Population in moderate or severe food insecurity in Southern Africa
Southern Africa: Population in moderate or severe food insecurity was 18,035 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Population in moderate or severe food insecurity in Southern Africa, 2014–2025
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
Southern Africa recorded 18,035 for population in moderate or severe food insecurity in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.0% on the previous year and up 30.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in moderate or severe food insecurity in Southern Africa peaked at 19,056 in 2023 and was at its lowest, 13,435, in 2014.
Southern Africa ranks 29th of 35 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 12 years of available data.
Population in moderate or severe food insecurity in Southern Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 13,435 | — |
| 2015 | 13,856 | +3.1% |
| 2016 | 14,144 | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 14,395 | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 14,493 | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 14,871 | +2.6% |
| 2020 | 16,851 | +13.3% |
| 2021 | 17,120 | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 16,163 | -5.6% |
| 2023 | 19,056 | +17.9% |
| 2024 | 18,407 | -3.4% |
| 2025 | 18,035 | -2.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 14,199 | 13,435 | 14,871 | 6 |
| 2020s | 17,605 | 16,163 | 19,056 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Southern Africa
- 26 South Africa 13,348 compare
- 27 Chad 13,133 compare
- 28 Ukraine 12,224 compare
- 29 Côte d'Ivoire 12,093 compare
- 30 Côte d'Ivoire 11,959 compare
- 31 Indonesia 11,845 compare
- 32 Zimbabwe 11,669 compare
More agriculture & rural data for Southern Africa
- Meat, Total — Production, annual growth rate 3.99 % change on previous year (2024)
- Oilcrops, Cake Equivalent — Production, annual growth rate -27.24 % change on previous year (2024)
- Oilcrops, Cake Equivalent — Yield, annual growth rate -27.74 % change on previous year (2024)
- Oilcrops, Cake Equivalent — Area harvested, annual growth rate 0.684 % change on previous year (2024)
- Milk, Total — Milk Animals, annual growth rate -1.99 % change on previous year (2024)
- Milk, Total — Production, annual growth rate 0.7492 % change on previous year (2024)
- Milk, Total — Yield/Carcass Weight, annual growth rate 2.83 % change on previous year (2024)
- Meat, Poultry — Yield/Carcass Weight, annual growth rate 2.41 % change on previous year (2024)
- Fruit Primary — Yield, annual growth rate 1.67 % change on previous year (2024)
- Fruit Primary — Production, annual growth rate 0.8425 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in moderate or severe food insecurity in Southern Africa?
- Population in moderate or severe food insecurity in Southern Africa was 18,035 in 2025, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest population in moderate or severe food insecurity recorded in Southern Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 19,056 in 2023.
- What is the lowest population in moderate or severe food insecurity recorded in Southern Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 13,435 in 2014.
- How does Southern Africa rank for population in moderate or severe food insecurity?
- Southern Africa ranks 29th out of 35 groups with data for 2025.
- Is population in moderate or severe food insecurity rising or falling in Southern Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 30.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Southern Africa data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Population in moderate or severe food insecurity (thousands of people). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 12 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).