Cassava yields in Zambia
Zambia: Cassava yields was 11.7 tonnes per hectare in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
11.7 tonnes per hectare
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
48th
of 101 countries
All-time high
35.54 tonnes per hectare
in 2021
All-time low
4.38 tonnes per hectare
in 2004
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Cassava yields in Zambia, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes per hectare.
Analysis
The most recent figure for cassava yields in Zambia is 11.7 tonnes per hectare, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 36.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cassava yields in Zambia peaked at 35.54 tonnes per hectare in 2021 and was at its lowest, 4.38 tonnes per hectare, in 2004.
Zambia ranks 48th of 101 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Cassava yields in Zambia, year by year
| Year | tonnes per hectare | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 6.25 tonnes per hectare | — |
| 1962 | 6.25 tonnes per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 6.3 tonnes per hectare | +0.9% |
| 1964 | 6.13 tonnes per hectare | -2.8% |
| 1965 | 6.32 tonnes per hectare | +3.1% |
| 1966 | 6.21 tonnes per hectare | -1.8% |
| 1967 | 6.17 tonnes per hectare | -0.6% |
| 1968 | 6.17 tonnes per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 6.17 tonnes per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 6.23 tonnes per hectare | +1.0% |
| 1971 | 6.19 tonnes per hectare | -0.6% |
| 1972 | 6.19 tonnes per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 6.19 tonnes per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 6.19 tonnes per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 6.23 tonnes per hectare | +0.7% |
| 1976 | 6.23 tonnes per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 6.19 tonnes per hectare | -0.7% |
| 1978 | 6.22 tonnes per hectare | +0.5% |
| 1979 | 6.21 tonnes per hectare | -0.2% |
| 1980 | 6.18 tonnes per hectare | -0.5% |
| 1981 | 6.17 tonnes per hectare | -0.1% |
| 1982 | 6.2 tonnes per hectare | +0.6% |
| 1983 | 6.2 tonnes per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 6.19 tonnes per hectare | -0.2% |
| 1985 | 6.21 tonnes per hectare | +0.2% |
| 1986 | 6.2 tonnes per hectare | -0.0% |
| 1987 | 6.19 tonnes per hectare | -0.2% |
| 1988 | 6.2 tonnes per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 6.19 tonnes per hectare | -0.0% |
| 1990 | 6.2 tonnes per hectare | +0.2% |
| 1991 | 6.2 tonnes per hectare | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 6.17 tonnes per hectare | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 6.2 tonnes per hectare | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 6.15 tonnes per hectare | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 6.13 tonnes per hectare | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 6.13 tonnes per hectare | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 6.2 tonnes per hectare | +1.2% |
| 1998 | 6.2 tonnes per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 5.71 tonnes per hectare | -7.9% |
| 2000 | 4.94 tonnes per hectare | -13.5% |
| 2001 | 5.38 tonnes per hectare | +8.9% |
| 2002 | 5.56 tonnes per hectare | +3.2% |
| 2003 | 5.8 tonnes per hectare | +4.4% |
| 2004 | 4.38 tonnes per hectare | -24.5% |
| 2005 | 5.87 tonnes per hectare | +33.9% |
| 2006 | 7.07 tonnes per hectare | +20.4% |
| 2007 | 7.57 tonnes per hectare | +7.1% |
| 2008 | 9.12 tonnes per hectare | +20.5% |
| 2009 | 9.67 tonnes per hectare | +6.1% |
| 2010 | 11.52 tonnes per hectare | +19.1% |
| 2011 | 12.58 tonnes per hectare | +9.2% |
| 2012 | 13.85 tonnes per hectare | +10.1% |
| 2013 | 18.58 tonnes per hectare | +34.1% |
| 2014 | 18.39 tonnes per hectare | -1.0% |
| 2015 | 23.82 tonnes per hectare | +29.5% |
| 2016 | 26.79 tonnes per hectare | +12.5% |
| 2017 | 34.35 tonnes per hectare | +28.2% |
| 2018 | 34.85 tonnes per hectare | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 31.82 tonnes per hectare | -8.7% |
| 2020 | 31.8 tonnes per hectare | -0.0% |
| 2021 | 35.54 tonnes per hectare | +11.7% |
| 2022 | 11.7 tonnes per hectare | -67.1% |
| 2023 | 11.7 tonnes per hectare | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 11.7 tonnes per hectare | +0.0% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 11.7 tonnes per hectare is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 10.54 tonnes per hectare, 1.1× the median. (29 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 11.7 tonnes per hectare is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 9.2 tonnes per hectare, 1.3× the median. (39 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Cassava yields in Zambia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -67.1% | 35.54 tonnes per hectare | 11.7 tonnes per hectare |
| 2013 | +34.1% | 13.85 tonnes per hectare | 18.58 tonnes per hectare |
| 2005 | +33.9% | 4.38 tonnes per hectare | 5.87 tonnes per hectare |
| 2015 | +29.5% | 18.39 tonnes per hectare | 23.82 tonnes per hectare |
| 2017 | +28.2% | 26.79 tonnes per hectare | 34.35 tonnes per hectare |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6.22 tonnes per hectare | 6.13 tonnes per hectare | 6.32 tonnes per hectare | 9 |
| 1970s | 6.21 tonnes per hectare | 6.19 tonnes per hectare | 6.23 tonnes per hectare | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.19 tonnes per hectare | 6.17 tonnes per hectare | 6.21 tonnes per hectare | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.13 tonnes per hectare | 5.71 tonnes per hectare | 6.2 tonnes per hectare | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.54 tonnes per hectare | 4.38 tonnes per hectare | 9.67 tonnes per hectare | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.65 tonnes per hectare | 11.52 tonnes per hectare | 34.85 tonnes per hectare | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.49 tonnes per hectare | 11.7 tonnes per hectare | 35.54 tonnes per hectare | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 45 Seychelles 12.28 tonnes per hectare compare
- 46 Trinidad and Tobago 12.19 tonnes per hectare compare
- 47 Mexico 12.14 tonnes per hectare compare
- 49 Guinea-Bissau 11.37 tonnes per hectare compare
- 50 Angola 10.98 tonnes per hectare compare
- 51 Guadeloupe 10.97 tonnes per hectare compare
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 cassava yields in Zambia?
- Cassava yields in Zambia was 11.7 tonnes per hectare in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest cassava yields recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 35.54 tonnes per hectare in 2021.
- What is the lowest cassava yields recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.38 tonnes per hectare in 2004.
- How does Zambia rank for cassava yields?
- Zambia ranks 48th out of 101 countries with data for 2024.
- Is cassava yields rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 36.4%. 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) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Cassava yields. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 64 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Yield is the amount produced per unit of land used, measured in tonnes per hectare.