Cereal seed quantity in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Cereal seed quantity was 2.77 million FAO, metric tonnes in 2011. ▲ Rising
Cereal seed quantity in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1961–2011
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site. Measured in FAO, metric tonnes.
Analysis
In 2011, cereal seed quantity in Sub-Saharan Africa stood at 2.77 million FAO, metric tonnes.
That represents a change of down 3.8% on the previous year and up 23.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cereal seed quantity in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 2.88 million FAO, metric tonnes in 2010 and was at its lowest, 1.10 million FAO, metric tonnes, in 1961.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.
Cereal seed quantity in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | FAO, metric tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1.10 million FAO, metric tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 1.12 million FAO, metric tonnes | +2.0% |
| 1963 | 1.12 million FAO, metric tonnes | +0.3% |
| 1964 | 1.15 million FAO, metric tonnes | +2.3% |
| 1965 | 1.12 million FAO, metric tonnes | -2.7% |
| 1966 | 1.20 million FAO, metric tonnes | +7.6% |
| 1967 | 1.24 million FAO, metric tonnes | +2.7% |
| 1968 | 1.34 million FAO, metric tonnes | +8.5% |
| 1969 | 1.30 million FAO, metric tonnes | -2.8% |
| 1970 | 1.31 million FAO, metric tonnes | +0.4% |
| 1971 | 1.26 million FAO, metric tonnes | -4.1% |
| 1972 | 1.33 million FAO, metric tonnes | +5.6% |
| 1973 | 1.31 million FAO, metric tonnes | -1.3% |
| 1974 | 1.30 million FAO, metric tonnes | -0.8% |
| 1975 | 1.37 million FAO, metric tonnes | +5.6% |
| 1976 | 1.34 million FAO, metric tonnes | -2.6% |
| 1977 | 1.32 million FAO, metric tonnes | -1.2% |
| 1978 | 1.31 million FAO, metric tonnes | -0.7% |
| 1979 | 1.31 million FAO, metric tonnes | -0.0% |
| 1980 | 1.30 million FAO, metric tonnes | -0.7% |
| 1981 | 1.35 million FAO, metric tonnes | +4.0% |
| 1982 | 1.33 million FAO, metric tonnes | -1.9% |
| 1983 | 1.38 million FAO, metric tonnes | +3.7% |
| 1984 | 1.46 million FAO, metric tonnes | +6.0% |
| 1985 | 1.57 million FAO, metric tonnes | +7.8% |
| 1986 | 1.58 million FAO, metric tonnes | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 1.66 million FAO, metric tonnes | +5.1% |
| 1988 | 1.78 million FAO, metric tonnes | +7.1% |
| 1989 | 1.73 million FAO, metric tonnes | -2.3% |
| 1990 | 1.79 million FAO, metric tonnes | +3.2% |
| 1991 | 1.83 million FAO, metric tonnes | +2.1% |
| 1992 | 1.88 million FAO, metric tonnes | +2.6% |
| 1993 | 2.14 million FAO, metric tonnes | +13.9% |
| 1994 | 2.17 million FAO, metric tonnes | +1.8% |
| 1995 | 2.19 million FAO, metric tonnes | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 2.23 million FAO, metric tonnes | +1.7% |
| 1997 | 2.18 million FAO, metric tonnes | -2.3% |
| 1998 | 2.18 million FAO, metric tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 2.11 million FAO, metric tonnes | -2.9% |
| 2000 | 2.18 million FAO, metric tonnes | +3.2% |
| 2001 | 2.24 million FAO, metric tonnes | +2.6% |
| 2002 | 2.39 million FAO, metric tonnes | +6.6% |
| 2003 | 2.39 million FAO, metric tonnes | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 2.57 million FAO, metric tonnes | +7.5% |
| 2005 | 2.54 million FAO, metric tonnes | -0.9% |
| 2006 | 2.47 million FAO, metric tonnes | -3.0% |
| 2007 | 2.63 million FAO, metric tonnes | +6.6% |
| 2008 | 2.60 million FAO, metric tonnes | -1.4% |
| 2009 | 2.74 million FAO, metric tonnes | +5.4% |
| 2010 | 2.88 million FAO, metric tonnes | +5.3% |
| 2011 | 2.77 million FAO, metric tonnes | -3.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.19 million FAO, metric tonnes | 1.10 million FAO, metric tonnes | 1.34 million FAO, metric tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.32 million FAO, metric tonnes | 1.26 million FAO, metric tonnes | 1.37 million FAO, metric tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.51 million FAO, metric tonnes | 1.30 million FAO, metric tonnes | 1.78 million FAO, metric tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.07 million FAO, metric tonnes | 1.79 million FAO, metric tonnes | 2.23 million FAO, metric tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.47 million FAO, metric tonnes | 2.18 million FAO, metric tonnes | 2.74 million FAO, metric tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.83 million FAO, metric tonnes | 2.77 million FAO, metric tonnes | 2.88 million FAO, metric tonnes | 2 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
More agriculture & rural data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 10.7 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.5534 units per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1791 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 299.6 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.53 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 395.96 billion current US$ (2025)
- Rural population 55.3% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.6% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cereal seed quantity in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Cereal seed quantity in Sub-Saharan Africa was 2.77 million FAO, metric tonnes in 2011, according to Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site.
- What is the highest cereal seed quantity recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 2.88 million FAO, metric tonnes in 2010.
- What is the lowest cereal seed quantity recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.10 million FAO, metric tonnes in 1961.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for cereal seed quantity?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 2nd out of 6 groups with data for 2011.
- Is cereal seed quantity rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 23.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site, published as part of Cereal seed quantity (FAO, metric tonnes). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Data include the amounts of the commodity in question set aside for sowing or planting (or generally for reproduction purposes, e.g. sugar cane planted, potatoes for seed, eggs for hatching and fish for bait, whether domestically produced or imported) during the reference period. Account is taken of double or successive sowing or planting whenever it occurs. The data of seed include also, when it is the case, the quantities necessary for sowing or planting the area relating to crops harvested green for fodder or for food.(e.g. green peas, green beans, maize for forage) Data for seed element are stored in tonnes (t). Whenever official data were not available, seed figures have been estimated either as a percentage of supply (e.g. eggs for hatching) or by multiplying a seed rate with the area under the crop of the subsequent year.