2.1.2 Prevalence of severe food insecurity (both sexes or no) in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: 2.1.2 Prevalence of severe food insecurity (both sexes or no) was 22.7 % in 2025. ▲ Rising
2.1.2 Prevalence of severe food insecurity (both sexes or no) in Sub-Saharan Africa, 2014–2025
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 (both sexes or no) in Sub-Saharan Africa is 22.7 %, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 4.6% on the previous year and up 23.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (both sexes or no) in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 23.8 % in 2024 and was at its lowest, 17.7 %, in 2014.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 3rd of 33 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
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 Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 17.7 % | — |
| 2015 | 18.4 % | +4.0% |
| 2016 | 20.5 % | +11.4% |
| 2017 | 21.1 % | +2.9% |
| 2018 | 20.7 % | -1.9% |
| 2019 | 21.4 % | +3.4% |
| 2020 | 23.1 % | +7.9% |
| 2021 | 23.5 % | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 22.8 % | -3.0% |
| 2023 | 23 % | +0.9% |
| 2024 | 23.8 % | +3.5% |
| 2025 | 22.7 % | -4.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 19.97 % | 17.7 % | 21.4 % | 6 |
| 2020s | 23.15 % | 22.7 % | 23.8 % | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 1 Democratic Republic of the Congo 43.9 % compare
- 1 South Sudan 62.9 % compare
- 1 Caribbean 24.5 % compare
- 2 Malawi 58.1 % compare
- 3 Haiti 45.4 % compare
- 3 Melanesia 24.8 % compare
- 4 Liberia 35.5 % compare
- 4 United Republic of Tanzania 22.9 % compare
- 5 Sierra Leone 31.9 % compare
- 6 Afghanistan 30.2 % compare
More agriculture & rural data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 10.7 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.5534 units per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1791 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 299.6 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.53 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.6% (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 395.96 billion current US$ (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 17.9% (2025)
- Rural population 731.42 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (both sexes or no) in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (both sexes or no) in Sub-Saharan Africa was 22.7 % 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 Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 23.8 % in 2024.
- What is the lowest 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (both sexes or no) recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.7 % in 2014.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (both sexes or no)?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 3rd 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 Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 23.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa 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) — Value. 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.