Population in severe food insecurity in Africa
Africa: Population in severe food insecurity was 319,020 num th in 2025. ▲ Rising
Population in severe food insecurity in Africa, 2014–2025
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in num th.
Analysis
Africa recorded 319,020 num th for population in severe food insecurity in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.2% on the previous year and up 57.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in severe food insecurity in Africa peaked at 329,711 num th in 2024 and was at its lowest, 193,601 num th, in 2014.
That places Africa 3rd out of 35 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 12 years of available data.
Population in severe food insecurity in Africa, year by year
| Year | num th | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 193,601 num th | — |
| 2015 | 202,290 num th | +4.5% |
| 2016 | 232,045 num th | +14.7% |
| 2017 | 244,588 num th | +5.4% |
| 2018 | 243,369 num th | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 255,939 num th | +5.2% |
| 2020 | 283,747 num th | +10.9% |
| 2021 | 300,543 num th | +5.9% |
| 2022 | 301,687 num th | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 310,054 num th | +2.8% |
| 2024 | 329,711 num th | +6.3% |
| 2025 | 319,020 num th | -3.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 228,639 num th | 193,601 num th | 255,939 num th | 6 |
| 2020s | 307,460 num th | 283,747 num th | 329,711 num th | 6 |
Countries ranked near Africa
More agriculture & rural data for Africa
- Vegetables Primary — Yield, annual growth rate -0.2987 % change on previous year (2024)
- Edible offal of pigs, fresh, chilled or frozen — Production, annual 4.44 % change on previous year (2024)
- Cabbages — Production, annual growth rate -1.83 % change on previous year (2024)
- Cabbages — Yield, annual growth rate -2.14 % change on previous year (2024)
- Cabbages — Area harvested, annual growth rate 0.3138 % change on previous year (2024)
- Vegetables Primary — Production, annual growth rate 2.05 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sugar Crops Primary — Production, annual growth rate 1.47 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sugar Crops Primary — Area harvested, annual growth rate 0.2698 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sugar Crops Primary — Yield, annual growth rate 1.2 % change on previous year (2024)
- Edible offal of pigs, fresh, chilled or frozen — Producing -1.13 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in severe food insecurity in Africa?
- Population in severe food insecurity in Africa was 319,020 num th in 2025, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest population in severe food insecurity recorded in Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 329,711 num th in 2024.
- What is the lowest population in severe food insecurity recorded in Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 193,601 num th in 2014.
- How does Africa rank for population in severe food insecurity?
- Africa ranks 3rd out of 35 groups with data for 2025.
- Is population in severe food insecurity rising or falling in Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 57.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Africa data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Population in 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).