2.1.2 Prevalence of severe food insecurity (both sexes or no) in Zambia
Zambia: 2.1.2 Prevalence of severe food insecurity (both sexes or no) was 18.7 % in 2024. ▼ Falling
2.1.2 Prevalence of severe food insecurity (both sexes or no) in Zambia, 2015–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (both sexes or no) in Zambia stood at 18.7 %. That is the lowest value across all 10 years on record.
That represents a change of down 21.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (both sexes or no) in Zambia peaked at 26.5 % in 2018 and was at its lowest, 18.7 %, in 2023.
Zambia ranks 20th of 114 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
2.1.2 Prevalence of severe food insecurity (both sexes or no) in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 23.9 % | — |
| 2016 | 25.3 % | +5.9% |
| 2017 | 25.6 % | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 26.5 % | +3.5% |
| 2019 | 24.4 % | -7.9% |
| 2020 | 24.3 % | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 21.5 % | -11.5% |
| 2022 | 20.5 % | -4.7% |
| 2023 | 18.7 % | -8.8% |
| 2024 | 18.7 % | +0.0% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 18.7 % is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 13.3 %, 1.4× the median. (27 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 18.7 % is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 19.25 %, 97% of the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 25.14 % | 23.9 % | 26.5 % | 5 |
| 2020s | 20.74 % | 18.7 % | 24.3 % | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 17 Botswana 23 % compare
- 17 Cabo Verde 7.7 % compare
- 18 Gambia 20.1 % compare
- 19 Ethiopia 19.8 % compare
- 21 Madagascar 18 % compare
- 22 Dominican Republic 17.9 % compare
- 22 Libya 17.9 % compare
More agriculture & rural data for Zambia
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 65.37 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0411 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 54.11 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.97 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.5408 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 4.1% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 4.1% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.4% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (both sexes or no) in Zambia?
- 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (both sexes or no) in Zambia was 18.7 % in 2024, 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 26.5 % in 2018.
- What is the lowest 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (both sexes or no) recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.7 % in 2023.
- How does Zambia rank for 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (both sexes or no)?
- Zambia ranks 20th out of 114 countries with data for 2024.
- Is 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (both sexes or no) rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zambia 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 10 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO).
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.