Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population (%) in Zambia
Zambia: Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population (%) was 17.2% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Zambia, 2015–2024
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 Zambia is 17.2%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 10 years on record.
The figure is down 23.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Zambia peaked at 25.0% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 17.2%, in 2023.
That places Zambia 21st out of 128 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population (%) in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 22.4% | — |
| 2016 | 23.8% | +6.3% |
| 2017 | 24.1% | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 25.0% | +3.7% |
| 2019 | 22.5% | -10.0% |
| 2020 | 22.4% | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 19.7% | -12.1% |
| 2022 | 19.0% | -3.6% |
| 2023 | 17.2% | -9.5% |
| 2024 | 17.2% | +0.0% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 17.2% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 11.7%, 1.5× the median. (31 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 17.2% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 17.0%, 1.0× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 23.6% | 22.4% | 25.0% | 5 |
| 2020s | 19.1% | 17.2% | 22.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More health data for Zambia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.09 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.7971 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 8,894 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.68 % 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 0.0743 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.69 % 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 0.0744 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Zambia?
- Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in Zambia was 17.2% 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 25.0% in 2018.
- What is the lowest prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.2% in 2023.
- How does Zambia rank for prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population?
- Zambia ranks 21st out of 128 countries with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 23.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zambia 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 — 10 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.