Agricultural water withdrawals in South Africa
South Africa: Agricultural water withdrawals was 11.90 billion cubic meters in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
11.90 billion cubic meters
Change on year
up 0.6%
World rank
36th
of 180 countries
All-time high
11.99 billion cubic meters
in 2020
All-time low
7.84 billion cubic meters
in 2000
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Agricultural water withdrawals in South Africa, 1990–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations - AQUASTAT (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in cubic meters.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 11.90 billion cubic meters for agricultural water withdrawals in 2023.
That represents a change of up 0.6% on the previous year and up 22.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, agricultural water withdrawals in South Africa peaked at 11.99 billion cubic meters in 2020 and was at its lowest, 7.84 billion cubic meters, in 2000.
That places South Africa 36th out of 180 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Agricultural water withdrawals in South Africa, year by year
| Year | cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 9.58 billion cubic meters | — |
| 1991 | 9.41 billion cubic meters | -1.8% |
| 1992 | 9.23 billion cubic meters | -1.9% |
| 1993 | 9.06 billion cubic meters | -1.9% |
| 1994 | 8.88 billion cubic meters | -1.9% |
| 1995 | 8.71 billion cubic meters | -2.0% |
| 1996 | 8.53 billion cubic meters | -2.0% |
| 1997 | 8.36 billion cubic meters | -2.0% |
| 1998 | 8.18 billion cubic meters | -2.1% |
| 1999 | 8.01 billion cubic meters | -2.1% |
| 2000 | 7.84 billion cubic meters | -2.2% |
| 2001 | 7.98 billion cubic meters | +1.8% |
| 2002 | 8.12 billion cubic meters | +1.8% |
| 2003 | 8.26 billion cubic meters | +1.8% |
| 2004 | 8.41 billion cubic meters | +1.7% |
| 2005 | 8.55 billion cubic meters | +1.7% |
| 2006 | 8.69 billion cubic meters | +1.7% |
| 2007 | 8.83 billion cubic meters | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 8.98 billion cubic meters | +1.6% |
| 2009 | 9.12 billion cubic meters | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 9.26 billion cubic meters | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 9.40 billion cubic meters | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 9.55 billion cubic meters | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 9.69 billion cubic meters | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 10.52 billion cubic meters | +8.5% |
| 2015 | 11.34 billion cubic meters | +7.8% |
| 2016 | 11.33 billion cubic meters | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 11.39 billion cubic meters | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 11.48 billion cubic meters | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 11.50 billion cubic meters | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 11.99 billion cubic meters | +4.3% |
| 2021 | 11.84 billion cubic meters | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 11.84 billion cubic meters | -0.0% |
| 2023 | 11.90 billion cubic meters | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 8.80 billion cubic meters | 8.01 billion cubic meters | 9.58 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.48 billion cubic meters | 7.84 billion cubic meters | 9.12 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.55 billion cubic meters | 9.26 billion cubic meters | 11.50 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.89 billion cubic meters | 11.84 billion cubic meters | 11.99 billion cubic meters | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 33 Syrian Arab Republic 14.67 billion cubic meters compare
- 34 Kazakhstan 14.03 billion cubic meters compare
- 35 Azerbaijan 11.96 billion cubic meters compare
- 37 Australia 11.60 billion cubic meters compare
- 38 Sri Lanka 11.31 billion cubic meters compare
- 39 Ethiopia 9.69 billion cubic meters compare
More agriculture & rural data for South Africa
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 7.11 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0283 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 186.56 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.812 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3618 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 2.8% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 2.8% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is agricultural water withdrawals in South Africa?
- Agricultural water withdrawals in South Africa was 11.90 billion 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 11.99 billion cubic meters in 2020.
- What is the lowest agricultural water withdrawals recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.84 billion cubic meters in 2000.
- How does South Africa rank for agricultural water withdrawals?
- South Africa ranks 36th out of 180 countries with data for 2023.
- Is agricultural water withdrawals rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa 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.
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About this data
Water withdrawn each year for irrigation, livestock, and aquaculture.