Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the total population in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the total population was 19.8 % in 2023. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the total population in Ethiopia, 2014–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, prevalence of severe food insecurity in the total population in Ethiopia stood at 19.8 %.
That represents a change of down 10.8% on the previous year and up 19.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of severe food insecurity in the total population in Ethiopia peaked at 24.3 % in 2020 and was at its lowest, 16.3 %, in 2017.
That places Ethiopia 19th out of 114 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the total population in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 16.6 % | — |
| 2015 | 17.3 % | +4.2% |
| 2016 | 17.1 % | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 16.3 % | -4.7% |
| 2018 | 18.8 % | +15.3% |
| 2019 | 22.4 % | +19.1% |
| 2020 | 24.3 % | +8.5% |
| 2021 | 22.9 % | -5.8% |
| 2022 | 22.2 % | -3.1% |
| 2023 | 19.8 % | -10.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 18.08 % | 16.3 % | 22.4 % | 6 |
| 2020s | 22.3 % | 19.8 % | 24.3 % | 4 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
- 16 Guatemala 25.5 % compare
- 17 Botswana 23 % compare
- 18 Gambia 20.1 % compare
- 19 Côte d'Ivoire 8.7 % compare
- 20 Cabo Verde 7.7 % compare
- 20 Zambia 18.7 % compare
- 21 Madagascar 18 % compare
- 22 Dominican Republic 17.9 % compare
- 22 Libya 17.9 % compare
More agriculture & rural data for Ethiopia
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual -20.36 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.3282 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 306.11 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.93 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0008 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.7589 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 32.8% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 32.8% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 9.7% (2023)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.5% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of severe food insecurity in the total population in Ethiopia?
- Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the total population in Ethiopia was 19.8 % in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest prevalence of severe food insecurity in the total population recorded in Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 24.3 % in 2020.
- What is the lowest prevalence of severe food insecurity in the total population recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.3 % in 2017.
- How does Ethiopia rank for prevalence of severe food insecurity in the total population?
- Ethiopia ranks 19th out of 114 countries with data for 2023.
- Is prevalence of severe food insecurity in the total population rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ethiopia 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 total 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.