Agricultural water withdrawals in Ireland
Ireland: Agricultural water withdrawals was 46.38 million cubic meters in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
46.38 million cubic meters
Change on year
up 17.0%
World rank
147th
of 180 countries
All-time high
179.00 million cubic meters
in 1970
All-time low
34.40 million cubic meters
in 2018
Years of data
54
1970–2023
Agricultural water withdrawals in Ireland, 1970–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations - AQUASTAT (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in cubic meters.
Analysis
The most recent figure for agricultural water withdrawals in Ireland is 46.38 million cubic meters, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of up 17.0% on the previous year and down 28.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, agricultural water withdrawals in Ireland peaked at 179.00 million cubic meters in 1970 and was at its lowest, 34.40 million cubic meters, in 2018.
Ireland ranks 147th of 180 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 54 years of available data.
Agricultural water withdrawals in Ireland, year by year
| Year | cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 179.00 million cubic meters | — |
| 1971 | 174.10 million cubic meters | -2.7% |
| 1972 | 169.20 million cubic meters | -2.8% |
| 1973 | 164.30 million cubic meters | -2.9% |
| 1974 | 159.40 million cubic meters | -3.0% |
| 1975 | 154.50 million cubic meters | -3.1% |
| 1976 | 149.60 million cubic meters | -3.2% |
| 1977 | 144.70 million cubic meters | -3.3% |
| 1978 | 139.80 million cubic meters | -3.4% |
| 1979 | 134.90 million cubic meters | -3.5% |
| 1980 | 130.00 million cubic meters | -3.6% |
| 1981 | 133.50 million cubic meters | +2.7% |
| 1982 | 137.00 million cubic meters | +2.6% |
| 1983 | 140.50 million cubic meters | +2.6% |
| 1984 | 144.00 million cubic meters | +2.5% |
| 1985 | 147.50 million cubic meters | +2.4% |
| 1986 | 151.00 million cubic meters | +2.4% |
| 1987 | 154.50 million cubic meters | +2.3% |
| 1988 | 158.00 million cubic meters | +2.3% |
| 1989 | 161.50 million cubic meters | +2.2% |
| 1990 | 165.00 million cubic meters | +2.2% |
| 1991 | 168.50 million cubic meters | +2.1% |
| 1992 | 172.00 million cubic meters | +2.1% |
| 1993 | 175.50 million cubic meters | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 179.00 million cubic meters | +2.0% |
| 1995 | 172.97 million cubic meters | -3.4% |
| 1996 | 166.95 million cubic meters | -3.5% |
| 1997 | 160.93 million cubic meters | -3.6% |
| 1998 | 154.90 million cubic meters | -3.7% |
| 1999 | 148.88 million cubic meters | -3.9% |
| 2000 | 142.85 million cubic meters | -4.0% |
| 2001 | 136.82 million cubic meters | -4.2% |
| 2002 | 130.80 million cubic meters | -4.4% |
| 2003 | 124.78 million cubic meters | -4.6% |
| 2004 | 118.75 million cubic meters | -4.8% |
| 2005 | 112.72 million cubic meters | -5.1% |
| 2006 | 106.70 million cubic meters | -5.3% |
| 2007 | 100.67 million cubic meters | -5.6% |
| 2008 | 94.65 million cubic meters | -6.0% |
| 2009 | 88.62 million cubic meters | -6.4% |
| 2010 | 82.60 million cubic meters | -6.8% |
| 2011 | 76.58 million cubic meters | -7.3% |
| 2012 | 70.55 million cubic meters | -7.9% |
| 2013 | 64.53 million cubic meters | -8.5% |
| 2014 | 58.50 million cubic meters | -9.3% |
| 2015 | 52.48 million cubic meters | -10.3% |
| 2016 | 46.45 million cubic meters | -11.5% |
| 2017 | 40.42 million cubic meters | -13.0% |
| 2018 | 34.40 million cubic meters | -14.9% |
| 2019 | 35.30 million cubic meters | +2.6% |
| 2020 | 39.00 million cubic meters | +10.5% |
| 2021 | 40.00 million cubic meters | +2.6% |
| 2022 | 39.63 million cubic meters | -0.9% |
| 2023 | 46.38 million cubic meters | +17.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 156.95 million cubic meters | 134.90 million cubic meters | 179.00 million cubic meters | 10 |
| 1980s | 145.75 million cubic meters | 130.00 million cubic meters | 161.50 million cubic meters | 10 |
| 1990s | 166.46 million cubic meters | 148.88 million cubic meters | 179.00 million cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 115.74 million cubic meters | 88.62 million cubic meters | 142.85 million cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 56.18 million cubic meters | 34.40 million cubic meters | 82.60 million cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 41.25 million cubic meters | 39.00 million cubic meters | 46.38 million cubic meters | 4 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More agriculture & rural data for Ireland
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 22.64 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0106 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 1,391 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.9559 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3541 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 1.1% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 1.1% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.3% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.5% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is agricultural water withdrawals in Ireland?
- Agricultural water withdrawals in Ireland was 46.38 million cubic meters in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations - AQUASTAT (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest agricultural water withdrawals recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 179.00 million cubic meters in 1970.
- What is the lowest agricultural water withdrawals recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 34.40 million cubic meters in 2018.
- How does Ireland rank for agricultural water withdrawals?
- Ireland ranks 147th out of 180 countries with data for 2023.
- Is agricultural water withdrawals rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 28.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations - AQUASTAT (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Agricultural water withdrawals. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Water withdrawn each year for irrigation, livestock, and aquaculture.