Cereal production in Botswana
Botswana: Cereal production was 54,554 tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
54,554 tonnes
Change on year
down 26.9%
World rank
149th
of 186 countries
All-time high
162,122 tonnes
in 2020
All-time low
9,525 tonnes
in 1984
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Cereal production in Botswana, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
The most recent figure for cereal production in Botswana is 54,554 tonnes, measured in 2024.
The figure is down 26.9% on the previous year and up 8.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cereal production in Botswana peaked at 162,122 tonnes in 2020 and was at its lowest, 9,525 tonnes, in 1984.
Botswana ranks 149th of 186 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Cereal production in Botswana, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 62,161 tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 16,900 tonnes | -72.8% |
| 1963 | 18,550 tonnes | +9.8% |
| 1964 | 11,506 tonnes | -38.0% |
| 1965 | 11,599 tonnes | +0.8% |
| 1966 | 35,466 tonnes | +205.8% |
| 1967 | 65,529 tonnes | +84.8% |
| 1968 | 25,943 tonnes | -60.4% |
| 1969 | 50,075 tonnes | +93.0% |
| 1970 | 11,530 tonnes | -77.0% |
| 1971 | 96,400 tonnes | +736.1% |
| 1972 | 79,500 tonnes | -17.5% |
| 1973 | 34,517 tonnes | -56.6% |
| 1974 | 110,750 tonnes | +220.9% |
| 1975 | 67,050 tonnes | -39.5% |
| 1976 | 123,147 tonnes | +83.7% |
| 1977 | 73,600 tonnes | -40.2% |
| 1978 | 34,200 tonnes | -53.5% |
| 1979 | 9,750 tonnes | -71.5% |
| 1980 | 45,900 tonnes | +370.8% |
| 1981 | 54,195 tonnes | +18.1% |
| 1982 | 19,320 tonnes | -64.4% |
| 1983 | 16,765 tonnes | -13.2% |
| 1984 | 9,525 tonnes | -43.2% |
| 1985 | 20,670 tonnes | +117.0% |
| 1986 | 23,500 tonnes | +13.7% |
| 1987 | 24,275 tonnes | +3.3% |
| 1988 | 108,280 tonnes | +346.1% |
| 1989 | 77,275 tonnes | -28.6% |
| 1990 | 54,430 tonnes | -29.6% |
| 1991 | 52,300 tonnes | -3.9% |
| 1992 | 22,500 tonnes | -57.0% |
| 1993 | 46,376 tonnes | +106.1% |
| 1994 | 55,405 tonnes | +19.5% |
| 1995 | 62,769 tonnes | +13.3% |
| 1996 | 89,530 tonnes | +42.6% |
| 1997 | 43,946 tonnes | -50.9% |
| 1998 | 14,934 tonnes | -66.0% |
| 1999 | 20,827 tonnes | +39.5% |
| 2000 | 24,576 tonnes | +18.0% |
| 2001 | 23,080 tonnes | -6.1% |
| 2002 | 34,479 tonnes | +49.4% |
| 2003 | 35,885 tonnes | +4.1% |
| 2004 | 26,672 tonnes | -25.7% |
| 2005 | 36,513 tonnes | +36.9% |
| 2006 | 43,810 tonnes | +20.0% |
| 2007 | 31,312 tonnes | -28.5% |
| 2008 | 36,741 tonnes | +17.3% |
| 2009 | 55,378 tonnes | +50.7% |
| 2010 | 50,345 tonnes | -9.1% |
| 2011 | 74,024 tonnes | +47.0% |
| 2012 | 37,457 tonnes | -49.4% |
| 2013 | 19,366 tonnes | -48.3% |
| 2014 | 50,254 tonnes | +159.5% |
| 2015 | 43,967 tonnes | -12.5% |
| 2016 | 48,573 tonnes | +10.5% |
| 2017 | 23,208 tonnes | -52.2% |
| 2018 | 80,923 tonnes | +248.7% |
| 2019 | 48,665 tonnes | -39.9% |
| 2020 | 162,122 tonnes | +233.1% |
| 2021 | 122,239 tonnes | -24.6% |
| 2022 | 115,580 tonnes | -5.4% |
| 2023 | 74,579 tonnes | -35.5% |
| 2024 | 54,554 tonnes | -26.9% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 54,554 tonnes is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.49 million tonnes, 4% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 54,554 tonnes is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.65 million tonnes, 3% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Cereal production in Botswana 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | +736.1% | 11,530 tonnes | 96,400 tonnes |
| 1980 | +370.8% | 9,750 tonnes | 45,900 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 33,081 tonnes | 11,506 tonnes | 65,529 tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 64,044 tonnes | 9,750 tonnes | 123,147 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 39,970 tonnes | 9,525 tonnes | 108,280 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 46,302 tonnes | 14,934 tonnes | 89,530 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 34,845 tonnes | 23,080 tonnes | 55,378 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 47,678 tonnes | 19,366 tonnes | 80,923 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 105,815 tonnes | 54,554 tonnes | 162,122 tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
More agriculture & rural data for Botswana
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 4.45 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0178 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 138.54 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.0839 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3204 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 1.8% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 1.8% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.0% (2023)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.8% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cereal production in Botswana?
- Cereal production in Botswana was 54,554 tonnes 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 cereal production recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 162,122 tonnes in 2020.
- What is the lowest cereal production recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 9,525 tonnes in 1984.
- How does Botswana rank for cereal production?
- Botswana ranks 149th out of 186 countries with data for 2024.
- Is cereal production rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Botswana 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 Cereal production. 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
Cereals include wheat, rice, maize, barley, oats, rye, millet, sorghum, buckwheat, and mixed grains.