2.1.2 Prevalence of severe food insecurity (female) (15 years old and) in Southern Asia
Southern Asia: 2.1.2 Prevalence of severe food insecurity (female) (15 years old and) was 17.2 % in 2025. ▲ Rising
2.1.2 Prevalence of severe food insecurity (female) (15 years old and) in 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 Southern Asia is 17.2 %, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 7.0% on the previous year and up 4.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (female) (15 years old and) in Southern Asia peaked at 24.3 % in 2021 and was at its lowest, 13.9 %, in 2017.
That places Southern Asia 7th 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 Southern Asia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 18.5 % | — |
| 2015 | 16.5 % | -10.8% |
| 2016 | 14.3 % | -13.3% |
| 2017 | 13.9 % | -2.8% |
| 2018 | 18.7 % | +34.5% |
| 2019 | 19.7 % | +5.3% |
| 2020 | 22.4 % | +13.7% |
| 2021 | 24.3 % | +8.5% |
| 2022 | 20 % | -17.7% |
| 2023 | 19.8 % | -1.0% |
| 2024 | 18.5 % | -6.6% |
| 2025 | 17.2 % | -7.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 16.93 % | 13.9 % | 19.7 % | 6 |
| 2020s | 20.37 % | 17.2 % | 24.3 % | 6 |
Countries ranked near Southern Asia
- 4 Afghanistan 40.3 % compare
- 4 United Republic of Tanzania 24 % compare
- 5 Liberia 38.6 % compare
- 6 Sierra Leone 35.4 % compare
- 7 Namibia 30.9 % compare
- 7 Republic of Moldova 9.6 % compare
- 8 Eswatini 30.1 % compare
- 9 Lao People's Democratic Republic 7.2 % compare
- 9 Zimbabwe 29.2 % compare
- 10 Iran (Islamic Republic of) 4.9 % compare
- 10 Jamaica 28.9 % compare
More agriculture & rural data for Southern Asia
- Raw milk of cattle — Yield/Carcass Weight, annual growth rate 1.26 % change on previous year (2024)
- Raw hides and skins of goats or kids — Production, annual growth rate 6.01 % change on previous year (2024)
- Raw hides and skins of goats or kids — Producing Animals/Slaughtered 7.03 % change on previous year (2024)
- Raw hides and skins of sheep or lambs — Yield/Carcass Weight, annual 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Raw hides and skins of sheep or lambs — Production, annual growth rate 7.69 % change on previous year (2024)
- Raw hides and skins of sheep or lambs — Producing 7.31 % change on previous year (2024)
- Raw milk of cattle — Milk Animals, annual growth rate 4.28 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sheep fat, unrendered — Production, annual growth rate 5.81 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sheep — Stocks, annual growth rate 3.87 % change on previous year (2024)
- Raw hides and skins of goats or kids — Yield/Carcass Weight, annual 0 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (female) (15 years old and) in Southern Asia?
- 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (female) (15 years old and) in Southern Asia was 17.2 % 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 Southern Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 24.3 % in 2021.
- What is the lowest 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (female) (15 years old and) recorded in Southern Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.9 % in 2017.
- How does Southern Asia rank for 2.1.2 prevalence of severe food insecurity (female) (15 years old and)?
- Southern Asia ranks 7th 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 Southern Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this 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: 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.