Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the total in Western Africa
Western Africa: Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the total was 61 % in 2023. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the total in Western Africa, 2014–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the total in Western Africa is 61 %, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 10 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 60.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the total in Western Africa peaked at 61 % in 2023 and was at its lowest, 38.1 %, in 2014.
That places Western Africa 5th out of 37 groups with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the total in Western Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 38.1 % | — |
| 2015 | 40.7 % | +6.8% |
| 2016 | 43.2 % | +6.1% |
| 2017 | 44.9 % | +3.9% |
| 2018 | 48.2 % | +7.3% |
| 2019 | 53 % | +10.0% |
| 2020 | 57.1 % | +7.7% |
| 2021 | 59.6 % | +4.4% |
| 2022 | 60.5 % | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 61 % | +0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 44.68 % | 38.1 % | 53 % | 6 |
| 2020s | 59.55 % | 57.1 % | 61 % | 4 |
Countries ranked near Western Africa
- 2 Sierra Leone 85.1 % compare
- 3 Malawi 80.3 % compare
- 4 Haiti 80.2 % compare
- 4 United Republic of Tanzania 54.9 % compare
- 5 Liberia 76.8 % compare
- 5 Melanesia 52.3 % compare
- 6 Angola 74.8 % compare
- 7 Iran (Islamic Republic of) 34.9 % compare
- 7 Nigeria 74.5 % compare
- 7 Caribbean 50.9 % compare
- 8 Lao People's Democratic Republic 31.6 % compare
- 8 Yemen 73.4 % compare
More agriculture & rural data for Western Africa
- Other vegetables, fresh n.e.c. — Area harvested, annual growth rate -2.22 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sheep fat, unrendered — Production, annual growth rate 2.6 % change on previous year (2024)
- Potatoes — Production, annual growth rate -3.71 % change on previous year (2024)
- Potatoes — Yield, annual growth rate -2.77 % change on previous year (2024)
- Potatoes — Area harvested, annual growth rate -0.9609 % change on previous year (2024)
- Other vegetables, fresh n.e.c. — Production, annual growth rate -1.46 % change on previous year (2024)
- Other vegetables, fresh n.e.c. — Yield, annual growth rate 0.7808 % change on previous year (2024)
- Other fruits, n.e.c. — Area harvested, annual growth rate 1.87 % change on previous year (2024)
- Onions and shallots, dry (excluding dehydrated) — Yield, annual 4.87 % change on previous year (2024)
- Onions and shallots, dry (excluding dehydrated) — Production, annual 6.49 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the total in Western Africa?
- Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the total in Western Africa was 61 % in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the total recorded in Western Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 61 % in 2023.
- What is the lowest prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the total recorded in Western Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 38.1 % in 2014.
- How does Western Africa rank for prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the total?
- Western Africa ranks 5th out of 37 groups with data for 2023.
- Is prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the total rising or falling in Western Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 60.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Western Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the total population (percent) (3-year average) — Confidence interval: Lower bound. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
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.