Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the total population in Southern Asia

Southern Asia: Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the total population was 14.8 % in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
14.8 %
Change on year
down 5.7%
Rank
11th
of 37 groups
All-time high
17.2 %
in 2020
All-time low
10.5 %
in 2015
Years of data
10
2014–2023

Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the total population in Southern Asia, 2014–2023

0510152014201820232014: 11 %2015: 10.5 %2016: 11.4 %2017: 12.8 %2018: 15.3 %2019: 16.6 %2020: 17.2 %2021: 16.6 %2022: 15.7 %2023: 14.8 %

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for prevalence of severe food insecurity in the total population in Southern Asia is 14.8 %, measured in 2023.

The figure is down 5.7% on the previous year and up 34.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, prevalence of severe food insecurity in the total population in Southern Asia peaked at 17.2 % in 2020 and was at its lowest, 10.5 %, in 2015.

That places Southern Asia 11th out of 37 groups with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.

Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the total population in Southern Asia, year by year

Annual values for Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the total population (percent) (3-year average) — Confidence interval: Lower bound in Southern Asia, 2014 to 2023.
Year % Change
2014 11 %
2015 10.5 % -4.5%
2016 11.4 % +8.6%
2017 12.8 % +12.3%
2018 15.3 % +19.5%
2019 16.6 % +8.5%
2020 17.2 % +3.6%
2021 16.6 % -3.5%
2022 15.7 % -5.4%
2023 14.8 % -5.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 12.93 % 10.5 % 16.6 % 6
2020s 16.07 % 14.8 % 17.2 % 4

Countries ranked near Southern Asia

  1. 8 Lao People's Democratic Republic 4.1 % compare
  2. 8 Nigeria 24.9 % compare
  3. 8 Republic of Moldova 4.1 % compare
  4. 9 Afghanistan 24.1 % compare
  5. 10 Chad 23.9 % compare
  6. 10 Iran (Islamic Republic of) 3.6 % compare
  7. 11 Jamaica 23.8 % compare
  8. 11 Viet Nam 1.1 % compare
  9. 12 Lesotho 22.8 % compare
  10. 13 Eswatini 21.8 % compare
  11. 14 Zimbabwe 21.5 % compare

See the full ranking of 151 places →

More agriculture & rural data for Southern Asia

All data for Southern Asia →

Frequently asked questions

What is prevalence of severe food insecurity in the total population in Southern Asia?
Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the total population in Southern Asia was 14.8 % 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 Southern Asia?
The highest recorded value was 17.2 % in 2020.
What is the lowest prevalence of severe food insecurity in the total population recorded in Southern Asia?
The lowest recorded value was 10.5 % in 2015.
How does Southern Asia rank for prevalence of severe food insecurity in the total population?
Southern Asia ranks 11th out of 37 groups with data for 2023.
Is prevalence of severe food insecurity in the total population rising or falling in Southern Asia?
Over the last ten years it is up 34.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Southern Asia 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: Lower bound. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the total population in Southern Asia. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 14 September 2026, from https://agriculture.statizoid.com/stat/prevalence-of-severe-food-insecurity-in-the-total-population-percent-3-year-average/southern-asia/

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About this data

Indicator
Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the total population (percent) (3-year average) — Confidence interval: Lower bound
Unit
%
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO)
Coverage
151 places, 1,366 data points, 2014–2023
Last refreshed

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.