Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Eastern Africa
Eastern Africa: Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population was 21.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Eastern Africa, 2014–2025
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
The most recent figure for prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Eastern Africa is 21.9%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 11.0% on the previous year and up 5.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Eastern Africa peaked at 26.3% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 20.6%, in 2014.
That places Eastern Africa 5th 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.
Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Eastern Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 20.6% | — |
| 2015 | 20.8% | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 24.3% | +16.8% |
| 2017 | 24.8% | +2.1% |
| 2018 | 22.9% | -7.7% |
| 2019 | 23.5% | +2.6% |
| 2020 | 26.3% | +11.9% |
| 2021 | 26.3% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 24.7% | -6.1% |
| 2023 | 23.6% | -4.5% |
| 2024 | 24.6% | +4.2% |
| 2025 | 21.9% | -11.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 22.8% | 20.6% | 24.8% | 6 |
| 2020s | 24.6% | 21.9% | 26.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Eastern Africa
- 2 Malawi 58.1% compare
- 3 Haiti 45.4% compare
- 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
More agriculture & rural data for Eastern Africa
- Sheep and Goat Meat — Yield/Carcass Weight, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Vegetables Primary — Area harvested, annual growth rate 0.0923 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sugar Crops Primary — Production, annual growth rate 10.98 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sugar Crops Primary — Yield, annual growth rate 1.21 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sugar Crops Primary — Area harvested, annual growth rate 9.65 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sheep and Goats — Stocks, annual growth rate 7.06 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sheep and Goat Meat — Producing Animals/Slaughtered, annual growth 5.25 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sheep and Goat Meat — Production, annual growth rate 7.92 % change on previous year (2024)
- Pulses, Total — Area harvested, annual growth rate -5.07 % change on previous year (2024)
- Pulses, Total — Yield, annual growth rate 3 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Eastern Africa?
- Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Eastern Africa was 21.9% 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 Eastern Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 26.3% in 2020.
- What is the lowest prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population recorded in Eastern Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.6% in 2014.
- How does Eastern Africa rank for prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population?
- Eastern Africa ranks 5th out of 35 groups with data for 2025.
- Is prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population rising or falling in Eastern Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Eastern 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).