Nitrogen fertilizer use in Malawi
Malawi: Nitrogen fertilizer use was 273,988 tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Nitrogen fertilizer use in Malawi, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
Malawi recorded 273,988 tonnes for nitrogen fertilizer use in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is up 332.1% on the previous year and up 366.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, nitrogen fertilizer use in Malawi peaked at 273,988 tonnes in 2023 and was at its lowest, 2,300 tonnes, in 1962.
Malawi ranks 38th of 201 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3,354 tonnes | 2,300 tonnes | 5,000 tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 12,712 tonnes | 7,453 tonnes | 19,563 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 24,545 tonnes | 15,931 tonnes | 30,300 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 35,696 tonnes | 9,060 tonnes | 51,800 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 64,776 tonnes | 16,781 tonnes | 98,191 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 84,889 tonnes | 58,424 tonnes | 118,305 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 141,974 tonnes | 63,405 tonnes | 273,988 tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More agriculture & rural data for Malawi
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 4.48 billion current US$ (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 30.0% (2025)
- Rural population 18.31 million (2025)
- Rural population growth 2.2% (2025)
- Rural population 82.4% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 2.7% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.9% (2024)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 30.0% (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 30.0% (2025)
- Land under cereal production 2.04 million hectares (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is nitrogen fertilizer use in Malawi?
- Nitrogen fertilizer use in Malawi was 273,988 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 Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 273,988 tonnes in 2023.
- What is the lowest nitrogen fertilizer use recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,300 tonnes in 1962.
- How does Malawi rank for nitrogen fertilizer use?
- Malawi ranks 38th out of 201 countries with data for 2023.
- Is nitrogen fertilizer use rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 366.1%. 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 (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 — 63 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.