Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Western Africa
Western Africa: Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population was 19.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Western Africa, 2014–2025
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
Western Africa recorded 19.8% for prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.0% on the previous year and up 80.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Western Africa peaked at 20.2% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 10.1%, in 2014.
Western Africa ranks 9th 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 Western Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 10.1% | — |
| 2015 | 11.0% | +8.9% |
| 2016 | 12.4% | +12.7% |
| 2017 | 13.2% | +6.5% |
| 2018 | 13.9% | +5.3% |
| 2019 | 14.5% | +4.3% |
| 2020 | 16.4% | +13.1% |
| 2021 | 17.2% | +4.9% |
| 2022 | 17.3% | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 18.8% | +8.7% |
| 2024 | 20.2% | +7.4% |
| 2025 | 19.8% | -2.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 12.5% | 10.1% | 14.5% | 6 |
| 2020s | 18.3% | 16.4% | 20.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Western Africa
More agriculture & rural data for Western Africa
- Sheep fat, unrendered — Production, annual growth rate 2.6 % change on previous year (2024)
- Raw hides and skins of goats or kids — Production, annual growth rate -0.9422 % change on previous year (2024)
- Raw hides and skins of goats or kids — Producing Animals/Slaughtered 1.5 % change on previous year (2024)
- Raw hides and skins of sheep or lambs — Yield/Carcass Weight, annual 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Raw hides and skins of sheep or lambs — Production, annual growth rate 2.63 % change on previous year (2024)
- Raw hides and skins of sheep or lambs — Producing -2.05 % change on previous year (2024)
- Raw milk of cattle — Yield/Carcass Weight, annual growth rate 0.4184 % change on previous year (2024)
- Raw milk of cattle — Production, annual growth rate 1.7 % change on previous year (2024)
- Raw milk of cattle — Milk Animals, annual growth rate 1.24 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sheep — Stocks, annual growth rate 2.44 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Western Africa?
- Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Western Africa was 19.8% 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 Western Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 20.2% in 2024.
- What is the lowest prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population recorded in Western Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.1% in 2014.
- How does Western Africa rank for prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population?
- Western Africa ranks 9th out of 35 groups with data for 2025.
- Is prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population rising or falling in Western Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 80.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Western 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).