % 5

Countries ranked near Southern Asia

  1. 6 Sierra Leone 31.5 % compare
  2. 7 Namibia 28.9 % compare
  3. 8 Kenya 27.2 % compare
  4. 8 Republic of Moldova 7.4 % compare
  5. 9 Eswatini 27.1 % compare
  6. 9 Lao People's Democratic Republic 5.8 % compare
  7. 10 Iran (Islamic Republic of) 4 % compare
  8. 10 Nigeria 26.7 % compare
  9. 11 Viet Nam 2 % compare
  10. 11 Zimbabwe 25.7 % compare
  11. 12 Chad 25.5 % compare

See the full ranking of 167 places →

More agriculture & rural data for Southern Asia

All data for Southern Asia →

Frequently asked questions

What is 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (15 years old and over) in Southern Asia?
2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (15 years old and over) in Southern Asia was 17.1 % 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 Southern Asia?
The highest recorded value was 21 % in 2021.
What is the lowest 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (15 years old and over) recorded in Southern Asia?
The lowest recorded value was 13.2 % in 2016.
How does Southern Asia rank for 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (15 years old and over)?
Southern Asia ranks 9th 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 Southern Asia?
Over the last ten years it is up 19.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Southern Asia 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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2.1.2 Prevalence of severe food insecurity (15 years old and over) in Southern Asia. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 14 September 2026, from https://agriculture.statizoid.com/stat/2-1-2-prevalence-of-severe-food-insecurity-15-years-old-and-over-no-breakdown-by-2/southern-asia/

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About this data

Indicator
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
Unit
%
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO)
Coverage
167 places, 1,561 data points, 2015–2024
Last refreshed

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.