Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the female adult population in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the female adult population was 23.6 % in 2023. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the female adult population in Sub-Saharan Africa, 2014–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, prevalence of severe food insecurity in the female adult population in Sub-Saharan Africa stood at 23.6 %.
That represents a change of down 0.4% on the previous year and up 22.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of severe food insecurity in the female adult population in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 23.7 % in 2020 and was at its lowest, 19.3 %, in 2014.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 6th of 37 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the female adult population in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 19.3 % | — |
| 2015 | 20.2 % | +4.7% |
| 2016 | 20.9 % | +3.5% |
| 2017 | 21.4 % | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 22.3 % | +4.2% |
| 2019 | 23.3 % | +4.5% |
| 2020 | 23.7 % | +1.7% |
| 2021 | 23.5 % | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 23.7 % | +0.9% |
| 2023 | 23.6 % | -0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 21.23 % | 19.3 % | 23.3 % | 6 |
| 2020s | 23.62 % | 23.5 % | 23.7 % | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 3 Haiti 49.1 % compare
- 3 Melanesia 26.1 % compare
- 4 Afghanistan 40.3 % compare
- 4 United Republic of Tanzania 24 % compare
- 5 Liberia 38.6 % compare
- 6 Sierra Leone 35.4 % compare
- 7 Namibia 30.9 % compare
- 7 Republic of Moldova 9.6 % compare
- 8 Eswatini 30.1 % compare
- 9 Lao People's Democratic Republic 7.2 % compare
- 9 Zimbabwe 29.2 % compare
More agriculture & rural data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- 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)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.6% (2024)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of severe food insecurity in the female adult population in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the female adult population in Sub-Saharan Africa was 23.6 % in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest prevalence of severe food insecurity in the female adult population recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 23.7 % in 2020.
- What is the lowest prevalence of severe food insecurity in the female adult population recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.3 % in 2014.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for prevalence of severe food insecurity in the female adult population?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 6th out of 37 groups with data for 2023.
- Is prevalence of severe food insecurity in the female adult population rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the female adult population (percent) (3-year average) — Confidence interval: Upper 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.