Fertilizer use per hectare of arable land in Zambia
Zambia: Fertilizer use per hectare of arable land was 77.27 kilograms per hectare of arable land in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
77.27 kilograms per hectare of arable land
Change on year
up 19.7%
World rank
104th
of 199 countries
All-time high
79.76 kilograms per hectare of arable land
in 2020
All-time low
3.33 kilograms per hectare of arable land
in 1962
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Fertilizer use per hectare of arable land in Zambia, 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
Zambia recorded 77.27 kilograms per hectare of arable land for fertilizer use per hectare of arable land in 2023.
The figure is up 19.7% on the previous year and up 57.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertilizer use per hectare of arable land in Zambia peaked at 79.76 kilograms per hectare of arable land in 2020 and was at its lowest, 3.33 kilograms per hectare of arable land, in 1962.
That places Zambia 104th out of 199 countries with data for 2023, putting it 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 Zambia, year by year
| Year | kilograms per hectare of arable land | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 4 kilograms per hectare of arable land | — |
| 1962 | 3.33 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -16.7% |
| 1963 | 3.55 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +6.5% |
| 1964 | 4.06 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +14.2% |
| 1965 | 4.22 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +4.1% |
| 1966 | 4.59 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +8.7% |
| 1967 | 5.54 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +20.7% |
| 1968 | 7.06 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +27.5% |
| 1969 | 6 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -15.0% |
| 1970 | 13.1 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +118.3% |
| 1971 | 18.43 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +40.7% |
| 1972 | 14.39 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -21.9% |
| 1973 | 14.92 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +3.7% |
| 1974 | 21.09 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +41.3% |
| 1975 | 18.22 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -13.6% |
| 1976 | 20.15 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +10.6% |
| 1977 | 23.43 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +16.3% |
| 1978 | 18.59 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -20.7% |
| 1979 | 25.03 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +34.6% |
| 1980 | 33.7 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +34.7% |
| 1981 | 35.68 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +5.9% |
| 1982 | 34.04 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -4.6% |
| 1983 | 27.48 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -19.3% |
| 1984 | 22.01 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -19.9% |
| 1985 | 30.69 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +39.4% |
| 1986 | 28.86 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -5.9% |
| 1987 | 34.99 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +21.2% |
| 1988 | 31.25 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -10.7% |
| 1989 | 27.43 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -12.2% |
| 1990 | 20.58 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -25.0% |
| 1991 | 22.68 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +10.2% |
| 1992 | 30.41 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +34.1% |
| 1993 | 30.72 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +1.0% |
| 1994 | 20.7 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -32.6% |
| 1995 | 19.34 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -6.6% |
| 1996 | 18.07 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -6.5% |
| 1997 | 19.94 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +10.3% |
| 1998 | 12.9 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -35.3% |
| 1999 | 11.96 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -7.3% |
| 2000 | 11.04 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -7.7% |
| 2001 | 13.37 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +21.2% |
| 2002 | 26.07 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +95.0% |
| 2003 | 26.17 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 29.9 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +14.3% |
| 2005 | 27.98 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -6.4% |
| 2006 | 25.68 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -8.2% |
| 2007 | 32.33 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +25.9% |
| 2008 | 38.66 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +19.6% |
| 2009 | 25.78 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -33.3% |
| 2010 | 29.17 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +13.2% |
| 2011 | 46.15 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +58.2% |
| 2012 | 37.63 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -18.5% |
| 2013 | 48.97 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +30.2% |
| 2014 | 51.83 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +5.8% |
| 2015 | 57.42 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +10.8% |
| 2016 | 65.71 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +14.4% |
| 2017 | 72.05 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +9.6% |
| 2018 | 52.51 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -27.1% |
| 2019 | 67.58 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +28.7% |
| 2020 | 79.76 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +18.0% |
| 2021 | 63.9 kilograms per hectare of arable land | -19.9% |
| 2022 | 64.56 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 77.27 kilograms per hectare of arable land | +19.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 4.71 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 3.33 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 7.06 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 9 |
| 1970s | 18.74 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 13.1 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 25.03 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 10 |
| 1980s | 30.61 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 22.01 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 35.68 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 10 |
| 1990s | 20.73 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 11.96 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 30.72 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.7 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 11.04 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 38.66 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 10 |
| 2010s | 52.9 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 29.17 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 72.05 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 10 |
| 2020s | 71.38 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 63.9 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 79.76 kilograms per hectare of arable land | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 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
- 103 Vanuatu 77.35 kilograms per hectare of arable land compare
- 105 South Africa 77.19 kilograms per hectare of arable land compare
- 106 Estonia 74.86 kilograms per hectare of arable land compare
- 107 El Salvador 74.6 kilograms per hectare of arable land compare
More agriculture & rural data for Zambia
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 65.37 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0411 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 54.11 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.97 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.5408 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 4.1% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 4.1% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.4% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertilizer use per hectare of arable land in Zambia?
- Fertilizer use per hectare of arable land in Zambia was 77.27 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 79.76 kilograms per hectare of arable land in 2020.
- What is the lowest fertilizer use per hectare of arable land recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.33 kilograms per hectare of arable land in 1962.
- How does Zambia rank for fertilizer use per hectare of arable land?
- Zambia ranks 104th out of 199 countries with data for 2023.
- Is fertilizer use per hectare of arable land rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 57.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia 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.