2.1.2 Prevalence of severe food insecurity (female) (15 years old and over) (no breakdown by urbanisation) — Value by country
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...
What the numbers show
2.1.2 Prevalence of severe food insecurity (female) (15 years old and over) (no breakdown by urbanisation) — Value is currently reported for 120 countries. The highest value is 62.9 % in South Sudan; the lowest is 0.5 % in Luxembourg.
The median across all reporting countries is 5.05 %, and the mean is 10.03 %.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 126.
Over the past decade 64 countries rose and 52 fell. The largest increase was in Pakistan (up 563.6%), and the largest decrease in Luxembourg (down 72.2%).
2.1.2 Prevalence of severe food insecurity (female) (15 years old and): full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Sudan | 62.9 % | 2024 | down 3.8% | flat |
| 1 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 44.3 % | 2024 | up 19.1% | rising |
| 2 | Malawi | 59.6 % | 2024 | up 19.4% | rising |
| 3 | Haiti | 45.4 % | 2024 | down 1.3% | flat |
| 3 | Melanesia | 24.7 % | 2025 | up 3.8% | flat |
| 4 | Liberia | 36.3 % | 2024 | down 9.2% | flat |
| 4 | United Republic of Tanzania | 22.3 % | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Afghanistan | 34.5 % | 2024 | up 125.5% | rising |
| 6 | Sierra Leone | 31.5 % | 2024 | up 14.5% | flat |
| 7 | Namibia | 28.9 % | 2024 | down 5.6% | flat |
| 8 | Kenya | 27.2 % | 2024 | up 65.9% | rising |
| 8 | Republic of Moldova | 7.4 % | 2024 | up 362.5% | rising |
| 9 | Eswatini | 27.1 % | 2024 | — | rising |
| 9 | Lao People's Democratic Republic | 5.8 % | 2024 | down 48.7% | falling |
| 10 | Nigeria | 26.7 % | 2024 | up 167.0% | rising |
| 10 | Iran (Islamic Republic of) | 4 % | 2024 | down 56.0% | falling |
| 11 | Zimbabwe | 25.7 % | 2024 | down 28.8% | falling |
| 11 | Viet Nam | 2 % | 2024 | up 300.0% | volatile |
| 12 | Chad | 25.5 % | 2024 | down 22.7% | falling |
| 13 | Jamaica | 25.4 % | 2024 | down 8.0% | falling |
| 14 | Lesotho | 24.9 % | 2024 | down 7.8% | falling |
| 15 | Cameroon | 24.1 % | 2024 | up 12.6% | flat |
| 16 | Guatemala | 22.6 % | 2024 | up 34.5% | rising |
| 16 | Côte d'Ivoire | 7.9 % | 2024 | up 25.4% | rising |
| 17 | Botswana | 21.9 % | 2024 | up 6.3% | rising |
| 18 | Zambia | 18.3 % | 2024 | down 18.3% | falling |
| 18 | Cabo Verde | 6.4 % | 2024 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 19 | Dominican Republic | 18.1 % | 2024 | down 29.8% | falling |
| 20 | Gambia | 17.3 % | 2024 | down 25.8% | falling |
| 21 | Ethiopia | 17 % | 2024 | up 4.9% | rising |
| 22 | Angola | 16.9 % | 2024 | down 36.5% | falling |
| 23 | Madagascar | 16.8 % | 2024 | up 60.0% | rising |
| 24 | Honduras | 16 % | 2024 | up 3.2% | rising |
| 25 | El Salvador | 13.7 % | 2024 | down 8.7% | rising |
| 26 | Egypt | 13.4 % | 2024 | up 35.4% | rising |
