Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population (%) in Lesotho
Lesotho: Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population (%) was 24.3% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Lesotho, 2018–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in %.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 24.3% for prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 7 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.6% on the previous year and down 10.0% over ten years.
That places Lesotho 15th out of 128 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population (%) in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 27.0% | — |
| 2019 | 26.8% | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 26.4% | -1.5% |
| 2021 | 25.8% | -2.3% |
| 2022 | 25.3% | -1.9% |
| 2023 | 24.7% | -2.4% |
| 2024 | 24.3% | -1.6% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 24.3% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 11.7%, 2.1× the median. (31 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 24.3% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 17.0%, 1.4× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 26.9% | 26.8% | 27.0% | 2 |
| 2020s | 25.3% | 24.3% | 26.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More health data for Lesotho
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.05 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.4669 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 382 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2020)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.8108 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0548 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.7473 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0557 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Lesotho?
- Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Lesotho was 24.3% 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 Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 27.0% in 2018.
- What is the lowest prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.3% in 2024.
- How does Lesotho rank for prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population?
- Lesotho ranks 15th out of 128 countries with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Lesotho 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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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.