Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan: Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population was 12.3% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, 2014–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in %.
Analysis
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan recorded 12.3% for prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 66.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan peaked at 13.1% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 7.4%, in 2014.
That places Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 10th out of 23 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 11 years of available data.
Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 7.4% | — |
| 2015 | 7.5% | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 8.1% | +8.2% |
| 2017 | 7.9% | -2.6% |
| 2018 | 8.4% | +6.7% |
| 2019 | 7.8% | -7.3% |
| 2020 | 11.2% | +42.9% |
| 2021 | 13.1% | +17.0% |
| 2022 | 12.8% | -2.3% |
| 2023 | 12.3% | -3.7% |
| 2024 | 12.3% | +0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 7.9% | 7.4% | 8.4% | 6 |
| 2020s | 12.3% | 11.2% | 13.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
More health data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
- Population ages 40-44, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, annual growth rate 1.93 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, per capita 0.0387 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, annual growth rate 3.33 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, male, annual growth rate 3.14 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, male, per capita 0.0337 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, female, per capita 0.0344 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, per capita 0.0305 units per person (2025)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan →
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan was 12.3% 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 Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 13.1% in 2021.
- What is the lowest prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.4% in 2014.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan rank for prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 10th out of 23 groups with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 66.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 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.
Download this data
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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.