Share of population with moderate or severe food insecurity in Zambia
Zambia: Share of population with moderate or severe food insecurity was 45.3 percent in 2023. ▼ Falling
Share of population with moderate or severe food insecurity in Zambia, 2015–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in percent.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of population with moderate or severe food insecurity in Zambia is 45.3 percent, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 9 years on record.
The figure is down 1.7% on the previous year and down 11.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population with moderate or severe food insecurity in Zambia peaked at 54.2 percent in 2018 and was at its lowest, 45.3 percent, in 2023.
That places Zambia 30th out of 126 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
Share of population with moderate or severe food insecurity in Zambia, year by year
| Year | percent | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 51.2 percent | — |
| 2016 | 52.4 percent | +2.3% |
| 2017 | 52 percent | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 54.2 percent | +4.2% |
| 2019 | 52.5 percent | -3.1% |
| 2020 | 51.8 percent | -1.3% |
| 2021 | 47.9 percent | -7.5% |
| 2022 | 46.1 percent | -3.8% |
| 2023 | 45.3 percent | -1.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 52.46 percent | 51.2 percent | 54.2 percent | 5 |
| 2020s | 47.77 percent | 45.3 percent | 51.8 percent | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More population data for Zambia
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.5254 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.2495 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.5254 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.5112 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 37,460 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.52 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.2967 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate 0.516 (2100)
- Population density 86.73 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 4.60 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population with moderate or severe food insecurity in Zambia?
- Share of population with moderate or severe food insecurity in Zambia was 45.3 percent 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 share of population with moderate or severe food insecurity recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 54.2 percent in 2018.
- What is the lowest share of population with moderate or severe food insecurity recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 45.3 percent in 2023.
- How does Zambia rank for share of population with moderate or severe food insecurity?
- Zambia ranks 30th out of 126 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of population with moderate or severe food insecurity rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.5%. 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 (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population with moderate or severe food insecurity. 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
Food insecurity is defined by the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES). Moderate food insecurity is associated with the inability to regularly eat healthy, nutritious diets. Severe food insecurity is more related to insufficient quantity of food (energy).