2.1.2 Prevalence of severe food insecurity (female) (15 years old and) in Central Asia and Southern Asia
Central Asia and Southern Asia: 2.1.2 Prevalence of severe food insecurity (female) (15 years old and) was 13.8 % in 2025. ▲ Rising
2.1.2 Prevalence of severe food insecurity (female) (15 years old and) in Central Asia and Southern Asia, 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 (female) (15 years old and) in Central Asia and Southern Asia is 13.8 %, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 11.0% on the previous year and up 16.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (female) (15 years old and) in Central Asia and Southern Asia peaked at 20.7 % in 2021 and was at its lowest, 10.6 %, in 2017.
That places Central Asia and Southern Asia 9th 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 (female) (15 years old and) in Central Asia and Southern Asia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 12.8 % | — |
| 2015 | 11.9 % | -7.0% |
| 2016 | 10.9 % | -8.4% |
| 2017 | 10.6 % | -2.8% |
| 2018 | 14.6 % | +37.7% |
| 2019 | 15.7 % | +7.5% |
| 2020 | 19.8 % | +26.1% |
| 2021 | 20.7 % | +4.5% |
| 2022 | 16.9 % | -18.4% |
| 2023 | 16.7 % | -1.2% |
| 2024 | 15.5 % | -7.2% |
| 2025 | 13.8 % | -11.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 12.75 % | 10.6 % | 15.7 % | 6 |
| 2020s | 17.23 % | 13.8 % | 20.7 % | 6 |
Countries ranked near Central Asia and Southern Asia
- 6 Sierra Leone 27.7 % compare
- 6 Caribbean 18.6 % compare
- 7 Namibia 27 % compare
- 8 Kenya 26.2 % compare
- 8 Republic of Moldova 5.1 % compare
- 9 Lao People's Democratic Republic 4.5 % compare
- 9 Nigeria 25.2 % compare
- 10 Chad 24.3 % compare
- 10 Iran (Islamic Republic of) 3.1 % compare
- 11 Eswatini 24.1 % compare
- 11 Viet Nam 1.4 % compare
- 12 Lesotho 23.8 % 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 (female) (15 years old and) in Central Asia and Southern Asia?
- 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (female) (15 years old and) in Central Asia and Southern Asia was 13.8 % in 2025, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (female) (15 years old and) recorded in Central Asia and Southern Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 20.7 % in 2021.
- What is the lowest 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (female) (15 years old and) recorded in Central Asia and Southern Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.6 % in 2017.
- How does Central Asia and Southern Asia rank for 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (female) (15 years old and)?
- Central Asia and Southern Asia ranks 9th out of 33 groups with data for 2025.
- Is 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (female) (15 years old and) rising or falling in Central Asia and Southern Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.0%. 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 (female) (15 years old and over) (no breakdown by urbanisation) — Confidence interval: Lower 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.