Nitrogen fertilizer use in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Nitrogen fertilizer use was 96,590 tonnes in 2023. ▲ Rising
Nitrogen fertilizer use in Zimbabwe, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
The most recent figure for nitrogen fertilizer use in Zimbabwe is 96,590 tonnes, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 9.9% on the previous year and up 86.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, nitrogen fertilizer use in Zimbabwe peaked at 139,128 tonnes in 2021 and was at its lowest, 15,730 tonnes, in 1962.
Zimbabwe ranks 72nd of 202 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Nitrogen fertilizer use in Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 18,460 tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 15,730 tonnes | -14.8% |
| 1963 | 16,100 tonnes | +2.4% |
| 1964 | 37,000 tonnes | +129.8% |
| 1965 | 38,000 tonnes | +2.7% |
| 1966 | 36,500 tonnes | -3.9% |
| 1967 | 41,000 tonnes | +12.3% |
| 1968 | 38,500 tonnes | -6.1% |
| 1969 | 43,000 tonnes | +11.7% |
| 1970 | 49,000 tonnes | +14.0% |
| 1971 | 71,000 tonnes | +44.9% |
| 1972 | 60,000 tonnes | -15.5% |
| 1973 | 70,000 tonnes | +16.7% |
| 1974 | 75,000 tonnes | +7.1% |
| 1975 | 75,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 60,000 tonnes | -20.0% |
| 1977 | 45,000 tonnes | -25.0% |
| 1978 | 55,300 tonnes | +22.9% |
| 1979 | 59,075 tonnes | +6.8% |
| 1980 | 92,832 tonnes | +57.1% |
| 1981 | 97,995 tonnes | +5.6% |
| 1982 | 87,968 tonnes | -10.2% |
| 1983 | 81,300 tonnes | -7.6% |
| 1984 | 71,800 tonnes | -11.7% |
| 1985 | 92,985 tonnes | +29.5% |
| 1986 | 81,885 tonnes | -11.9% |
| 1987 | 73,414 tonnes | -10.3% |
| 1988 | 88,178 tonnes | +20.1% |
| 1989 | 82,228 tonnes | -6.7% |
| 1990 | 94,985 tonnes | +15.5% |
| 1991 | 89,822 tonnes | -5.4% |
| 1992 | 57,600 tonnes | -35.9% |
| 1993 | 82,116 tonnes | +42.6% |
| 1994 | 92,900 tonnes | +13.1% |
| 1995 | 76,000 tonnes | -18.2% |
| 1996 | 94,000 tonnes | +23.7% |
| 1997 | 94,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 95,000 tonnes | +1.1% |
| 1999 | 100,000 tonnes | +5.3% |
| 2000 | 87,400 tonnes | -12.6% |
| 2001 | 82,000 tonnes | -6.2% |
| 2002 | 70,742 tonnes | -13.7% |
| 2003 | 77,499 tonnes | +9.6% |
| 2004 | 51,594 tonnes | -33.4% |
| 2005 | 48,403 tonnes | -6.2% |
| 2006 | 60,543 tonnes | +25.1% |
| 2007 | 57,419 tonnes | -5.2% |
| 2008 | 48,551 tonnes | -15.4% |
| 2009 | 66,135 tonnes | +36.2% |
| 2010 | 70,502 tonnes | +6.6% |
| 2011 | 59,563 tonnes | -15.5% |
| 2012 | 41,000 tonnes | -31.2% |
| 2013 | 51,800 tonnes | +26.3% |
| 2014 | 50,000 tonnes | -3.5% |
| 2015 | 42,600 tonnes | -14.8% |
| 2016 | 58,100 tonnes | +36.4% |
| 2017 | 65,000 tonnes | +11.9% |
| 2018 | 50,100 tonnes | -22.9% |
| 2019 | 50,100 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 79,782 tonnes | +59.2% |
| 2021 | 139,128 tonnes | +74.4% |
| 2022 | 107,198 tonnes | -23.0% |
| 2023 | 96,590 tonnes | -9.9% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 96,590 tonnes is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 47,552 tonnes, 2.0× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 96,590 tonnes is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 15,117 tonnes, 6.4× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Nitrogen fertilizer use in Zimbabwe 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | +129.8% | 16,100 tonnes | 37,000 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 31,588 tonnes | 15,730 tonnes | 43,000 tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 61,938 tonnes | 45,000 tonnes | 75,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 85,058 tonnes | 71,800 tonnes | 97,995 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 87,642 tonnes | 57,600 tonnes | 100,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 65,029 tonnes | 48,403 tonnes | 87,400 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 53,876 tonnes | 41,000 tonnes | 70,502 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 105,674 tonnes | 79,782 tonnes | 139,128 tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
More agriculture & rural data for Zimbabwe
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 34.41 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0947 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 286.19 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.8815 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.595 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 9.5% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 9.5% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.9% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.3% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is nitrogen fertilizer use in Zimbabwe?
- Nitrogen fertilizer use in Zimbabwe was 96,590 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 Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 139,128 tonnes in 2021.
- What is the lowest nitrogen fertilizer use recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 15,730 tonnes in 1962.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for nitrogen fertilizer use?
- Zimbabwe ranks 72nd out of 202 countries with data for 2023.
- Is nitrogen fertilizer use rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 86.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zimbabwe 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.