Agricultural water withdrawals in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Agricultural water withdrawals was 4.28 billion cubic meters in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
4.28 billion cubic meters
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
56th
of 180 countries
All-time high
4.28 billion cubic meters
in 2020
All-time low
964.00 million cubic meters
in 1987
Years of data
37
1987–2023
Agricultural water withdrawals in Zimbabwe, 1987–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations - AQUASTAT (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in cubic meters.
Analysis
In 2023, agricultural water withdrawals in Zimbabwe stood at 4.28 billion cubic meters. That is the highest value across all 37 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 56.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, agricultural water withdrawals in Zimbabwe peaked at 4.28 billion cubic meters in 2020 and was at its lowest, 964.00 million cubic meters, in 1987.
Zimbabwe ranks 56th of 180 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 37 years of available data.
Agricultural water withdrawals in Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 964.00 million cubic meters | — |
| 1988 | 1.12 billion cubic meters | +16.3% |
| 1989 | 1.28 billion cubic meters | +14.0% |
| 1990 | 1.43 billion cubic meters | +12.3% |
| 1991 | 1.59 billion cubic meters | +10.9% |
| 1992 | 1.75 billion cubic meters | +9.9% |
| 1993 | 1.91 billion cubic meters | +9.0% |
| 1994 | 2.06 billion cubic meters | +8.2% |
| 1995 | 2.22 billion cubic meters | +7.6% |
| 1996 | 2.38 billion cubic meters | +7.1% |
| 1997 | 2.53 billion cubic meters | +6.6% |
| 1998 | 2.69 billion cubic meters | +6.2% |
| 1999 | 2.85 billion cubic meters | +5.8% |
| 2000 | 3.00 billion cubic meters | +5.5% |
| 2001 | 3.16 billion cubic meters | +5.2% |
| 2002 | 3.32 billion cubic meters | +5.0% |
| 2003 | 3.24 billion cubic meters | -2.3% |
| 2004 | 3.16 billion cubic meters | -2.4% |
| 2005 | 3.09 billion cubic meters | -2.5% |
| 2006 | 3.01 billion cubic meters | -2.5% |
| 2007 | 2.93 billion cubic meters | -2.6% |
| 2008 | 2.90 billion cubic meters | -1.1% |
| 2009 | 2.87 billion cubic meters | -1.1% |
| 2010 | 2.84 billion cubic meters | -1.1% |
| 2011 | 2.81 billion cubic meters | -1.1% |
| 2012 | 2.78 billion cubic meters | -1.1% |
| 2013 | 2.74 billion cubic meters | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 2.71 billion cubic meters | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 2.68 billion cubic meters | -1.1% |
| 2016 | 2.72 billion cubic meters | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 2.77 billion cubic meters | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 3.04 billion cubic meters | +9.8% |
| 2019 | 3.59 billion cubic meters | +18.2% |
| 2020 | 4.28 billion cubic meters | +19.1% |
| 2021 | 4.28 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 4.28 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 4.28 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1.12 billion cubic meters | 964.00 million cubic meters | 1.28 billion cubic meters | 3 |
| 1990s | 2.14 billion cubic meters | 1.43 billion cubic meters | 2.85 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.07 billion cubic meters | 2.87 billion cubic meters | 3.32 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.87 billion cubic meters | 2.68 billion cubic meters | 3.59 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.28 billion cubic meters | 4.28 billion cubic meters | 4.28 billion cubic meters | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
More agriculture & rural data for Zimbabwe
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 34.41 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0947 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 286.19 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.8815 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.595 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 9.5% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 9.5% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.9% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.3% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is agricultural water withdrawals in Zimbabwe?
- Agricultural water withdrawals in Zimbabwe was 4.28 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 Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 4.28 billion cubic meters in 2020.
- What is the lowest agricultural water withdrawals recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 964.00 million cubic meters in 1987.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for agricultural water withdrawals?
- Zimbabwe ranks 56th out of 180 countries with data for 2023.
- Is agricultural water withdrawals rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 56.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zimbabwe 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.