Prevalence of undernourishment in South Africa
An estimated 11.2% of people in South Africa were undernourished in 2024. The value for 2024 is the highest in the series, which starts in 2001.
South Africa, 2024
11.2%
Change from 2023
+0.7percentage points
World, 2024
8.1%
Median of G20 countries, 2024
2.5%
Position in 2024
48th of 165
Prevalence of undernourishment in South Africa over time
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South Africa
World
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The chart loads when you scroll to it. The table below shows the same data.
The chart shows a calculation from the published values. The table below keeps the published values.
% of population. Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators. Gaps mean no published value; points are not joined across missing years.
| Period | South Africa | World |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 11.2% | 8.1% |
| 2023 | 10.5% | 8.5% |
| 2022 | 10.2% | 8.6% |
| 2021 | 9.6% | 8.6% |
| 2020 | 8.6% | 8.4% |
| 2019 | 7.1% | 7.5% |
| 2018 | 6.1% | 7.4% |
| 2017 | 5.8% | 7.2% |
| 2016 | 6.0% | 7.6% |
| 2015 | 6.0% | 8.0% |
| 2014 | 5.6% | 7.4% |
| 2013 | 5.0% | 7.7% |
| 2012 | 4.6% | 8.2% |
| 2011 | 4.5% | 8.2% |
| 2010 | 4.1% | 8.7% |
| 2009 | 3.8% | 9.0% |
| 2008 | 3.4% | 9.3% |
| 2007 | 3.4% | 10.0% |
| 2006 | 3.3% | 11.0% |
| 2005 | 3.3% | 12.1% |
| 2004 | 3.3% | 12.7% |
| 2003 | 3.4% | 12.9% |
| 2002 | 3.5% | 13.2% |
| 2001 | 3.6% | 13.0% |
A dash means no value was published for that period.
In short
- That is a change of +0.7 percentage points from 10.5% in 2023.
- Since 2014, when it was 5.6%, the figure has changed by +5.6 percentage points.
- Among the 165 countries with data for 2024, South Africa has the 48th highest value.
- The figure for the world in 2024 was 8.1%.
More for South Africa
All statistics for South Africa
Extreme poverty rate
17.4%
2022 · World Bank
Cereal yield
4,562 kg per hectare
2024 · World Bank
Cost of a healthy diet
Int$4.02e (Estimate) per person per day
2025 · FAOSTAT
Healthy diet unaffordable
57.9%e (Estimate)
2025 · FAOSTAT
Pesticide use
3.28e (Estimate) kg/ha
2024 · FAOSTAT
Nitrogen fertiliser use
46.4e (Estimate) kg/ha
2024 · FAOSTAT