Cereal cropland in Africa

Africa: Cereal cropland was 3.8% in 2011. ▲ Rising

Latest (2011)
3.8%
Change on year
up 3.1%
Rank
4th
of 6 groups
All-time high
3.8%
in 2011
All-time low
1.9%
in 1961
Years of data
51
1961–2011

Cereal cropland in Africa, 1961–2011

01234196119862011

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization, Production Yearbook and data files. Measured in % of land area.

Analysis

The most recent figure for cereal cropland in Africa is 3.8%, measured in 2011. That is the highest value across all 51 years on record.

The figure is up 3.1% on the previous year and up 22.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, cereal cropland in Africa peaked at 3.8% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 1.9%, in 1961.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.

Cereal cropland in Africa, year by year

Annual values for Cereal cropland (% of land area) in Africa, 1961 to 2011.
Year % of land area Change
1961 1.9%
1962 2.0% +2.0%
1963 2.1% +4.1%
1964 2.1% -0.9%
1965 2.1% +2.6%
1966 2.0% -3.4%
1967 2.2% +7.3%
1968 2.2% -0.9%
1969 2.3% +8.1%
1970 2.3% -2.6%
1971 2.3% -0.1%
1972 2.2% -3.5%
1973 2.3% +2.9%
1974 2.3% +0.2%
1975 2.2% -3.8%
1976 2.3% +6.7%
1977 2.2% -5.2%
1978 2.2% -1.2%
1979 2.1% -2.5%
1980 2.2% +3.3%
1981 2.1% -2.7%
1982 2.1% -1.0%
1983 2.2% +3.5%
1984 2.3% +3.5%
1985 2.5% +10.1%
1986 2.6% +5.0%
1987 2.6% -1.6%
1988 2.7% +5.4%
1989 2.7% +1.4%
1990 2.7% -1.9%
1991 2.9% +7.0%
1992 2.9% +1.5%
1993 2.9% -0.4%
1994 3.1% +6.7%
1995 3.0% -3.8%
1996 3.2% +7.0%
1997 3.1% -2.6%
1998 3.2% +2.7%
1999 3.0% -4.9%
2000 3.0% -1.6%
2001 3.1% +2.4%
2002 3.1% -0.0%
2003 3.4% +11.6%
2004 3.3% -3.9%
2005 3.6% +9.7%
2006 3.5% -2.8%
2007 3.5% -0.9%
2008 3.6% +4.5%
2009 3.6% -2.0%
2010 3.7% +2.7%
2011 3.8% +3.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 2.1% 1.9% 2.3% 9
1970s 2.2% 2.1% 2.3% 10
1980s 2.4% 2.1% 2.7% 10
1990s 3.0% 2.7% 3.2% 10
2000s 3.4% 3.0% 3.6% 10
2010s 3.7% 3.7% 3.8% 2

Countries ranked near Africa

  1. 1 Gambia 20.8% compare
  2. 2 Malawi 19.9% compare
  3. 3 Nigeria 18.2% compare
  4. 4 Rwanda 17.8% compare
  5. 5 Togo 15.9% compare
  6. 6 Burkina Faso 13.5% compare
  7. 7 Comoros 12.7% compare

See the full ranking of 57 places →

More agriculture & rural data for Africa

All data for Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is cereal cropland in Africa?
Cereal cropland in Africa was 3.8% in 2011, according to Food and Agriculture Organization, Production Yearbook and data files.
What is the highest cereal cropland recorded in Africa?
The highest recorded value was 3.8% in 2011.
What is the lowest cereal cropland recorded in Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 1.9% in 1961.
How does Africa rank for cereal cropland?
Africa ranks 4th out of 6 groups with data for 2011.
Is cereal cropland rising or falling in Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 22.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Africa data come from?
The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization, Production Yearbook and data files, published as part of Cereal cropland (% of land area). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Cereal cropland in Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization, Production Yearbook and data files. Retrieved 06 September 2026, from https://agriculture.statizoid.com/stat/cereal-cropland-percent-of-land-area/africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Cereal cropland (% of land area)
Unit
% of land area
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization, Production Yearbook and data files
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
57 places, 2,854 data points, 1961–2011
Last refreshed

Land under cereal production refers to harvested area, although some countries report only sown or cultivated area. Cereals include wheat, rice, maize, barley, oats, rye, millet, sorghum, buckwheat, and mixed grains. Production data on cereals relate to crops harvested for dry grain only. Cereal crops harvested for hay or harvested green for food, feed, or silage and those used for grazing are excluded.