Fertilizer use per hectare of arable land in Malawi
Malawi: Fertilizer use per hectare of arable land was 87.36 kilograms per hectare of arable land in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
87.36 kilograms per hectare of arable land
Change on year
up 268.4%
World rank
99th
of 199 countries
All-time high
87.36 kilograms per hectare of arable land
in 2023
All-time low
2.77 kilograms per hectare of arable land
in 1962
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Fertilizer use per hectare of arable land in Malawi, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in kilograms per hectare of arable land.
Analysis
Malawi recorded 87.36 kilograms per hectare of arable land for fertilizer use per hectare of arable land in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is up 268.4% on the previous year and up 198.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertilizer use per hectare of arable land in Malawi peaked at 87.36 kilograms per hectare of arable land in 2023 and was at its lowest, 2.77 kilograms per hectare of arable land, in 1962.
Malawi ranks 99th of 199 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.
Fertilizer use per hectare of arable land in Malawi, year by year
| Year | kilograms per hectare of arable land | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 3.44 kilograms per hectare of arable land | — |
| 1962 | 2.77 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -19.4% |
| 1963 | 2.86 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +3.3% |
| 1964 | 3.23 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +13.0% |
| 1965 | 2.94 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -9.0% |
| 1966 | 2.86 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -2.9% |
| 1967 | 3.53 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +23.5% |
| 1968 | 3.89 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +10.2% |
| 1969 | 3.83 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -1.5% |
| 1970 | 6.11 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +59.5% |
| 1971 | 7.72 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +26.4% |
| 1972 | 6.67 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -13.6% |
| 1973 | 8 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +19.9% |
| 1974 | 5.19 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -35.2% |
| 1975 | 7.51 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +44.8% |
| 1976 | 13.45 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +79.1% |
| 1977 | 11.75 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -12.7% |
| 1978 | 14.08 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +19.9% |
| 1979 | 12.31 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -12.6% |
| 1980 | 17.51 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +42.2% |
| 1981 | 17.08 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -2.5% |
| 1982 | 15.38 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -9.9% |
| 1983 | 21.5 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +39.8% |
| 1984 | 21.84 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +1.6% |
| 1985 | 14.28 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -34.6% |
| 1986 | 17.43 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +22.1% |
| 1987 | 22.51 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +29.1% |
| 1988 | 23.83 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +5.8% |
| 1989 | 24.91 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +4.5% |
| 1990 | 21.33 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -14.4% |
| 1991 | 29.79 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +39.6% |
| 1992 | 32.09 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +7.7% |
| 1993 | 32.17 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 10.13 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -68.5% |
| 1995 | 18.92 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +86.7% |
| 1996 | 24.25 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +28.2% |
| 1997 | 23.18 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -4.4% |
| 1998 | 19.31 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -16.7% |
| 1999 | 18.56 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -3.9% |
| 2000 | 18.11 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -2.4% |
| 2001 | 9.64 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -46.7% |
| 2002 | 29.71 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +208.1% |
| 2003 | 31.08 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +4.6% |
| 2004 | 34.41 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +10.7% |
| 2005 | 30.49 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -11.4% |
| 2006 | 36.82 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +20.8% |
| 2007 | 37.93 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +3.0% |
| 2008 | 34.87 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -8.1% |
| 2009 | 30.85 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -11.5% |
| 2010 | 37.4 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +21.2% |
| 2011 | 30.37 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -18.8% |
| 2012 | 26.4 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -13.1% |
| 2013 | 29.26 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +10.8% |
| 2014 | 39.76 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +35.9% |
| 2015 | 42 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +5.6% |
| 2016 | 23.77 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -43.4% |
| 2017 | 33.99 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +43.0% |
| 2018 | 34.32 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 29.43 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -14.3% |
| 2020 | 47.49 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +61.4% |
| 2021 | 41.86 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -11.8% |
| 2022 | 23.71 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -43.4% |
| 2023 | 87.36 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +268.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.26 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 2.77 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 3.89 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 9 |
| 1970s | 9.28 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 5.19 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 14.08 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 10 |
| 1980s | 19.63 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 14.28 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 24.91 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 10 |
| 1990s | 22.97 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 10.13 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 32.17 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 10 |
| 2000s | 29.39 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 9.64 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 37.93 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 10 |
| 2010s | 32.67 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 23.77 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 42 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 10 |
| 2020s | 50.1 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 23.71 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 87.36 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 96 Romania 91.57 kilograms per hectare of arable land compare
- 97 Dominican Republic 89.55 kilograms per hectare of arable land compare
- 98 Hungary 89.53 kilograms per hectare of arable land compare
- 100 Finland 87.17 kilograms per hectare of arable land compare
- 101 Eswatini 80.95 kilograms per hectare of arable land compare
- 102 Lao People's Democratic Republic 77.41 kilograms per hectare of arable land compare
More agriculture & rural data for Malawi
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 24.6 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.3003 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 201.66 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 2.19 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0012 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.8241 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 30.0% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 30.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.9% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 2.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertilizer use per hectare of arable land in Malawi?
- Fertilizer use per hectare of arable land in Malawi was 87.36 kilograms per hectare of arable land in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest fertilizer use per hectare of arable land recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 87.36 kilograms per hectare of arable land in 2023.
- What is the lowest fertilizer use per hectare of arable land recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.77 kilograms per hectare of arable land in 1962.
- How does Malawi rank for fertilizer use per hectare of arable land?
- Malawi ranks 99th out of 199 countries with data for 2023.
- Is fertilizer use per hectare of arable land rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 198.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Fertilizer use per hectare of arable land. 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
Fertilizer products cover nitrogenous, potash, and phosphate fertilizers (including ground rock phosphate). Animal and plant manures are not included. Application rates are measured in kilograms per hectare.