Number of people experiencing food insecurity in South America 2020

The number of people experiencing severe food insecurity in South America was estimated at 55.6 million people in 2020, which represents an increase of 51 percent when compared with the previous year. Since 2018, figures from South America has experienced a significant increase in the size of the population suffering from all degrees of food insecurity. While 76.2 million people were either moderately or severely food insecure in 2014, the figure stood at 168.7 million people as of 2020. According to the source, a person is considered food insecure when they lack regular access to enough safe and nutritious food to lead an active and healthy life.

Number of people experiencing food insecurity in South America from 2014 to 2020, by degree of severity (in millions)

Characteristic	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020
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Release date

July 2021

More information

Region

Central and South America

Survey time period

2014 to 2020

Special properties

Estimates, goes by region

Supplementary notes

According to FAO: "A person is food insecure when they lack regular access to enough safe and nutritious food for normal growth and development and an active and healthy life. This may be due to unavailability of food and/or lack of resources to obtain food. Food insecurity can be experienced at different levels of severity. (...) When someone is severely food insecure, they have run out of food and gone a day or more without eating. In other words, they have most likely experienced hunger. (...) For those who are moderately food insecure, access to food is uncertain. They might have to sacrifice other basic needs, just to be able to eat. When they do eat, it might be whatever is most readily available or cheapest, which might not be the most nutritious food."

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