Nitrogen fertilizer use in Zambia
Zambia: Nitrogen fertilizer use was 232,086 tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Nitrogen fertilizer use in Zambia, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
Zambia recorded 232,086 tonnes for nitrogen fertilizer use in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 35.0% on the previous year and up 64.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, nitrogen fertilizer use in Zambia peaked at 232,086 tonnes in 2023 and was at its lowest, 4,500 tonnes, in 1962.
That places Zambia 44th out of 201 countries with data for 2023, putting it 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 | 6,667 tonnes | 4,500 tonnes | 12,000 tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 32,624 tonnes | 19,676 tonnes | 46,200 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 52,262 tonnes | 37,776 tonnes | 61,817 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 34,911 tonnes | 10,621 tonnes | 57,900 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 43,830 tonnes | 8,000 tonnes | 64,145 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 145,209 tonnes | 77,617 tonnes | 210,690 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 193,592 tonnes | 171,912 tonnes | 232,086 tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More agriculture & rural data for Zambia
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 1.19 billion current US$ (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 4.1% (2025)
- Rural population 11.85 million (2025)
- Rural population growth 1.9% (2025)
- Rural population 54.1% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.7% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.4% (2024)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 4.1% (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 4.1% (2025)
- Land under cereal production 1.56 million hectares (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is nitrogen fertilizer use in Zambia?
- Nitrogen fertilizer use in Zambia was 232,086 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 232,086 tonnes in 2023.
- What is the lowest nitrogen fertilizer use recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 4,500 tonnes in 1962.
- How does Zambia rank for nitrogen fertilizer use?
- Zambia ranks 44th out of 201 countries with data for 2023.
- Is nitrogen fertilizer use rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 64.9%. 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 (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.