Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the female adult population (percent) (3-year average) — Value by country
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...
What the numbers show
Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the female adult population (percent) (3-year average) — Value is currently reported for 121 countries. The highest value is 62.9 % in South Sudan; the lowest is 0.5 % in Luxembourg.
The median across all reporting countries is 5.1 %, and the mean is 10.14 %.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 126.
Over the past decade 64 countries rose and 53 fell. The largest increase was in Pakistan (up 563.6%), and the largest decrease in Luxembourg (down 72.2%).
Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the female adult population: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Sudan | 62.9 % | 2023 | down 3.8% | flat |
| 1 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 44.3 % | 2023 | up 19.1% | rising |
| 2 | Malawi | 59.6 % | 2023 | up 19.4% | rising |
| 3 | Haiti | 45.4 % | 2023 | down 1.3% | flat |
| 3 | Melanesia | 24.7 % | 2023 | up 3.8% | flat |
| 3 | Caribbean | 24.6 % | 2023 | down 9.9% | falling |
| 4 | Liberia | 36.3 % | 2023 | down 9.2% | flat |
| 4 | United Republic of Tanzania | 22.3 % | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Afghanistan | 34.5 % | 2023 | up 125.5% | rising |
| 6 | Sierra Leone | 31.5 % | 2023 | up 14.5% | flat |
| 7 | Namibia | 28.9 % | 2023 | down 5.6% | flat |
| 8 | Kenya | 27.2 % | 2023 | up 65.9% | rising |
| 8 | Republic of Moldova | 7.4 % | 2023 | up 362.5% | rising |
| 9 | Eswatini | 27.1 % | 2023 | — | rising |
| 9 | Lao People's Democratic Republic | 5.8 % | 2023 | down 48.7% | falling |
| 10 | Nigeria | 26.7 % | 2023 | up 167.0% | rising |
| 10 | Iran (Islamic Republic of) | 4 % | 2023 | down 56.0% | falling |
| 11 | Zimbabwe | 25.7 % | 2023 | down 28.8% | falling |
| 11 | Viet Nam | 2 % | 2023 | up 300.0% | volatile |
| 12 | Chad | 25.5 % | 2023 | down 22.7% | falling |
| 13 | Jamaica | 25.4 % | 2023 | down 8.0% | falling |
| 14 | Lesotho | 24.9 % | 2023 | down 7.8% | falling |
| 15 | Cameroon | 24.1 % | 2023 | up 12.6% | flat |
| 16 | Guatemala | 22.6 % | 2023 | up 34.5% | rising |
| 17 | Botswana | 21.9 % | 2023 | up 6.3% | rising |
| 18 | Zambia | 18.3 % | 2023 | down 18.3% | falling |
| 19 | Dominican Republic | 18.1 % | 2023 | down 29.8% | falling |
| 19 | Côte d'Ivoire | 7.9 % | 2023 | up 25.4% | rising |
| 20 | Gambia | 17.3 % | 2023 | down 25.8% | falling |
| 21 | Ethiopia | 17 % | 2023 | up 4.9% | rising |
| 22 | Angola | 16.9 % | 2023 | down 36.5% | falling |
| 22 | Cabo Verde | 6.4 % | 2023 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 23 | Madagascar | 16.8 % | 2023 | up 60.0% | rising |
| 24 | Honduras | 16 % | 2023 | up 3.2% | rising |
| 25 | El Salvador | 13.7 % | 2023 | down 8.7% | rising |
| 26 | Egypt | 13.4 % | 2023 | up 35.4% | rising |
