2.1.2 Prevalence of severe food insecurity (female) (15 years old and) in South America
South America: 2.1.2 Prevalence of severe food insecurity (female) (15 years old and) was 4.6 % in 2025. ▲ Rising
2.1.2 Prevalence of severe food insecurity (female) (15 years old and) in South America, 2014–2025
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (female) (15 years old and) in South America stood at 4.6 %.
That represents a change of down 14.8% on the previous year and up 31.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (female) (15 years old and) in South America peaked at 13 % in 2021 and was at its lowest, 3.5 %, in 2015.
That places South America 20th out of 33 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
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 South America, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 4 % | — |
| 2015 | 3.5 % | -12.5% |
| 2016 | 5.5 % | +57.1% |
| 2017 | 6.3 % | +14.5% |
| 2018 | 6.1 % | -3.2% |
| 2019 | 6.2 % | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 9.7 % | +56.5% |
| 2021 | 13 % | +34.0% |
| 2022 | 9.9 % | -23.8% |
| 2023 | 6.1 % | -38.4% |
| 2024 | 5.4 % | -11.5% |
| 2025 | 4.6 % | -14.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 5.27 % | 3.5 % | 6.3 % | 6 |
| 2020s | 8.12 % | 4.6 % | 13 % | 6 |
Countries ranked near South America
More agriculture & rural data for South America
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- Raw hides and skins of sheep or lambs — Production, annual growth rate -1.61 % change on previous year (2024)
- Raw hides and skins of sheep or lambs — Producing -2.74 % change on previous year (2024)
- Raw milk of cattle — Yield/Carcass Weight, annual growth rate 1.76 % change on previous year (2024)
- Raw milk of cattle — Production, annual growth rate 0.4796 % change on previous year (2024)
- Raw milk of cattle — Milk Animals, annual growth rate -1.27 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sheep — Stocks, annual growth rate -1.1 % change on previous year (2024)
- Cattle and Buffaloes — Stocks, annual growth rate -0.1817 % change on previous year (2024)
- Beef and Buffalo Meat, primary — Producing Animals/Slaughtered 9.08 % change on previous year (2024)
- Beef and Buffalo Meat, primary — Production, annual growth rate 7.7 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (female) (15 years old and) in South America?
- 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (female) (15 years old and) in South America was 4.6 % 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 South America?
- The highest recorded value was 13 % in 2021.
- What is the lowest 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (female) (15 years old and) recorded in South America?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.5 % in 2015.
- How does South America rank for 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (female) (15 years old and)?
- South America ranks 20th 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 South America?
- Over the last ten years it is up 31.4%. 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 (female) (15 years old and over) (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.