Barley yields in Zambia
Zambia: Barley yields was 6.47 tonnes per hectare in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
6.47 tonnes per hectare
Change on year
down 11.7%
World rank
5th
of 105 countries
All-time high
8.11 tonnes per hectare
in 2022
All-time low
0.724 tonnes per hectare
in 1990
Years of data
43
1982–2024
Barley yields in Zambia, 1982–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025); Broadberry et al. (2015); Brassley (2000) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes per hectare.
Analysis
The most recent figure for barley yields in Zambia is 6.47 tonnes per hectare, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 11.7% on the previous year and down 13.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, barley yields in Zambia peaked at 8.11 tonnes per hectare in 2022 and was at its lowest, 0.724 tonnes per hectare, in 1990.
Zambia ranks 5th of 105 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Barley yields in Zambia, year by year
| Year | tonnes per hectare | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 0.8215 tonnes per hectare | — |
| 1983 | 0.9475 tonnes per hectare | +15.3% |
| 1984 | 0.9091 tonnes per hectare | -4.1% |
| 1985 | 0.92 tonnes per hectare | +1.2% |
| 1986 | 0.92 tonnes per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 0.92 tonnes per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 0.92 tonnes per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 0.92 tonnes per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 0.724 tonnes per hectare | -21.3% |
| 1991 | 0.8352 tonnes per hectare | +15.4% |
| 1992 | 0.7895 tonnes per hectare | -5.5% |
| 1993 | 0.9259 tonnes per hectare | +17.3% |
| 1994 | 0.9167 tonnes per hectare | -1.0% |
| 1995 | 0.7895 tonnes per hectare | -13.9% |
| 1996 | 0.9091 tonnes per hectare | +15.1% |
| 1997 | 0.9 tonnes per hectare | -1.0% |
| 1998 | 0.7895 tonnes per hectare | -12.3% |
| 1999 | 0.9091 tonnes per hectare | +15.1% |
| 2000 | 0.9091 tonnes per hectare | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 1.38 tonnes per hectare | +51.4% |
| 2002 | 1.76 tonnes per hectare | +28.0% |
| 2003 | 2.16 tonnes per hectare | +22.7% |
| 2004 | 2.55 tonnes per hectare | +18.1% |
| 2005 | 3.4 tonnes per hectare | +33.0% |
| 2006 | 3.36 tonnes per hectare | -1.1% |
| 2007 | 4.23 tonnes per hectare | +26.0% |
| 2008 | 4.82 tonnes per hectare | +13.9% |
| 2009 | 5.41 tonnes per hectare | +12.2% |
| 2010 | 6.03 tonnes per hectare | +11.5% |
| 2011 | 7.36 tonnes per hectare | +22.1% |
| 2012 | 7.14 tonnes per hectare | -3.0% |
| 2013 | 7.54 tonnes per hectare | +5.6% |
| 2014 | 7.47 tonnes per hectare | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 7.79 tonnes per hectare | +4.3% |
| 2016 | 7.2 tonnes per hectare | -7.6% |
| 2017 | 7.62 tonnes per hectare | +5.8% |
| 2018 | 5.45 tonnes per hectare | -28.4% |
| 2019 | 7.91 tonnes per hectare | +45.1% |
| 2020 | 7.19 tonnes per hectare | -9.1% |
| 2021 | 7.34 tonnes per hectare | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 8.11 tonnes per hectare | +10.5% |
| 2023 | 7.32 tonnes per hectare | -9.7% |
| 2024 | 6.47 tonnes per hectare | -11.7% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 6.47 tonnes per hectare is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.86 tonnes per hectare, 3.5× the median. (20 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 6.47 tonnes per hectare is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.35 tonnes per hectare, 2.7× the median. (11 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.9098 tonnes per hectare | 0.8215 tonnes per hectare | 0.9475 tonnes per hectare | 8 |
| 1990s | 0.8488 tonnes per hectare | 0.724 tonnes per hectare | 0.9259 tonnes per hectare | 10 |
| 2000s | 3 tonnes per hectare | 0.9091 tonnes per hectare | 5.41 tonnes per hectare | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.15 tonnes per hectare | 5.45 tonnes per hectare | 7.91 tonnes per hectare | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.28 tonnes per hectare | 6.47 tonnes per hectare | 8.11 tonnes per hectare | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More agriculture & rural data for Zambia
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 65.37 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0411 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 54.11 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.97 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.5408 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 4.1% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 4.1% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.4% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is barley yields in Zambia?
- Barley yields in Zambia was 6.47 tonnes per hectare in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025); Broadberry et al. (2015); Brassley (2000) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest barley yields recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 8.11 tonnes per hectare in 2022.
- What is the lowest barley yields recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.724 tonnes per hectare in 1990.
- How does Zambia rank for barley yields?
- Zambia ranks 5th out of 105 countries with data for 2024.
- Is barley yields rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025); Broadberry et al. (2015); Brassley (2000) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Barley yields. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 43 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Yields are measured in tonnes per hectare.