Annual freshwater withdrawals, agriculture in Lesotho
Lesotho: Annual freshwater withdrawals, agriculture was 8.7% in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Annual freshwater withdrawals, agriculture in Lesotho, 1987–2022
Source: AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in % of total freshwater withdrawal.
Analysis
In 2022, annual freshwater withdrawals, agriculture in Lesotho stood at 8.7%. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual freshwater withdrawals, agriculture in Lesotho peaked at 56.0% in 1987 and was at its lowest, 8.7%, in 2000.
Lesotho ranks 148th of 180 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual freshwater withdrawals, agriculture in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | % of total freshwater withdrawal | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 56.0% | — |
| 1988 | 52.6% | -6.0% |
| 1989 | 49.2% | -6.6% |
| 1990 | 45.6% | -7.2% |
| 1991 | 42.0% | -8.0% |
| 1992 | 38.3% | -8.9% |
| 1993 | 34.4% | -10.0% |
| 1994 | 30.5% | -11.5% |
| 1995 | 26.4% | -13.3% |
| 1996 | 22.2% | -15.8% |
| 1997 | 17.9% | -19.3% |
| 1998 | 13.5% | -24.7% |
| 1999 | 9.0% | -33.7% |
| 2000 | 8.7% | -3.2% |
| 2001 | 8.7% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 8.7% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 8.7% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 8.7% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 8.7% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 8.7% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 8.7% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 8.7% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 8.7% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 8.7% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 8.7% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 8.7% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 8.7% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 8.7% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 8.7% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 8.7% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 8.7% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 8.7% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 8.7% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 8.7% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 8.7% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 8.7% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 52.6% | 49.2% | 56.0% | 3 |
| 1990s | 28.0% | 9.0% | 45.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.7% | 8.7% | 8.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.7% | 8.7% | 8.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.7% | 8.7% | 8.7% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More agriculture & rural data for Lesotho
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 5.38 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0649 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 70.63 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.6715 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0005 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.5533 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 6.5% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 6.5% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 5.1% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 2.0% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual freshwater withdrawals, agriculture in Lesotho?
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, agriculture in Lesotho was 8.7% in 2022, according to AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest annual freshwater withdrawals, agriculture recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 56.0% in 1987.
- What is the lowest annual freshwater withdrawals, agriculture recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.7% in 2000.
- How does Lesotho rank for annual freshwater withdrawals, agriculture?
- Lesotho ranks 148th out of 180 countries with data for 2022.
- Is annual freshwater withdrawals, agriculture rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Annual freshwater withdrawals, agriculture (% of total freshwater withdrawal). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Annual freshwater withdrawals refer to total water withdrawals, not counting evaporation losses from storage basins. Withdrawals also include water from desalination plants in countries where they are a significant source. Withdrawals can exceed 100 percent of total renewable resources where extraction from nonrenewable aquifers or desalination plants is considerable or where there is significant water reuse. Withdrawals for agriculture are total withdrawals for irrigation and livestock production. Data are for the most recent year available for 1987-2002.