Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Africa Western and Central
Africa Western and Central: Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population was 21.5% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Africa Western and Central, 2014–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Africa Western and Central stood at 21.5%. That is the highest value across all 11 years on record.
The figure is up 6.7% on the previous year and up 76.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Africa Western and Central peaked at 21.5% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 12.2%, in 2014.
That places Africa Western and Central 4th out of 23 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 11 years of available data.
Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 12.2% | — |
| 2015 | 13.5% | +10.7% |
| 2016 | 15.0% | +11.0% |
| 2017 | 16.0% | +6.8% |
| 2018 | 16.7% | +4.1% |
| 2019 | 17.0% | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 18.5% | +8.9% |
| 2021 | 18.9% | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 19.0% | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 20.1% | +5.9% |
| 2024 | 21.5% | +6.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 15.1% | 12.2% | 17.0% | 6 |
| 2020s | 19.6% | 18.5% | 21.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Africa Western and Central
- 1 South Sudan 63.1% compare
- 2 Malawi 55.6% compare
- 3 Haiti 45.4% compare
- 4 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 42.5% compare
- 5 Liberia 37.1% compare
- 6 Sierra Leone 33.7% compare
- 7 Afghanistan 31.0% compare
More health data for Africa Western and Central
- Population ages 35-39, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, male, annual growth rate 2.59 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, per capita 0.0237 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, annual growth rate 2.75 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, per capita 0.0278 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, annual growth rate 2.24 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, female, per capita 0.0277 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, female, annual growth rate 2.27 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Africa Western and Central?
- Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Africa Western and Central was 21.5% in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 21.5% in 2024.
- What is the lowest prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.2% in 2014.
- How does Africa Western and Central rank for prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population?
- Africa Western and Central ranks 4th out of 23 groups with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population rising or falling in Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is up 76.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Africa Western and Central data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 11 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
The percentage of people in the population who live in households classified as severely food insecure. A household is classified as severely food insecure when at least one adult in the household has reported to have been exposed, at times during the year, to several of the most severe experiences described in the FIES questions, such as to have been forced to reduce the quantity of the food, to have skipped meals, having gone hungry, or having to go for a whole day without eating because of a lack of money or other resources.