| 27 | Benin | 13.3 % | 2024 | up 24.3% | rising |
| 28 | Mauritania | 13 % | 2024 | up 165.3% | rising |
| 28 | Uganda | 13 % | 2024 | down 36.6% | falling |
| 30 | Mauritius | 12.9 % | 2024 | up 118.6% | rising |
| 31 | Libya | 12.6 % | 2024 | down 5.3% | rising |
| 32 | Argentina | 12 % | 2024 | up 81.8% | rising |
| 33 | Nepal | 11.9 % | 2024 | up 17.8% | rising |
| 34 | Ecuador | 11.7 % | 2024 | up 88.7% | rising |
| 35 | Lebanon | 11.4 % | 2024 | up 338.5% | rising |
| 36 | Albania | 9.5 % | 2024 | down 11.2% | falling |
| 37 | Togo | 9.2 % | 2024 | down 36.6% | falling |
| 38 | Guinea-Bissau | 9 % | 2022 | up 8.4% | rising |
| 39 | Ghana | 8.8 % | 2024 | up 72.5% | rising |
| 40 | South Africa | 8.7 % | 2024 | up 11.5% | rising |
| 41 | Tunisia | 8.3 % | 2024 | down 12.6% | flat |
| 42 | Myanmar | 7.8 % | 2024 | up 254.5% | rising |
| 43 | Burkina Faso | 7.7 % | 2024 | up 42.6% | rising |
| 44 | Niger | 7.3 % | 2024 | down 28.4% | falling |
| 44 | Pakistan | 7.3 % | 2024 | up 563.6% | volatile |
| 46 | Paraguay | 6.7 % | 2024 | up 458.3% | rising |
| 47 | Romania | 5.7 % | 2024 | down 17.4% | rising |
| 48 | Colombia | 5.6 % | 2024 | up 12.0% | rising |
| 48 | Ukraine | 5.6 % | 2024 | up 133.3% | rising |
| 50 | Hungary | 5.4 % | 2024 | up 285.7% | volatile |
| 50 | Tajikistan | 5.4 % | 2024 | up 3.8% | flat |
| 52 | Georgia | 5.2 % | 2024 | down 29.7% | falling |
| 53 | Palestine, State of | 5.1 % | 2022 | up 2.0% | flat |
| 54 | Algeria | 5 % | 2024 | down 64.5% | falling |
| 54 | Australia and New Zealand | 5 % | 2025 | up 78.6% | rising |
| 56 | Kiribati | 4.8 % | 2024 | down 40.0% | falling |
| 57 | New Zealand | 4.6 % | 2024 | up 27.8% | flat |
| 58 | Samoa | 4.5 % | 2024 | up 32.4% | rising |
| 59 | Grenada | 4.4 % | 2024 | down 47.0% | falling |
| 59 | Malaysia | 4.4 % | 2024 | down 29.0% | falling |
| 61 | Australia | 4.2 % | 2024 | up 44.8% | rising |
| 61 | Peru | 4.2 % | 2024 | up 16.7% | rising |
| 63 | Netherlands (Kingdom of the) | 4.1 % | 2024 | up 192.9% | rising |
| 64 | Senegal | 3.8 % | 2024 | down 44.9% | falling |
| 65 | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 3.6 % | 2024 | up 24.1% | rising |
| 66 | Belgium | 3.4 % | 2024 | up 209.1% | rising |
| 66 | Cambodia | 3.4 % | 2024 | down 35.8% | falling |
| 68 | Sweden | 3.3 % | 2024 | up 371.4% | volatile |
| 69 | Kuwait | 3.2 % | 2024 | down 3.0% | falling |
| 69 | Mexico | 3.2 % | 2024 | down 15.8% | falling |
| 69 | Singapore | 3.2 % | 2024 | up 166.7% | rising |
| 72 | Chile | 3.1 % | 2024 | down 8.8% | flat |
| 72 | France | 3.1 % | 2024 | up 93.8% | rising |
| 74 | Philippines | 3 % | 2024 | up 3.4% | falling |
| 75 | Portugal | 2.9 % | 2024 | down 34.1% | falling |
| 76 | Uruguay | 2.8 % | 2024 | up 47.4% | rising |
| 77 | Belize | 2.7 % | 2024 | down 38.6% | falling |
| 78 | Costa Rica | 2.6 % | 2024 | up 44.4% | rising |