| 27 | Benin | 13.3 % | 2023 | up 24.3% | rising |
| 28 | Mauritania | 13 % | 2023 | up 165.3% | rising |
| 28 | Uganda | 13 % | 2023 | down 36.6% | falling |
| 30 | Mauritius | 12.9 % | 2023 | up 118.6% | rising |
| 31 | Libya | 12.6 % | 2023 | down 5.3% | rising |
| 32 | Argentina | 12 % | 2023 | up 81.8% | rising |
| 33 | Nepal | 11.9 % | 2023 | up 17.8% | rising |
| 34 | Ecuador | 11.7 % | 2023 | up 88.7% | rising |
| 35 | Lebanon | 11.4 % | 2023 | up 338.5% | rising |
| 36 | Albania | 9.5 % | 2023 | down 11.2% | falling |
| 37 | Togo | 9.2 % | 2023 | down 36.6% | falling |
| 38 | Guinea-Bissau | 9 % | 2021 | up 8.4% | rising |
| 39 | Ghana | 8.8 % | 2023 | up 72.5% | rising |
| 40 | South Africa | 8.7 % | 2023 | up 11.5% | rising |
| 41 | Tunisia | 8.3 % | 2023 | down 12.6% | flat |
| 42 | Myanmar | 7.8 % | 2023 | up 254.5% | rising |
| 43 | Burkina Faso | 7.7 % | 2023 | up 42.6% | rising |
| 44 | Niger | 7.3 % | 2023 | down 28.4% | falling |
| 44 | Pakistan | 7.3 % | 2023 | up 563.6% | volatile |
| 46 | Paraguay | 6.7 % | 2023 | up 458.3% | rising |
| 47 | Romania | 5.7 % | 2023 | down 17.4% | rising |
| 48 | Colombia | 5.6 % | 2023 | up 12.0% | rising |
| 48 | Ukraine | 5.6 % | 2023 | up 133.3% | rising |
| 50 | Hungary | 5.4 % | 2023 | up 285.7% | volatile |
| 50 | Tajikistan | 5.4 % | 2023 | up 3.8% | flat |
| 52 | Georgia | 5.2 % | 2023 | down 29.7% | falling |
| 53 | Palestine, State of | 5.1 % | 2021 | up 2.0% | flat |
| 54 | Algeria | 5 % | 2023 | down 64.5% | falling |
| 55 | Kiribati | 4.8 % | 2023 | down 40.0% | falling |
| 56 | New Zealand | 4.6 % | 2023 | up 27.8% | flat |
| 57 | Samoa | 4.5 % | 2023 | up 32.4% | rising |
| 58 | Grenada | 4.4 % | 2023 | down 47.0% | falling |
| 58 | Malaysia | 4.4 % | 2023 | down 29.0% | falling |
| 60 | Australia and New Zealand | 4.3 % | 2023 | up 43.3% | rising |
| 61 | Australia | 4.2 % | 2023 | up 44.8% | rising |
| 61 | Peru | 4.2 % | 2023 | up 16.7% | rising |
| 63 | Netherlands (Kingdom of the) | 4.1 % | 2023 | up 192.9% | rising |
| 64 | Senegal | 3.8 % | 2023 | down 44.9% | falling |
| 65 | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 3.6 % | 2023 | up 24.1% | rising |
| 66 | Belgium | 3.4 % | 2023 | up 209.1% | rising |
| 66 | Cambodia | 3.4 % | 2023 | down 35.8% | falling |
| 68 | Sweden | 3.3 % | 2023 | up 371.4% | volatile |
| 69 | Kuwait | 3.2 % | 2023 | down 3.0% | falling |
| 69 | Mexico | 3.2 % | 2023 | down 15.8% | falling |
| 69 | Singapore | 3.2 % | 2023 | up 166.7% | rising |
| 72 | Chile | 3.1 % | 2023 | down 8.8% | flat |
| 72 | France | 3.1 % | 2023 | up 93.8% | rising |
| 74 | Philippines | 3 % | 2023 | up 3.4% | falling |
| 75 | Portugal | 2.9 % | 2023 | down 34.1% | falling |
| 76 | Uruguay | 2.8 % | 2023 | up 47.4% | rising |
| 77 | Belize | 2.7 % | 2023 | down 38.6% | falling |
| 78 | Costa Rica | 2.6 % | 2023 | up 44.4% | rising |
| 78 | Finland | 2.6 % | 2023 | up 8.3% | rising |
| 80 | Ireland | 2.5 % | 2023 | down 10.7% | falling |
