Food insecurity — all countries

Food insecurity — Sierra Leone

Food insecurity in Sierra Leone in 2023 — 89.8%. Ranked 134 in the world out of 134. Since 2015, the indicator has risen by 14 pp.

2023 89.8% +1.2 pp vs 2022
World rank 134of 134
Period maximum 89.8%2023
Period minimum 75.8%2015

Trend over time

2015–2023 · % of population

Food insecurity — Sierra Leone, 2015–2023758085902015201620172018201920202021202220232015: 75.8%2016: 81.5%2017: 83%2018: 83%2019: 85.3%2020: 86.7%2021: 89.2%2022: 88.6%2023: 89.8%
Change over the period: +14 pp Annual average: 1.75 pp

Comparison, 2023

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

Sierra Leone 89.8%
World 28.4%
Sub-Saharan Africa computed 61.9%
Western Africa computed 61.1%
Low-income countries computed 67%
Food insecurity — Sierra Leone, by year Sierra Leone All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2023 89.8 +1.2 pp
2022 88.6 −0.6 pp
2021 89.2 +2.5 pp
2020 86.7 +1.4 pp
2019 85.3 +2.3 pp
2018 83 +0 pp
2017 83 +1.5 pp
2016 81.5 +5.7 pp
2015 75.8

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.