Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Africa
Africa: Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population was 20.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Africa, 2014–2025
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in %.
Analysis
Africa recorded 20.6% for prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.5% on the previous year and up 24.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Africa peaked at 21.8% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 16.3%, in 2014.
Africa ranks 7th of 35 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 12 years of available data.
Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 16.3% | — |
| 2015 | 16.6% | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 18.6% | +12.0% |
| 2017 | 19.1% | +2.7% |
| 2018 | 18.5% | -3.1% |
| 2019 | 19.0% | +2.7% |
| 2020 | 20.6% | +8.4% |
| 2021 | 21.3% | +3.4% |
| 2022 | 20.9% | -1.9% |
| 2023 | 21.0% | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 21.8% | +3.8% |
| 2025 | 20.6% | -5.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 18.0% | 16.3% | 19.1% | 6 |
| 2020s | 21.0% | 20.6% | 21.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Africa
- 4 Democratic Republic of the Congo 43.9% compare
- 5 Liberia 35.5% compare
- 6 Sierra Leone 31.9% compare
- 7 Afghanistan 30.2% compare
- 8 Namibia 28.1% compare
- 9 Jamaica 27.4% compare
- 10 Kenya 26.5% compare
More agriculture & rural data for Africa
- Sheep and Goat Meat — Production, annual growth rate 2.31 % change on previous year (2024)
- Vegetables Primary — Yield, annual growth rate -0.2987 % change on previous year (2024)
- Vegetables Primary — Area harvested, annual growth rate 2.35 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sugar Crops Primary — Production, annual growth rate 1.47 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sugar Crops Primary — Yield, annual growth rate 1.2 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sugar Crops Primary — Area harvested, annual growth rate 0.2698 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sheep and Goats — Stocks, annual growth rate 2.45 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sheep and Goat Meat — Producing Animals/Slaughtered, annual growth 0.5254 % change on previous year (2024)
- Pulses, Total — Yield, annual growth rate 2.99 % change on previous year (2024)
- Pulses, Total — Production, annual growth rate 2.33 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Africa?
- Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Africa was 20.6% in 2025, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population recorded in Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 21.8% in 2024.
- What is the lowest prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population recorded in Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.3% in 2014.
- How does Africa rank for prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population?
- Africa ranks 7th out of 35 groups with data for 2025.
- Is prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population rising or falling in Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.1%. 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 Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population (%). 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).