| 80 | Mali | 2.5 % | 2023 | down 24.2% | falling |
| 82 | Spain | 2.4 % | 2023 | up 118.2% | rising |
| 82 | Iceland | 2.4 % | 2023 | up 60.0% | rising |
| 84 | Malta | 2.3 % | 2023 | up 27.8% | rising |
| 85 | Canada | 2 % | 2023 | up 233.3% | rising |
| 85 | Latvia | 2 % | 2023 | up 185.7% | volatile |
| 85 | North Macedonia | 2 % | 2023 | down 45.9% | rising |
| 88 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1.9 % | 2023 | up 35.7% | rising |
| 89 | Czechia | 1.8 % | 2023 | up 157.1% | rising |
| 89 | Denmark | 1.8 % | 2023 | up 80.0% | rising |
| 89 | Greece | 1.8 % | 2023 | down 30.8% | falling |
| 92 | Bulgaria | 1.7 % | 2023 | unchanged | rising |
| 92 | Estonia | 1.7 % | 2023 | up 112.5% | rising |
| 94 | Norway | 1.6 % | 2023 | up 23.1% | flat |
| 95 | Montenegro | 1.5 % | 2023 | down 31.8% | falling |
| 96 | Slovakia | 1.4 % | 2023 | up 16.7% | rising |
| 97 | Austria | 1.3 % | 2023 | down 7.1% | rising |
| 98 | Lithuania | 1.2 % | 2023 | down 52.0% | falling |
| 99 | Sri Lanka | 1.1 % | 2023 | up 83.3% | rising |
| 100 | Switzerland | 1 % | 2023 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 100 | Poland | 1 % | 2021 | down 47.4% | falling |
| 102 | Serbia | 0.9 % | 2023 | down 43.8% | flat |
| 103 | Brazil | 0.8 % | 2023 | down 20.0% | volatile |
| 104 | Germany | 0.7 % | 2023 | down 36.4% | flat |
| 104 | Israel | 0.7 % | 2023 | down 36.4% | falling |
| 106 | Croatia | 0.6 % | 2023 | up 20.0% | rising |
| 106 | Kyrgyzstan | 0.6 % | 2023 | down 25.0% | falling |
| 106 | Slovenia | 0.6 % | 2023 | down 40.0% | rising |
| 106 | Thailand | 0.6 % | 2023 | down 14.3% | falling |
| 106 | Republic of Korea | 0.6 % | 2023 | unchanged | rising |
| 111 | Luxembourg | 0.5 % | 2020 | down 72.2% | falling |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- Low-income economies 27.7 %
- Middle Africa 34.9 %
- Low Income Food Deficit Countries (LIFDCs) 25 %
- Eastern Africa 23.7 %
- Sub-Saharan Africa 23.2 %
- Small Island Developing States (SIDS) 20.7 %
- Oceania excluding Australia and New Zealand 23 %
- Least Developed Countries (LDCs) 20.5 %
- Africa 21 %
- Asia 8.4 %
- Western Africa 19.9 %
- Southern Asia 17.1 %
- Central Asia and Southern Asia 16.6 %
- Lower-middle-income economies 16.5 %
- Land Locked Developing Countries (LLDCs) 16.3 %
- Western Asia 13.9 %
- Western Asia and Northern Africa 13.1 %
- Northern Africa 12.3 %
- Southern Africa 10.6 %
- Oceania 9.2 %
- World 9 %
- Central America 7.1 %
- Latin America and the Caribbean 6.9 %
- South America 5 %
- Central Asia 2.8 %
- Northern Europe 2.7 %
- Upper-middle-income economies 2.6 %
- Europe 2 %
- Western Europe 2 %
- South-eastern Asia 1.9 %
- Northern America and Europe 1.9 %
- Eastern Europe 1.7 %
- High-income economies 1.7 %
- Southern Europe 1.6 %
- Northern America 1.4 %
- United States of America 1.3 %
- Eastern Asia and South-eastern Asia 1.2 %
- Eastern Asia 0.9 %
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.