Number of people who are undernourished in Kenya

Kenya: Number of people who are undernourished was 20.40 million in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
20.40 million
Change on year
up 6.2%
World rank
7th
of 130 countries
All-time high
20.40 million
in 2023
All-time low
8.40 million
in 2012
Years of data
23
2001–2023

Number of people who are undernourished in Kenya, 2001–2023

05.0M10.0M15.0M20.0M2001201220232001: 10.1M2002: 10.9M2003: 11.6M2004: 11.0M2005: 10.0M2006: 9.5M2007: 10.2M2008: 10.5M2009: 9.8M2010: 9.0M2011: 8.5M2012: 8.4M2013: 8.5M2014: 8.7M2015: 9.8M2016: 10.7M2017: 11.6M2018: 11.5M2019: 12.1M2020: 13.7M2021: 16.8M2022: 19.2M2023: 20.4M

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization (http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#home).

Analysis

The most recent figure for number of people who are undernourished in Kenya is 20.40 million, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 23 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 6.2% on the previous year and up 140.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, number of people who are undernourished in Kenya peaked at 20.40 million in 2023 and was at its lowest, 8.40 million, in 2012.

That places Kenya 7th out of 130 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 23 years of available data.

Number of people who are undernourished in Kenya, year by year

Annual values for Number of people who are undernourished in Kenya, 2001 to 2023.
Year Value Change
2001 10.10 million
2002 10.90 million +7.9%
2003 11.60 million +6.4%
2004 11.00 million -5.2%
2005 10.00 million -9.1%
2006 9.50 million -5.0%
2007 10.20 million +7.4%
2008 10.50 million +2.9%
2009 9.80 million -6.7%
2010 9.00 million -8.2%
2011 8.50 million -5.6%
2012 8.40 million -1.2%
2013 8.50 million +1.2%
2014 8.70 million +2.4%
2015 9.80 million +12.6%
2016 10.70 million +9.2%
2017 11.60 million +8.4%
2018 11.50 million -0.9%
2019 12.10 million +5.2%
2020 13.70 million +13.2%
2021 16.80 million +22.6%
2022 19.20 million +14.3%
2023 20.40 million +6.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 10.40 million 9.50 million 11.60 million 9
2010s 9.88 million 8.40 million 12.10 million 10
2020s 17.52 million 13.70 million 20.40 million 4

Countries ranked near Kenya

  1. 4 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 40.70 million compare
  2. 5 China 38.50 million compare
  3. 6 Ethiopia 25.40 million compare
  4. 8 Bangladesh 17.90 million compare
  5. 9 Indonesia 17.70 million compare
  6. 10 Tanzania, United Republic of 13.40 million compare

See the full ranking of 172 places →

More health data for Kenya

All data for Kenya →

Frequently asked questions

What is number of people who are undernourished in Kenya?
Number of people who are undernourished in Kenya was 20.40 million in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization (http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#home).
What is the highest number of people who are undernourished recorded in Kenya?
The highest recorded value was 20.40 million in 2023.
What is the lowest number of people who are undernourished recorded in Kenya?
The lowest recorded value was 8.40 million in 2012.
How does Kenya rank for number of people who are undernourished?
Kenya ranks 7th out of 130 countries with data for 2023.
Is number of people who are undernourished rising or falling in Kenya?
Over the last ten years it is up 140.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Kenya data come from?
The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization (http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#home), published as part of Number of people who are undernourished. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Number of people who are undernourished in Kenya. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization (http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#home). Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/number-of-people-who-are-undernourished/kenya/

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About this data

Indicator
Number of people who are undernourished
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization (http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#home)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
172 places, 3,649 data points, 2001–2023
Last refreshed

Number of people who are undernourished shows the number of people whose habitual food consumption is insufficient to provide the dietary energy levels that are required to maintain a normal active and healthy life.