Fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Fertilizer use per hectare of cropland was 2.42 kilograms per hectare in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
2.42 kilograms per hectare
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
187th
of 201 countries
All-time high
6.5 kilograms per hectare
in 1986
All-time low
0.1 kilograms per hectare
in 2015
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Sierra Leone, 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 Sierra Leone is 2.42 kilograms per hectare, measured in 2023.
The figure is up 34.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Sierra Leone peaked at 6.5 kilograms per hectare in 1986 and was at its lowest, 0.1 kilograms per hectare, in 2015.
That places Sierra Leone 187th 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 Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | kilograms per hectare | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 0.39 kilograms per hectare | — |
| 1962 | 0.39 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 0.48 kilograms per hectare | +23.1% |
| 1964 | 0.47 kilograms per hectare | -2.1% |
| 1965 | 1.16 kilograms per hectare | +146.8% |
| 1966 | 1.16 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 1.93 kilograms per hectare | +66.4% |
| 1968 | 2.44 kilograms per hectare | +26.4% |
| 1969 | 5.03 kilograms per hectare | +106.1% |
| 1970 | 5.48 kilograms per hectare | +8.9% |
| 1971 | 2.44 kilograms per hectare | -55.5% |
| 1972 | 2.61 kilograms per hectare | +7.0% |
| 1973 | 4.75 kilograms per hectare | +82.0% |
| 1974 | 2.11 kilograms per hectare | -55.6% |
| 1975 | 6.02 kilograms per hectare | +185.3% |
| 1976 | 2.6 kilograms per hectare | -56.8% |
| 1977 | 2.86 kilograms per hectare | +10.0% |
| 1978 | 2.23 kilograms per hectare | -22.0% |
| 1979 | 5.22 kilograms per hectare | +134.1% |
| 1980 | 3.45 kilograms per hectare | -33.9% |
| 1981 | 6.3 kilograms per hectare | +82.6% |
| 1982 | 0.67 kilograms per hectare | -89.4% |
| 1983 | 2.19 kilograms per hectare | +226.9% |
| 1984 | 2.31 kilograms per hectare | +5.5% |
| 1985 | 5.9 kilograms per hectare | +155.4% |
| 1986 | 6.5 kilograms per hectare | +10.2% |
| 1987 | 0.8 kilograms per hectare | -87.7% |
| 1988 | 0.87 kilograms per hectare | +8.7% |
| 1989 | 2.51 kilograms per hectare | +188.5% |
| 1990 | 2.09 kilograms per hectare | -16.7% |
| 1991 | 0.96 kilograms per hectare | -54.1% |
| 1992 | 2.28 kilograms per hectare | +137.5% |
| 1993 | 4.92 kilograms per hectare | +115.8% |
| 1994 | 4.92 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 4.92 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 4.92 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 4.92 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.48 kilograms per hectare | -90.2% |
| 1999 | 0.15 kilograms per hectare | -68.7% |
| 2000 | 0.24 kilograms per hectare | +60.0% |
| 2001 | 0.36 kilograms per hectare | +50.0% |
| 2002 | 4.05 kilograms per hectare | +1025.0% |
| 2003 | 0.25 kilograms per hectare | -93.8% |
| 2004 | 0.49 kilograms per hectare | +96.0% |
| 2005 | 0.55 kilograms per hectare | +12.2% |
| 2006 | 0.31 kilograms per hectare | -43.6% |
| 2007 | 0.88 kilograms per hectare | +183.9% |
| 2008 | 0.4 kilograms per hectare | -54.5% |
| 2009 | 1.2 kilograms per hectare | +200.0% |
| 2010 | 0.57 kilograms per hectare | -52.5% |
| 2011 | 0.53 kilograms per hectare | -7.0% |
| 2012 | 2.72 kilograms per hectare | +413.2% |
| 2013 | 1.8 kilograms per hectare | -33.8% |
| 2014 | 0.23 kilograms per hectare | -87.2% |
| 2015 | 0.1 kilograms per hectare | -56.5% |
| 2016 | 1.67 kilograms per hectare | +1570.0% |
| 2017 | 4.12 kilograms per hectare | +146.7% |
| 2018 | 2.42 kilograms per hectare | -41.3% |
| 2019 | 2.42 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 2.42 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 2.42 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 2.42 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 2.42 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 2.42 kilograms per hectare is below the median for low income countries, which is 7.69 kilograms per hectare, 31% of the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 2.42 kilograms per hectare is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 8.73 kilograms per hectare, 28% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Sierra Leone 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | +1570.0% | 0.1 kilograms per hectare | 1.67 kilograms per hectare |
| 2002 | +1025.0% | 0.36 kilograms per hectare | 4.05 kilograms per hectare |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.49 kilograms per hectare | 0.39 kilograms per hectare | 5.03 kilograms per hectare | 9 |
| 1970s | 3.63 kilograms per hectare | 2.11 kilograms per hectare | 6.02 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.15 kilograms per hectare | 0.67 kilograms per hectare | 6.5 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.06 kilograms per hectare | 0.15 kilograms per hectare | 4.92 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.873 kilograms per hectare | 0.24 kilograms per hectare | 4.05 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.66 kilograms per hectare | 0.1 kilograms per hectare | 4.12 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.42 kilograms per hectare | 2.42 kilograms per hectare | 2.42 kilograms per hectare | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
More agriculture & rural data for Sierra Leone
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate 0 % 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 0.1983 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0.0005 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 0.4477 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 8.47 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.2954 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 250 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Sierra Leone?
- Fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Sierra Leone was 2.42 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 Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 6.5 kilograms per hectare in 1986.
- What is the lowest fertilizer use per hectare of cropland recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1 kilograms per hectare in 2015.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for fertilizer use per hectare of cropland?
- Sierra Leone ranks 187th out of 201 countries with data for 2023.
- Is fertilizer use per hectare of cropland rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is up 34.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sierra Leone 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.