2.1.2 Prevalence of severe food insecurity (both sexes or no) in Central Asia and Southern Asia
Central Asia and Southern Asia: 2.1.2 Prevalence of severe food insecurity (both sexes or no) was 16 % in 2025. ▲ Rising
2.1.2 Prevalence of severe food insecurity (both sexes or no) in Central Asia and Southern Asia, 2014–2025
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in %.
Analysis
Central Asia and Southern Asia recorded 16 % for 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (both sexes or no) in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.6% on the previous year and up 11.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (both sexes or no) in Central Asia and Southern Asia peaked at 19.5 % in 2021 and was at its lowest, 12.8 %, in 2016.
That places Central Asia and Southern Asia 8th out of 33 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 12 years of available data.
2.1.2 Prevalence of severe food insecurity (both sexes or no) in Central Asia and Southern Asia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 16 % | — |
| 2015 | 14.4 % | -10.0% |
| 2016 | 12.8 % | -11.1% |
| 2017 | 12.8 % | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 16.5 % | +28.9% |
| 2019 | 17.1 % | +3.6% |
| 2020 | 19.2 % | +12.3% |
| 2021 | 19.5 % | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 18.3 % | -6.2% |
| 2023 | 18.2 % | -0.5% |
| 2024 | 16.6 % | -8.8% |
| 2025 | 16 % | -3.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 14.93 % | 12.8 % | 17.1 % | 6 |
| 2020s | 17.97 % | 16 % | 19.5 % | 6 |
Countries ranked near Central Asia and Southern Asia
- 5 Afghanistan 36.3 % compare
- 6 Sierra Leone 36 % compare
- 7 Jamaica 30.9 % compare
- 8 Namibia 30.1 % compare
- 8 Republic of Moldova 7.9 % compare
- 9 Lao People's Democratic Republic 6.9 % compare
- 9 Zimbabwe 29.1 % compare
- 10 Eswatini 28.1 % compare
- 10 Iran (Islamic Republic of) 6 % compare
- 11 Nigeria 27.8 % compare
- 11 Viet Nam 2.4 % compare
More agriculture & rural data for Central Asia and Southern Asia
- Minimum dietary energy requirement (kcal/cap/day) — Value 1,797 kcal/cap/d (2025)
- Average dietary energy requirement (kcal/cap/day) — Value 2,324 kcal/cap/d (2025)
- Per capita food supply variability (kcal/cap/day) — Value 10 kcal/cap/d (2025)
- Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (18 years and older) 11.1 % (2024)
- Percentage of children under 5 years of age who are overweight 3.3 % (2024)
- Percentage of children under 5 years of age who are stunted (modelled) 30.2 % (2024)
- Gross domestic product per capita, PPP, (constant 2021 international) 9,769 Int$/cap (2024)
- Percentage of population using at least basic sanitation services 81 % (2024)
- Number of obese adults (18 years and older) (million) — Value 161.2 million No (2024)
- Dietary energy supply used in the estimation of the prevalence of 2,703 kcal/cap/d (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (both sexes or no) in Central Asia and Southern Asia?
- 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (both sexes or no) in Central Asia and Southern Asia was 16 % in 2025, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (both sexes or no) recorded in Central Asia and Southern Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 19.5 % in 2021.
- What is the lowest 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (both sexes or no) recorded in Central Asia and Southern Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.8 % in 2016.
- How does Central Asia and Southern Asia rank for 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (both sexes or no)?
- Central Asia and Southern Asia ranks 8th out of 33 groups with data for 2025.
- Is 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (both sexes or no) rising or falling in Central Asia and Southern Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Central Asia and 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 (both sexes or no breakdown by sex) (all age ranges or no breakdown by age) (no breakdown by urbanisation) — Confidence interval: Upper 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.