Nitrogen fertilizer use in Botswana
Botswana: Nitrogen fertilizer use was 17,547 tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Nitrogen fertilizer use in Botswana, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
Botswana recorded 17,547 tonnes for nitrogen fertilizer use in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 10.4% on the previous year and down 20.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, nitrogen fertilizer use in Botswana peaked at 21,983 tonnes in 2013 and was at its lowest, 139 tonnes, in 1985.
Botswana ranks 117th of 202 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.
Nitrogen fertilizer use in Botswana, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1,000 tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 1,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 1,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 1,500 tonnes | +50.0% |
| 1965 | 2,000 tonnes | +33.3% |
| 1966 | 2,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 2,500 tonnes | +25.0% |
| 1968 | 1,000 tonnes | -60.0% |
| 1969 | 1,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 1,100 tonnes | +10.0% |
| 1971 | 1,050 tonnes | -4.5% |
| 1972 | 1,150 tonnes | +9.5% |
| 1973 | 1,200 tonnes | +4.3% |
| 1974 | 1,161 tonnes | -3.2% |
| 1975 | 1,500 tonnes | +29.2% |
| 1976 | 1,000 tonnes | -33.3% |
| 1977 | 1,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 1,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 500 tonnes | -50.0% |
| 1980 | 600 tonnes | +20.0% |
| 1981 | 600 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 600 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 500 tonnes | -16.7% |
| 1984 | 400 tonnes | -20.0% |
| 1985 | 139 tonnes | -65.2% |
| 1986 | 216 tonnes | +55.4% |
| 1987 | 300 tonnes | +38.9% |
| 1988 | 300 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 300 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 300 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 300 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 300 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 400 tonnes | +33.3% |
| 1994 | 500 tonnes | +25.0% |
| 1995 | 2,132 tonnes | +326.4% |
| 1996 | 3,190 tonnes | +49.6% |
| 1997 | 3,500 tonnes | +9.7% |
| 1998 | 3,748 tonnes | +7.1% |
| 1999 | 4,100 tonnes | +9.4% |
| 2000 | 4,100 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 4,100 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 13,631 tonnes | +232.5% |
| 2010 | 19,939 tonnes | +46.3% |
| 2011 | 8,460 tonnes | -57.6% |
| 2012 | 15,152 tonnes | +79.1% |
| 2013 | 21,983 tonnes | +45.1% |
| 2014 | 21,156 tonnes | -3.8% |
| 2015 | 13,124 tonnes | -38.0% |
| 2016 | 10,699 tonnes | -18.5% |
| 2017 | 5,589 tonnes | -47.8% |
| 2018 | 12,644 tonnes | +126.2% |
| 2019 | 9,997 tonnes | -20.9% |
| 2020 | 13,642 tonnes | +36.5% |
| 2021 | 13,085 tonnes | -4.1% |
| 2022 | 15,900 tonnes | +21.5% |
| 2023 | 17,547 tonnes | +10.4% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 17,547 tonnes is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 54,228 tonnes, 32% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 17,547 tonnes is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 15,117 tonnes, 1.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Nitrogen fertilizer use in Botswana 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | +326.4% | 500 tonnes | 2,132 tonnes |
| 2009 | +232.5% | 4,100 tonnes | 13,631 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1,444 tonnes | 1,000 tonnes | 2,500 tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 1,066 tonnes | 500 tonnes | 1,500 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 395.5 tonnes | 139 tonnes | 600 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 1,847 tonnes | 300 tonnes | 4,100 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 7,277 tonnes | 4,100 tonnes | 13,631 tonnes | 3 |
| 2010s | 13,874 tonnes | 5,589 tonnes | 21,983 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 15,044 tonnes | 13,085 tonnes | 17,547 tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
More agriculture & rural data for Botswana
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 4.45 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0178 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 138.54 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.0839 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3204 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 1.8% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 1.8% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.0% (2023)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.8% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is nitrogen fertilizer use in Botswana?
- Nitrogen fertilizer use in Botswana was 17,547 tonnes 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 nitrogen fertilizer use recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 21,983 tonnes in 2013.
- What is the lowest nitrogen fertilizer use recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 139 tonnes in 1985.
- How does Botswana rank for nitrogen fertilizer use?
- Botswana ranks 117th out of 202 countries with data for 2023.
- Is nitrogen fertilizer use rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Botswana 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 Nitrogen fertilizer use. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measures total nitrogen inputs, including synthetic fertilizers alongside organic inputs from manure and crop fixation. Measured in tonnes of nitrogen.