Agricultural water as a share of total water withdrawals in Belgium
Belgium: Agricultural water as a share of total water withdrawals was 0.9% in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Agricultural water as a share of total water withdrawals in Belgium, 1980–2022
Source: AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, FAO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of total freshwater withdrawal.
Analysis
In 2022, agricultural water as a share of total water withdrawals in Belgium stood at 0.9%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 13.6% on the previous year and up 18.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, agricultural water as a share of total water withdrawals in Belgium peaked at 4.0% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 1995.
That places Belgium 171st out of 180 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Agricultural water as a share of total water withdrawals in Belgium, year by year
| Year | % of total freshwater withdrawal | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 4.0% | — |
| 1981 | 3.8% | -5.9% |
| 1982 | 3.5% | -6.3% |
| 1983 | 3.3% | -6.8% |
| 1984 | 3.0% | -7.4% |
| 1985 | 2.8% | -8.1% |
| 1986 | 2.5% | -9.0% |
| 1987 | 2.3% | -9.9% |
| 1988 | 2.0% | -11.2% |
| 1989 | 1.8% | -12.7% |
| 1990 | 1.5% | -14.8% |
| 1991 | 1.2% | -17.6% |
| 1992 | 1.0% | -21.6% |
| 1993 | 0.7% | -27.8% |
| 1994 | 0.4% | -39.0% |
| 1995 | 0.2% | -64.8% |
| 1996 | 0.2% | +18.0% |
| 1997 | 0.2% | +16.4% |
| 1998 | 0.3% | +41.6% |
| 1999 | 0.4% | +29.8% |
| 2000 | 0.5% | +23.2% |
| 2001 | 0.5% | +10.6% |
| 2002 | 0.6% | +8.8% |
| 2003 | 0.6% | +3.6% |
| 2004 | 0.5% | -7.6% |
| 2005 | 0.6% | +2.1% |
| 2006 | 0.6% | +5.4% |
| 2007 | 0.6% | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 0.6% | +7.9% |
| 2009 | 0.7% | +4.1% |
| 2010 | 0.7% | +2.4% |
| 2011 | 0.7% | +2.6% |
| 2012 | 0.7% | +2.9% |
| 2013 | 0.8% | +16.0% |
| 2014 | 0.9% | +10.9% |
| 2015 | 1.1% | +21.5% |
| 2016 | 1.1% | -2.9% |
| 2017 | 1.0% | -4.8% |
| 2018 | 1.3% | +22.8% |
| 2019 | 1.3% | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 1.3% | -3.1% |
| 2021 | 1.0% | -21.7% |
| 2022 | 0.9% | -13.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.9% | 1.8% | 4.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.6% | 0.2% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.0% | 0.7% | 1.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.0% | 0.9% | 1.3% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
- 168 Ireland 2.4% compare
- 169 Saint Kitts and Nevis 1.3% compare
- 170 Luxembourg 1.0% compare
- 172 Central African Republic 0.6% compare
- 173 Estonia 0.4% compare
- 174 Slovenia 0.4% compare
More agriculture & rural data for Belgium
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual -0.3325 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0073 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 443.58 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.2138 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1233 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 0.7% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 0.7% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.2% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is agricultural water as a share of total water withdrawals in Belgium?
- Agricultural water as a share of total water withdrawals in Belgium was 0.9% in 2022, according to AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, FAO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest agricultural water as a share of total water withdrawals recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 4.0% in 1980.
- What is the lowest agricultural water as a share of total water withdrawals recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 1995.
- How does Belgium rank for agricultural water as a share of total water withdrawals?
- Belgium ranks 171st out of 180 countries with data for 2022.
- Is agricultural water as a share of total water withdrawals rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, FAO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Agricultural water as a share of total water withdrawals. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Agricultural water withdrawals as a percentage of total water withdrawals (which is the sum of water used for agriculture, industry and domestic purposes). Agricultural water is defined as the annual quantity of self-supplied water withdrawn for irrigation, livestock and aquaculture purposes.