Number of people who are severely food insecure in South Africa
South Africa: Number of people who are severely food insecure was 5.40 million people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Number of people who are severely food insecure in South Africa, 2018–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 5.40 million people for number of people who are severely food insecure in 2023. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.
The figure is up 1.9% on the previous year and up 31.7% over ten years.
That places South Africa 16th out of 118 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
Number of people who are severely food insecure in South Africa, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 4.10 million people | — |
| 2019 | 4.40 million people | +7.3% |
| 2020 | 4.80 million people | +9.1% |
| 2021 | 5.20 million people | +8.3% |
| 2022 | 5.30 million people | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 5.40 million people | +1.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 4.25 million people | 4.10 million people | 4.40 million people | 2 |
| 2020s | 5.17 million people | 4.80 million people | 5.40 million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More reference data data for South Africa
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5111 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 8.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 13.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7468 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 13.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 41.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 63.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 4.07 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people who are severely food insecure in South Africa?
- Number of people who are severely food insecure in South Africa was 5.40 million 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 5.40 million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of people who are severely food insecure recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.10 million people in 2018.
- How does South Africa rank for number of people who are severely food insecure?
- South Africa ranks 16th out of 118 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of people who are severely food insecure rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 31.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa 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 — 6 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).