Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Lesotho

Lesotho: Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population was 24.7% in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)
24.7%
Change on year
down 2.4%
World rank
14th
of 125 countries
All-time high
27.0%
in 2018
All-time low
24.7%
in 2023
Years of data
6
2018–2023

Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Lesotho, 2018–2023

01020302018202020232018: 27 %2019: 26.8 %2020: 26.4 %2021: 25.8 %2022: 25.3 %2023: 24.7 %

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

Analysis

Lesotho recorded 24.7% for prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 6 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.4% on the previous year and down 8.5% over ten years.

That places Lesotho 14th out of 125 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.

Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Lesotho, year by year

Annual values for Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population (%) in Lesotho, 2018 to 2023.
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%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 26.9% 26.8% 27.0% 2
2020s 25.6% 24.7% 26.4% 4

Countries ranked near Lesotho

  1. 11 Botswana 26.1% compare
  2. 12 Chad 25.2% compare
  3. 13 Zimbabwe 25.1% compare
  4. 14 Cameroon 24.7% compare
  5. 16 Tanzania, United Republic of 24.4% compare
  6. 17 Nigeria 24.3% compare

See the full ranking of 148 places →

More health data for Lesotho

All data for Lesotho →

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 24.7% in 2023, 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 24.7% in 2023.
How does Lesotho rank for prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population?
Lesotho ranks 14th out of 125 countries with data for 2023.
Is prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population rising or falling in Lesotho?
Over the last ten years it is down 8.5%. 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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Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Lesotho. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Retrieved 06 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/prevalence-of-severe-food-insecurity-in-the-population-percent/lesotho/

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About this data

Indicator
Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population (%)
Unit
%
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
148 places, 1,295 data points, 2014–2024
Last refreshed

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.