2.1.2 Prevalence of severe food insecurity (15 years old and over) in South America

South America: 2.1.2 Prevalence of severe food insecurity (15 years old and over) was 4.3 % in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
4.3 %
Change on year
down 20.4%
Rank
23rd
of 37 groups
All-time high
8 %
in 2021
All-time low
3.2 %
in 2015
Years of data
10
2015–2024

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

024682015201920242015: 3.2 %2016: 4.1 %2017: 4.8 %2018: 4.9 %2019: 5.8 %2020: 7.1 %2021: 8 %2022: 6.9 %2023: 5.4 %2024: 4.3 %

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in %.

Analysis

South America recorded 4.3 % for 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (15 years old and over) in 2024.

That represents a change of down 20.4% on the previous year and up 34.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (15 years old and over) in South America peaked at 8 % in 2021 and was at its lowest, 3.2 %, in 2015.

That places South America 23rd 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 South America, year by year

Annual values for 2.1.2 Prevalence of severe food insecurity (15 years old and over) (no breakdown by urbanisation) — Value — Male — All age ranges or no breakdown by age — National in South America, 2015 to 2024.
Year % Change
2015 3.2 %
2016 4.1 % +28.1%
2017 4.8 % +17.1%
2018 4.9 % +2.1%
2019 5.8 % +18.4%
2020 7.1 % +22.4%
2021 8 % +12.7%
2022 6.9 % -13.7%
2023 5.4 % -21.7%
2024 4.3 % -20.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 4.56 % 3.2 % 5.8 % 5
2020s 6.34 % 4.3 % 8 % 5

Countries ranked near South America

  1. 20 Cabo Verde 6.4 % compare
  2. 20 Madagascar 17 % compare
  3. 21 Ethiopia 16.2 % compare
  4. 22 Zambia 16.1 % compare
  5. 23 Angola 15.4 % compare
  6. 24 Dominican Republic 14.6 % compare
  7. 25 Benin 12.8 % compare
  8. 26 Nepal 12.6 % compare

See the full ranking of 167 places →

More agriculture & rural data for South America

All data for South America →

Frequently asked questions

What is 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (15 years old and over) in South America?
2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (15 years old and over) in South America was 4.3 % 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 South America?
The highest recorded value was 8 % in 2021.
What is the lowest 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (15 years old and over) recorded in South America?
The lowest recorded value was 3.2 % in 2015.
How does South America rank for 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (15 years old and over)?
South America ranks 23rd 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 South America?
Over the last ten years it is up 34.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South America 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 — Male — 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 South America. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 13 September 2026, from https://agriculture.statizoid.com/stat/2-1-2-prevalence-of-severe-food-insecurity-15-years-old-and-over-no-breakdown-by/south-america/

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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 — Male — 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.