Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone: Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population was 33.7% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
33.7%
Change on year
up 4.3%
World rank
6th
of 125 countries
All-time high
33.7%
in 2023
All-time low
26.7%
in 2015
Years of data
9
2015–2023

Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Sierra Leone, 2015–2023

01020302015201920232015: 26.7 %2016: 31.9 %2017: 32.6 %2018: 32.4 %2019: 32.2 %2020: 31.5 %2021: 31.9 %2022: 32.3 %2023: 33.7 %

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

Analysis

The most recent figure for prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Sierra Leone is 33.7%, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 9 years on record.

That represents a change of up 4.3% on the previous year and up 26.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Sierra Leone peaked at 33.7% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 26.7%, in 2015.

That places Sierra Leone 6th out of 125 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.

Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Sierra Leone, year by year

Annual values for Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population (%) in Sierra Leone, 2015 to 2023.
Year % Change
2015 26.7%
2016 31.9% +19.5%
2017 32.6% +2.2%
2018 32.4% -0.6%
2019 32.2% -0.6%
2020 31.5% -2.2%
2021 31.9% +1.3%
2022 32.3% +1.3%
2023 33.7% +4.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 31.2% 26.7% 32.6% 5
2020s 32.4% 31.5% 33.7% 4

Countries ranked near Sierra Leone

  1. 3 Haiti 45.4% compare
  2. 4 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 42.5% compare
  3. 5 Liberia 37.1% compare
  4. 7 Afghanistan 31.0% compare
  5. 8 Namibia 30.0% compare
  6. 9 Kenya 28.1% compare

See the full ranking of 148 places →

More health data for Sierra Leone

All data for Sierra Leone →

Frequently asked questions

What is prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Sierra Leone?
Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Sierra Leone was 33.7% 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 Sierra Leone?
The highest recorded value was 33.7% in 2023.
What is the lowest prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population recorded in Sierra Leone?
The lowest recorded value was 26.7% in 2015.
How does Sierra Leone rank for prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population?
Sierra Leone ranks 6th out of 125 countries with data for 2023.
Is prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
Over the last ten years it is up 26.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Sierra Leone 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 Sierra Leone. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/prevalence-of-severe-food-insecurity-in-the-population-percent/sierra-leone/

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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.