Population in severe food insecurity in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Population in severe food insecurity was 288,515 num th in 2025. ▲ Rising
Population in severe food insecurity in Sub-Saharan Africa, 2014–2025
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in num th.
Analysis
In 2025, population in severe food insecurity in Sub-Saharan Africa stood at 288,515 num th.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.5% on the previous year and up 59.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in severe food insecurity in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 295,894 num th in 2024 and was at its lowest, 170,402 num th, in 2014.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 6th out of 35 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.
Population in severe food insecurity in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | num th | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 170,402 num th | — |
| 2015 | 181,374 num th | +6.4% |
| 2016 | 207,404 num th | +14.4% |
| 2017 | 219,586 num th | +5.9% |
| 2018 | 220,461 num th | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 233,848 num th | +6.1% |
| 2020 | 259,346 num th | +10.9% |
| 2021 | 271,175 num th | +4.6% |
| 2022 | 269,872 num th | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 278,032 num th | +3.0% |
| 2024 | 295,894 num th | +6.4% |
| 2025 | 288,515 num th | -2.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 205,512 num th | 170,402 num th | 233,848 num th | 6 |
| 2020s | 277,139 num th | 259,346 num th | 295,894 num th | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
More agriculture & rural data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 10.7 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.5534 units per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1791 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 299.6 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.53 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 395.96 billion current US$ (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 17.9% (2025)
- Rural population 731.42 million (2025)
- Rural population growth 1.5% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in severe food insecurity in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Population in severe food insecurity in Sub-Saharan Africa was 288,515 num th in 2025, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest population in severe food insecurity recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 295,894 num th in 2024.
- What is the lowest population in severe food insecurity recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 170,402 num th in 2014.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for population in severe food insecurity?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 6th out of 35 groups with data for 2025.
- Is population in severe food insecurity rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 59.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan 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).