Number of people who are severely food insecure in Botswana
Botswana: Number of people who are severely food insecure was 600,000 people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Number of people who are severely food insecure in Botswana, 2015–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of people who are severely food insecure in Botswana is 600,000 people, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 9 years on record.
That represents a change of up 50.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people who are severely food insecure in Botswana peaked at 600,000 people in 2019 and was at its lowest, 400,000 people, in 2015.
Botswana ranks 62nd of 118 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Number of people who are severely food insecure in Botswana, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 400,000 people | — |
| 2016 | 500,000 people | +25.0% |
| 2017 | 500,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 500,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 600,000 people | +20.0% |
| 2020 | 600,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 600,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 600,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 600,000 people | +0.0% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 600,000 people is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.00 million people, 60% of the median. (33 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 600,000 people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.70 million people, 22% of the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 500,000 people | 400,000 people | 600,000 people | 5 |
| 2020s | 600,000 people | 600,000 people | 600,000 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
More reference data data for Botswana
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0472 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.42 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0078 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.42 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1582 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.0825 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 6.97 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 7.25 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0424 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people who are severely food insecure in Botswana?
- Number of people who are severely food insecure in Botswana was 600,000 people in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people who are severely food insecure recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 600,000 people in 2019.
- What is the lowest number of people who are severely food insecure recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 400,000 people in 2015.
- How does Botswana rank for number of people who are severely food insecure?
- Botswana ranks 62nd out of 118 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of people who are severely food insecure rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 50.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Botswana data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people who are severely food insecure. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 9 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Severe food insecurity is defined by the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES). It is strongly related to insufficient quantity of food (energy).