Food insecurity — all countries

Food insecurity — Malawi

Food insecurity in Malawi in 2023 — 81.7%. Ranked 131 in the world out of 134. Since 2015, the indicator has risen by 3.6 pp.

2023 81.7% +0 pp vs 2022
World rank 131of 134
Period maximum 82.4%2021
Period minimum 78.1%2015

Trend over time

2015–2023 · % of population

Food insecurity — Malawi, 2015–2023788082842015201620172018201920202021202220232015: 78.1%2016: 79.2%2017: 80.3%2018: 78.8%2019: 79.9%2020: 81.3%2021: 82.4%2022: 81.7%2023: 81.7%
Change over the period: +3.6 pp Annual average: 0.45 pp

Comparison, 2023

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Malawi

Malawi 81.7%
World 28.4%
Sub-Saharan Africa computed 61.9%
Eastern Africa computed 64%
Low-income countries computed 67%
Food insecurity — Malawi, by year Malawi All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2023 81.7 +0 pp
2022 81.7 −0.7 pp
2021 82.4 +1.1 pp
2020 81.3 +1.4 pp
2019 79.9 +1.1 pp
2018 78.8 −1.5 pp
2017 80.3 +1.1 pp
2016 79.2 +1.1 pp
2015 78.1

About the indicator

The share of the population that experienced moderate or severe food insecurity, on the FIES scale of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The indicator is built not on calories but on a survey: people are asked whether over the past year they had to eat less, skip meals or go without food for a whole day because of a lack of money. That is why it catches what undernourishment by calories misses — episodic shortage in countries where the average diet is sufficient.

Important: The moderate and severe forms together, so the values are substantially higher than those of the undernourishment indicator. Based on a survey rather than on a food balance sheet — this is an independent measurement, not a refinement.

Source: FAOSTAT (FAO), license CC BY 4.0.