Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population in Pakistan
Pakistan: Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population was 42.1% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population in Pakistan, 2015–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in %.
Analysis
Pakistan recorded 42.1% for prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population in 2023. That is the highest value across all 9 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.0% on the previous year and up 198.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population in Pakistan peaked at 42.1% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 12.1%, in 2016.
That places Pakistan 35th out of 126 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population in Pakistan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 14.1% | — |
| 2016 | 12.1% | -14.2% |
| 2017 | 12.8% | +5.8% |
| 2018 | 14.2% | +10.9% |
| 2019 | 24.3% | +71.1% |
| 2020 | 32.6% | +34.2% |
| 2021 | 41.0% | +25.8% |
| 2022 | 41.7% | +1.7% |
| 2023 | 42.1% | +1.0% |
Pakistan compared with similar countries
- Pakistan's 42.1% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 42.4%, 99% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
- Pakistan's 42.1% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 30.8%, 1.4× the median. (13 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 15.5% | 12.1% | 24.3% | 5 |
| 2020s | 39.4% | 32.6% | 42.1% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
More health data for Pakistan
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.14 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.8219 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 944.5 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 55,286 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 335 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.5028 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0616 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.4109 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population in Pakistan?
- Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population in Pakistan was 42.1% in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population recorded in Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 42.1% in 2023.
- What is the lowest prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.1% in 2016.
- How does Pakistan rank for prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population?
- Pakistan ranks 35th out of 126 countries with data for 2023.
- Is prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population rising or falling in Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 198.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Pakistan data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The percentage of people in the population who live in households classified as moderately or severely food insecure. A household is classified as moderately or severely food insecure when at least one adult in the household has reported to have been exposed, at times during the year, to low quality diets and might have been forced to also reduce the quantity of food they would normally eat because of a lack of money or other resources.