| 78 | Finland | 2.6 % | 2024 | up 8.3% | rising |
| 80 | Ireland | 2.5 % | 2024 | down 10.7% | falling |
| 80 | Mali | 2.5 % | 2024 | down 24.2% | falling |
| 82 | Spain | 2.4 % | 2024 | up 118.2% | rising |
| 82 | Iceland | 2.4 % | 2024 | up 60.0% | rising |
| 84 | Malta | 2.3 % | 2024 | up 27.8% | rising |
| 85 | Canada | 2 % | 2024 | up 233.3% | rising |
| 85 | Latvia | 2 % | 2024 | up 185.7% | volatile |
| 85 | North Macedonia | 2 % | 2024 | down 45.9% | rising |
| 88 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1.9 % | 2024 | up 35.7% | rising |
| 89 | Czechia | 1.8 % | 2024 | up 157.1% | rising |
| 89 | Denmark | 1.8 % | 2024 | up 80.0% | rising |
| 89 | Greece | 1.8 % | 2024 | down 30.8% | falling |
| 92 | Bulgaria | 1.7 % | 2024 | unchanged | rising |
| 92 | Estonia | 1.7 % | 2024 | up 112.5% | rising |
| 94 | Norway | 1.6 % | 2024 | up 23.1% | flat |
| 95 | Montenegro | 1.5 % | 2024 | down 31.8% | falling |
| 96 | Slovakia | 1.4 % | 2024 | up 16.7% | rising |
| 97 | Austria | 1.3 % | 2024 | down 7.1% | rising |
| 98 | Lithuania | 1.2 % | 2024 | down 52.0% | falling |
| 99 | Sri Lanka | 1.1 % | 2024 | up 83.3% | rising |
| 100 | Switzerland | 1 % | 2024 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 100 | Poland | 1 % | 2022 | down 47.4% | falling |
| 102 | Serbia | 0.9 % | 2024 | down 43.8% | flat |
| 103 | Brazil | 0.8 % | 2024 | down 20.0% | volatile |
| 104 | Germany | 0.7 % | 2024 | down 36.4% | flat |
| 104 | Israel | 0.7 % | 2024 | down 36.4% | falling |
| 106 | Croatia | 0.6 % | 2024 | up 20.0% | rising |
| 106 | Kyrgyzstan | 0.6 % | 2024 | down 25.0% | falling |
| 106 | Slovenia | 0.6 % | 2024 | down 40.0% | rising |
| 106 | Thailand | 0.6 % | 2024 | down 14.3% | falling |
| 106 | Republic of Korea | 0.6 % | 2024 | unchanged | rising |
| 111 | Luxembourg | 0.5 % | 2021 | down 72.2% | falling |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- Caribbean 23.2 %
- Middle Africa 35 %
- Oceania excluding Australia and New Zealand 23.1 %
- Sub-Saharan Africa 22.6 %
- Eastern Africa 22.1 %
- Africa 20.5 %
- Small island developing States (SIDS) 20 %
- Western Africa 20.2 %
- Least Developed Countries (LDCs) 19.9 %
- Southern Asia 15.7 %
- Asia 7.8 %
- Central Asia and Southern Asia 15.2 %
- Land Locked Developing Countries (LLDCs) 15 %
- Western Asia 14.3 %
- Western Asia and Northern Africa 13.1 %
- Northern Africa 11.6 %
- Southern Africa 10.4 %
- Oceania 9.8 %
- World 8.6 %
- Central America 6.6 %
- Latin America and the Caribbean 6.2 %
- Americas 4.4 %
- South America 4.3 %
- Northern Europe 3 %
- Western Europe 2.7 %
- Central Asia 2.6 %
- Europe 2.3 %
- Northern America and Europe 2 %
- Southern Europe 1.8 %
- South-Eastern Asia 1.7 %
- Eastern Europe 1.6 %
- Northern America 1.4 %
- United States of America 1.3 %
- Eastern Asia and South-eastern Asia 1.1 %
- Eastern Asia 0.9 %
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.