Change in food supply, population, and agricultural land use in South Africa
South Africa: Change in food supply, population, and agricultural land use was 170.29 billion kilocalories per day in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
170.29 billion kilocalories per day
Change on year
up 0.2%
World rank
26th
of 191 countries
All-time high
170.29 billion kilocalories per day
in 2023
All-time low
47.68 billion kilocalories per day
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Change in food supply, population, and agricultural land use in South Africa, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilocalories per day.
Analysis
In 2023, change in food supply, population, and agricultural land use in South Africa stood at 170.29 billion kilocalories per day. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 8.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, change in food supply, population, and agricultural land use in South Africa peaked at 170.29 billion kilocalories per day in 2023 and was at its lowest, 47.68 billion kilocalories per day, in 1961.
South Africa ranks 26th of 191 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Change in food supply, population, and agricultural land use in South Africa, year by year
| Year | kilocalories per day | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 47.68 billion kilocalories per day | — |
| 1962 | 47.91 billion kilocalories per day | +0.5% |
| 1963 | 51.26 billion kilocalories per day | +7.0% |
| 1964 | 53.23 billion kilocalories per day | +3.9% |
| 1965 | 56.75 billion kilocalories per day | +6.6% |
| 1966 | 56.06 billion kilocalories per day | -1.2% |
| 1967 | 56.34 billion kilocalories per day | +0.5% |
| 1968 | 58.82 billion kilocalories per day | +4.4% |
| 1969 | 61.24 billion kilocalories per day | +4.1% |
| 1970 | 63.39 billion kilocalories per day | +3.5% |
| 1971 | 64.40 billion kilocalories per day | +1.6% |
| 1972 | 67.86 billion kilocalories per day | +5.4% |
| 1973 | 70.77 billion kilocalories per day | +4.3% |
| 1974 | 72.02 billion kilocalories per day | +1.8% |
| 1975 | 74.45 billion kilocalories per day | +3.4% |
| 1976 | 75.14 billion kilocalories per day | +0.9% |
| 1977 | 76.74 billion kilocalories per day | +2.1% |
| 1978 | 78.87 billion kilocalories per day | +2.8% |
| 1979 | 79.92 billion kilocalories per day | +1.3% |
| 1980 | 83.22 billion kilocalories per day | +4.1% |
| 1981 | 84.45 billion kilocalories per day | +1.5% |
| 1982 | 89.14 billion kilocalories per day | +5.6% |
| 1983 | 89.17 billion kilocalories per day | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 91.56 billion kilocalories per day | +2.7% |
| 1985 | 95.22 billion kilocalories per day | +4.0% |
| 1986 | 95.16 billion kilocalories per day | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 100.84 billion kilocalories per day | +6.0% |
| 1988 | 101.15 billion kilocalories per day | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 101.67 billion kilocalories per day | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 104.12 billion kilocalories per day | +2.4% |
| 1991 | 106.15 billion kilocalories per day | +1.9% |
| 1992 | 108.06 billion kilocalories per day | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 112.45 billion kilocalories per day | +4.1% |
| 1994 | 114.63 billion kilocalories per day | +1.9% |
| 1995 | 116.41 billion kilocalories per day | +1.6% |
| 1996 | 118.00 billion kilocalories per day | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 120.78 billion kilocalories per day | +2.4% |
| 1998 | 124.01 billion kilocalories per day | +2.7% |
| 1999 | 125.30 billion kilocalories per day | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 129.43 billion kilocalories per day | +3.3% |
| 2001 | 132.40 billion kilocalories per day | +2.3% |
| 2002 | 134.22 billion kilocalories per day | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 137.28 billion kilocalories per day | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 139.81 billion kilocalories per day | +1.8% |
| 2005 | 142.39 billion kilocalories per day | +1.8% |
| 2006 | 143.19 billion kilocalories per day | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 144.84 billion kilocalories per day | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 146.98 billion kilocalories per day | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 149.41 billion kilocalories per day | +1.7% |
| 2010 | 150.09 billion kilocalories per day | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 152.19 billion kilocalories per day | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 155.48 billion kilocalories per day | +2.2% |
| 2013 | 156.97 billion kilocalories per day | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 157.81 billion kilocalories per day | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 158.90 billion kilocalories per day | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 161.40 billion kilocalories per day | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 163.41 billion kilocalories per day | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 165.64 billion kilocalories per day | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 166.22 billion kilocalories per day | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 167.16 billion kilocalories per day | +0.6% |
| 2021 | 165.23 billion kilocalories per day | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 169.93 billion kilocalories per day | +2.8% |
| 2023 | 170.29 billion kilocalories per day | +0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 54.37 billion kilocalories per day | 47.68 billion kilocalories per day | 61.24 billion kilocalories per day | 9 |
| 1970s | 72.35 billion kilocalories per day | 63.39 billion kilocalories per day | 79.92 billion kilocalories per day | 10 |
| 1980s | 93.16 billion kilocalories per day | 83.22 billion kilocalories per day | 101.67 billion kilocalories per day | 10 |
| 1990s | 114.99 billion kilocalories per day | 104.12 billion kilocalories per day | 125.30 billion kilocalories per day | 10 |
| 2000s | 139.99 billion kilocalories per day | 129.43 billion kilocalories per day | 149.41 billion kilocalories per day | 10 |
| 2010s | 158.81 billion kilocalories per day | 150.09 billion kilocalories per day | 166.22 billion kilocalories per day | 10 |
| 2020s | 168.15 billion kilocalories per day | 165.23 billion kilocalories per day | 170.29 billion kilocalories per day | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 23 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 213.15 billion kilocalories per day compare
- 24 Thailand 204.73 billion kilocalories per day compare
- 25 Korea 177.52 billion kilocalories per day compare
- 27 Tanzania, United Republic of 167.76 billion kilocalories per day compare
- 28 Colombia 163.57 billion kilocalories per day compare
- 29 Spain 161.81 billion kilocalories per day compare
More agriculture & rural data for South Africa
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 7.11 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0283 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 186.56 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.812 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3618 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 2.8% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 2.8% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is change in food supply, population, and agricultural land use in South Africa?
- Change in food supply, population, and agricultural land use in South Africa was 170.29 billion kilocalories per day in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest change in food supply, population, and agricultural land use recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 170.29 billion kilocalories per day in 2023.
- What is the lowest change in food supply, population, and agricultural land use recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 47.68 billion kilocalories per day in 1961.
- How does South Africa rank for change in food supply, population, and agricultural land use?
- South Africa ranks 26th out of 191 countries with data for 2023.
- Is change in food supply, population, and agricultural land use rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa 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 Change in food supply, population, and agricultural land use. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total caloric supply of all agricultural produce, both crops and livestock. Data for world regions has been adjusted for changes in historical boundaries and limited coverage, so that long-term trends can be visualized.