Prevalence of undernourishment in South Africa
South Africa: Prevalence of undernourishment was 10.0% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of undernourishment in South Africa, 2001–2023
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
In 2023, prevalence of undernourishment in South Africa stood at 10.0%. That is the highest value across all 23 years on record.
The figure is up 78.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of undernourishment in South Africa peaked at 10.0% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 3.3%, in 2004.
That places South Africa 48th out of 115 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 23 years of available data.
Prevalence of undernourishment in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 3.6% | — |
| 2002 | 3.5% | -2.8% |
| 2003 | 3.4% | -2.9% |
| 2004 | 3.3% | -2.9% |
| 2005 | 3.3% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 3.4% | +3.0% |
| 2007 | 3.5% | +2.9% |
| 2008 | 3.5% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 4.0% | +14.3% |
| 2010 | 4.5% | +12.5% |
| 2011 | 5.0% | +11.1% |
| 2012 | 5.2% | +4.0% |
| 2013 | 5.6% | +7.7% |
| 2014 | 6.4% | +14.3% |
| 2015 | 6.6% | +3.1% |
| 2016 | 6.4% | -3.0% |
| 2017 | 6.1% | -4.7% |
| 2018 | 6.4% | +4.9% |
| 2019 | 7.2% | +12.5% |
| 2020 | 8.6% | +19.4% |
| 2021 | 9.4% | +9.3% |
| 2022 | 10.0% | +6.4% |
| 2023 | 10.0% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 3.5% | 3.3% | 4.0% | 9 |
| 2010s | 5.9% | 4.5% | 7.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.5% | 8.6% | 10.0% | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More development goals data for South Africa
- Red List Index 0.8693 (2025)
- Number of refugees per 100,000 population, by country of origin 1.8 (2025)
- Manufacturing value added per capita 651.49 (2025)
- Number of transboundary breeds 105 (2025)
- Number of transboundary breeds (not extinct) 101 (2025)
- Number of transboundary breeds with unknown risk status 33 (2025)
- Number of local breeds with unknown risk status 40 (2025)
- Number of local breeds (not extinct) 56 (2025)
- Number of local breeds kept in the country 61 (2025)
- Infant deaths 28,570 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of undernourishment in South Africa?
- Prevalence of undernourishment in South Africa was 10.0% in 2023, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest prevalence of undernourishment recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 10.0% in 2022.
- What is the lowest prevalence of undernourishment recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.3% in 2004.
- How does South Africa rank for prevalence of undernourishment?
- South Africa ranks 48th out of 115 countries with data for 2023.
- Is prevalence of undernourishment rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 78.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Prevalence of undernourishment (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 23 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).