Number of moderately or severely food insecure people (million) in Southern Asia

Southern Asia: Number of moderately or severely food insecure people (million) was 721.3 million No in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
721.3 million No
Change on year
down 4.6%
Rank
6th
of 37 groups
All-time high
803.6 million No
in 2020
All-time low
508.3 million No
in 2015
Years of data
10
2014–2023

Number of moderately or severely food insecure people (million) in Southern Asia, 2014–2023

02004006008002014201820232014: 513.4 million No2015: 508.3 million No2016: 540.6 million No2017: 592.7 million No2018: 711.4 million No2019: 770.4 million No2020: 803.6 million No2021: 774.8 million No2022: 755.7 million No2023: 721.3 million No

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in million No.

Analysis

Southern Asia recorded 721.3 million No for number of moderately or severely food insecure people (million) in 2023.

That represents a change of down 4.6% on the previous year and up 40.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, number of moderately or severely food insecure people (million) in Southern Asia peaked at 803.6 million No in 2020 and was at its lowest, 508.3 million No, in 2015.

That places Southern Asia 6th out of 37 groups with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.

Number of moderately or severely food insecure people (million) in Southern Asia, year by year

Annual values for Number of moderately or severely food insecure people (million) (3-year average) — Value in Southern Asia, 2014 to 2023.
Year million No Change
2014 513.4 million No
2015 508.3 million No -1.0%
2016 540.6 million No +6.4%
2017 592.7 million No +9.6%
2018 711.4 million No +20.0%
2019 770.4 million No +8.3%
2020 803.6 million No +4.3%
2021 774.8 million No -3.6%
2022 755.7 million No -2.5%
2023 721.3 million No -4.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 606.13 million No 508.3 million No 770.4 million No 6
2020s 763.85 million No 721.3 million No 803.6 million No 4

Countries ranked near Southern Asia

  1. 3 Pakistan 57.5 million No compare
  2. 4 Bangladesh 45.4 million No compare
  3. 4 Democratic Republic of the Congo 89.3 million No compare
  4. 5 Kenya 40.5 million No compare
  5. 5 United Republic of Tanzania 39.1 million No compare
  6. 6 Philippines 37.8 million No compare
  7. 7 Egypt 34.9 million No compare
  8. 7 Iran (Islamic Republic of) 34.5 million No compare
  9. 8 Afghanistan 33.2 million No compare
  10. 8 Viet Nam 9.5 million No compare
  11. 9 Yemen 30.2 million No compare
  12. 9 Melanesia 7 million No compare

See the full ranking of 160 places →

More agriculture & rural data for Southern Asia

All data for Southern Asia →

Frequently asked questions

What is number of moderately or severely food insecure people (million) in Southern Asia?
Number of moderately or severely food insecure people (million) in Southern Asia was 721.3 million No in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
What is the highest number of moderately or severely food insecure people (million) recorded in Southern Asia?
The highest recorded value was 803.6 million No in 2020.
What is the lowest number of moderately or severely food insecure people (million) recorded in Southern Asia?
The lowest recorded value was 508.3 million No in 2015.
How does Southern Asia rank for number of moderately or severely food insecure people (million)?
Southern Asia ranks 6th out of 37 groups with data for 2023.
Is number of moderately or severely food insecure people (million) rising or falling in Southern Asia?
Over the last ten years it is up 40.5%. 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 Number of moderately or severely food insecure people (million) (3-year average) — Value. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Number of moderately or severely food insecure people (million) in Southern Asia. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 13 September 2026, from https://agriculture.statizoid.com/stat/number-of-moderately-or-severely-food-insecure-people-million-3-year-average-value/southern-asia/

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About this data

Indicator
Number of moderately or severely food insecure people (million) (3-year average) — Value
Unit
million No
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO)
Coverage
160 places, 1,505 data points, 2014–2023
Last refreshed

The Suite of Food Security Indicators presents the core set of food security indicators. Following the recommendation of experts gathered in the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) Round Table on hunger measurement, hosted at FAO headquarters in September 2011, an initial set of indicators aiming to capture various aspects of food insecurity is presented here. The choice of the indicators has been informed by expert judgement and the availability of data with sufficient coverage to enable comparisons across regions and over time. Many of these indicators are produced and published elsewhere by FAO and other international organizations. They are reported here in a single database with the aim of building a wide food security information system. More indicators will be added to this set as more data will become available. Indicators are classified along the four dimensions of food security -- availability, access, utilization and stability.