Fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Lesotho
Lesotho: Fertilizer use per hectare of cropland was 8.6 kilograms per hectare in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
8.6 kilograms per hectare
Change on year
up 6.4%
World rank
159th
of 201 countries
All-time high
33.95 kilograms per hectare
in 2001
All-time low
0.84 kilograms per hectare
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Lesotho, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilograms per hectare.
Analysis
The most recent figure for fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Lesotho is 8.6 kilograms per hectare, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of up 6.4% on the previous year and down 53.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Lesotho peaked at 33.95 kilograms per hectare in 2001 and was at its lowest, 0.84 kilograms per hectare, in 1961.
That places Lesotho 159th out of 201 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | kilograms per hectare | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 0.84 kilograms per hectare | — |
| 1962 | 1.21 kilograms per hectare | +44.0% |
| 1963 | 0.86 kilograms per hectare | -28.9% |
| 1964 | 1.2 kilograms per hectare | +39.5% |
| 1965 | 1.54 kilograms per hectare | +28.3% |
| 1966 | 1.79 kilograms per hectare | +16.2% |
| 1967 | 2.21 kilograms per hectare | +23.5% |
| 1968 | 0.89 kilograms per hectare | -59.7% |
| 1969 | 1.22 kilograms per hectare | +37.1% |
| 1970 | 1.01 kilograms per hectare | -17.2% |
| 1971 | 2.94 kilograms per hectare | +191.1% |
| 1972 | 1.76 kilograms per hectare | -40.1% |
| 1973 | 2.51 kilograms per hectare | +42.6% |
| 1974 | 2.24 kilograms per hectare | -10.8% |
| 1975 | 3.99 kilograms per hectare | +78.1% |
| 1976 | 3.63 kilograms per hectare | -9.0% |
| 1977 | 7.53 kilograms per hectare | +107.4% |
| 1978 | 15.02 kilograms per hectare | +99.5% |
| 1979 | 14.23 kilograms per hectare | -5.3% |
| 1980 | 15.2 kilograms per hectare | +6.8% |
| 1981 | 14.91 kilograms per hectare | -1.9% |
| 1982 | 15.41 kilograms per hectare | +3.4% |
| 1983 | 15.68 kilograms per hectare | +1.8% |
| 1984 | 15.28 kilograms per hectare | -2.6% |
| 1985 | 11.35 kilograms per hectare | -25.7% |
| 1986 | 13.4 kilograms per hectare | +18.1% |
| 1987 | 12.12 kilograms per hectare | -9.6% |
| 1988 | 13.12 kilograms per hectare | +8.3% |
| 1989 | 15.08 kilograms per hectare | +14.9% |
| 1990 | 14.33 kilograms per hectare | -5.0% |
| 1991 | 18.27 kilograms per hectare | +27.5% |
| 1992 | 16.96 kilograms per hectare | -7.2% |
| 1993 | 17.96 kilograms per hectare | +5.9% |
| 1994 | 16.11 kilograms per hectare | -10.3% |
| 1995 | 18.22 kilograms per hectare | +13.1% |
| 1996 | 18.65 kilograms per hectare | +2.4% |
| 1997 | 17.04 kilograms per hectare | -8.6% |
| 1998 | 18.23 kilograms per hectare | +7.0% |
| 1999 | 15.31 kilograms per hectare | -16.0% |
| 2000 | 23.93 kilograms per hectare | +56.3% |
| 2001 | 33.95 kilograms per hectare | +41.9% |
| 2002 | 14.51 kilograms per hectare | -57.3% |
| 2003 | 9.89 kilograms per hectare | -31.8% |
| 2004 | 3.41 kilograms per hectare | -65.5% |
| 2005 | 3.55 kilograms per hectare | +4.1% |
| 2006 | 5.83 kilograms per hectare | +64.2% |
| 2007 | 7.99 kilograms per hectare | +37.0% |
| 2008 | 2.36 kilograms per hectare | -70.5% |
| 2009 | 2.86 kilograms per hectare | +21.2% |
| 2010 | 1.56 kilograms per hectare | -45.5% |
| 2011 | 6.05 kilograms per hectare | +287.8% |
| 2012 | 2.76 kilograms per hectare | -54.4% |
| 2013 | 18.39 kilograms per hectare | +566.3% |
| 2014 | 17.49 kilograms per hectare | -4.9% |
| 2015 | 7.14 kilograms per hectare | -59.2% |
| 2016 | 5.52 kilograms per hectare | -22.7% |
| 2017 | 8.12 kilograms per hectare | +47.1% |
| 2018 | 15.63 kilograms per hectare | +92.5% |
| 2019 | 21.73 kilograms per hectare | +39.0% |
| 2020 | 10.64 kilograms per hectare | -51.0% |
| 2021 | 15.5 kilograms per hectare | +45.7% |
| 2022 | 8.08 kilograms per hectare | -47.9% |
| 2023 | 8.6 kilograms per hectare | +6.4% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 8.6 kilograms per hectare is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 25.06 kilograms per hectare, 34% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 8.6 kilograms per hectare is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 8.73 kilograms per hectare, 99% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Lesotho 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | +566.3% | 2.76 kilograms per hectare | 18.39 kilograms per hectare |
| 2011 | +287.8% | 1.56 kilograms per hectare | 6.05 kilograms per hectare |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.31 kilograms per hectare | 0.84 kilograms per hectare | 2.21 kilograms per hectare | 9 |
| 1970s | 5.49 kilograms per hectare | 1.01 kilograms per hectare | 15.02 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 1980s | 14.16 kilograms per hectare | 11.35 kilograms per hectare | 15.68 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 1990s | 17.11 kilograms per hectare | 14.33 kilograms per hectare | 18.65 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.83 kilograms per hectare | 2.36 kilograms per hectare | 33.95 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.44 kilograms per hectare | 1.56 kilograms per hectare | 21.73 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.71 kilograms per hectare | 8.08 kilograms per hectare | 15.5 kilograms per hectare | 4 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More agriculture & rural data for Lesotho
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.0139 % change on previous year (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0.0002 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per capita 0.1831 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.0072 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0.0003 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 0.3524 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 5.38 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0649 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 70.63 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.6715 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Lesotho?
- Fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Lesotho was 8.6 kilograms per hectare 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 fertilizer use per hectare of cropland recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 33.95 kilograms per hectare in 2001.
- What is the lowest fertilizer use per hectare of cropland recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.84 kilograms per hectare in 1961.
- How does Lesotho rank for fertilizer use per hectare of cropland?
- Lesotho ranks 159th out of 201 countries with data for 2023.
- Is fertilizer use per hectare of cropland rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 53.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho 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 Fertilizer use per hectare of cropland. 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
Agricultural use of all fertilizer products (including nitrogenous, potash, and phosphate fertilizers) per area of cropland, which corresponds to the sum of arable land and permanent crops.