What is the highest land under cereal production recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?

The highest recorded value was 119.15 million hectares in 2023.

What is the lowest land under cereal production recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?

The lowest recorded value was 47.34 million hectares in 1961.

How does Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for land under cereal production?

Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 16th out of 47 groups with data for 2024.

Is land under cereal production rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?

Over the last ten years it is down 20.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.

Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) data come from?

The figures come from FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Land under cereal production (hectares). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Land under cereal production in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)

Name: Land under cereal production in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
Creator: FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
License: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)

Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries): Land under cereal production was 85.37 million hectares in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)

85.37 million hectares

Change on year

down 28.4%

Rank

16th

of 47 groups

All-time high

119.15 million hectares

in 2023

All-time low

47.34 million hectares

in 1961

Years of data

1961–2024

Land under cereal production in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), 1961–2024

Source: FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in hectares.

Analysis

Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) recorded 85.37 million hectares for land under cereal production in 2024.

That represents a change of down 28.4% on the previous year and down 20.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, land under cereal production in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 119.15 million hectares in 2023 and was at its lowest, 47.34 million hectares, in 1961.

Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 16th of 47 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 64 years of available data.

Land under cereal production in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year

Annual values for Land under cereal production (hectares) in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), 1961 to 2024.
Year	hectares	Change
1961	47.34 million hectares	—
1962	48.44 million hectares	+2.3%
1963	49.42 million hectares	+2.0%
1964	49.54 million hectares	+0.2%
1965	51.22 million hectares	+3.4%
1966	49.50 million hectares	-3.4%
1967	52.87 million hectares	+6.8%
1968	51.76 million hectares	-2.1%
1969	57.27 million hectares	+10.7%
1970	55.33 million hectares	-3.4%
1971	55.63 million hectares	+0.5%
1972	52.57 million hectares	-5.5%
1973	54.49 million hectares	+3.6%
1974	54.89 million hectares	+0.7%
1975	52.40 million hectares	-4.5%
1976	55.62 million hectares	+6.2%
1977	53.22 million hectares	-4.3%
1978	52.17 million hectares	-2.0%
1979	50.53 million hectares	-3.2%
1980	52.75 million hectares	+4.4%
1981	51.52 million hectares	-2.3%
1982	51.43 million hectares	-0.2%
1983	52.93 million hectares	+2.9%
1984	55.23 million hectares	+4.4%
1985	60.78 million hectares	+10.0%
1986	65.25 million hectares	+7.4%
1987	63.57 million hectares	-2.6%
1988	69.53 million hectares	+9.4%
1989	68.88 million hectares	-0.9%
1990	66.83 million hectares	-3.0%
1991	71.33 million hectares	+6.7%
1992	73.25 million hectares	+2.7%
1993	73.09 million hectares	-0.2%
1994	80.83 million hectares	+10.6%
1995	77.96 million hectares	-3.6%
1996	79.51 million hectares	+2.0%
1997	81.09 million hectares	+2.0%
1998	80.20 million hectares	-1.1%
1999	77.84 million hectares	-2.9%
2000	77.02 million hectares	-1.1%
2001	78.76 million hectares	+2.3%
2002	80.32 million hectares	+2.0%
2003	87.58 million hectares	+9.0%
2004	82.25 million hectares	-6.1%
2005	94.20 million hectares	+14.5%
2006	90.56 million hectares	-3.9%
2007	91.54 million hectares	+1.1%
2008	96.27 million hectares	+5.2%
2009	91.05 million hectares	-5.4%
2010	99.62 million hectares	+9.4%
2011	99.90 million hectares	+0.3%
2012	97.31 million hectares	-2.6%
2013	104.22 million hectares	+7.1%
2014	107.78 million hectares	+3.4%
2015	102.37 million hectares	-5.0%
2016	111.77 million hectares	+9.2%
2017	111.15 million hectares	-0.6%
2018	116.55 million hectares	+4.9%
2019	112.24 million hectares	-3.7%
2020	114.79 million hectares	+2.3%
2021	115.17 million hectares	+0.3%
2022	117.50 million hectares	+2.0%
2023	119.15 million hectares	+1.4%
2024	85.37 million hectares	-28.4%

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1960s	50.82 million hectares	47.34 million hectares	57.27 million hectares	9
1970s	53.69 million hectares	50.53 million hectares	55.63 million hectares	10
1980s	59.19 million hectares	51.43 million hectares	69.53 million hectares	10
1990s	76.19 million hectares	66.83 million hectares	81.09 million hectares	10
2000s	86.95 million hectares	77.02 million hectares	96.27 million hectares	10
2010s	106.29 million hectares	97.31 million hectares	116.55 million hectares	10
2020s	110.40 million hectares	85.37 million hectares	119.15 million hectares	5

Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)

13 Thailand 12.54 million hectares compare
14 Bangladesh 12.27 million hectares compare
15 Ethiopia 12.07 million hectares compare
16 Sudan 11.59 million hectares compare
17 Türkiye 11.38 million hectares compare
18 Ukraine 10.81 million hectares compare
19 Niger 10.33 million hectares compare

See the full ranking of 228 places →

More agriculture & rural data for Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)

Rural population, per capita 0.5534 units per person (2025)
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 17.9% (2025)
Rural population 731.42 million (2025)
Rural population growth 1.5% (2025)
Rural population 55.3% (2025)
Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2024)
Agricultural raw materials exports 2.6% (2024)
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 299.6 current US$ per person (2025)
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 10.7 % change on previous year (2025)
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1791 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)

All data for Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) →

Frequently asked questions

What is land under cereal production in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?: Land under cereal production in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) was 85.37 million hectares in 2024, according to FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
What is the highest land under cereal production recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?: The highest recorded value was 119.15 million hectares in 2023.
What is the lowest land under cereal production recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?: The lowest recorded value was 47.34 million hectares in 1961.
How does Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for land under cereal production?: Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 16th out of 47 groups with data for 2024.
Is land under cereal production rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?: Over the last ten years it is down 20.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) data come from?: The figures come from FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Land under cereal production (hectares). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Land under cereal production in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries). Statizoid, drawing on FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Retrieved 05 September 2026, from https://agriculture.statizoid.com/stat/land-under-cereal-production-hectares/sub-saharan-africa-ida-and-ibrd-countries/

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About this data

Indicator: Land under cereal production (hectares)
Unit: hectares
Source: FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage: 228 places, 13,401 data points, 1961–2024
Last refreshed: 03 September 2026

Land under cereal production refers to harvested area, although some countries report only sown or cultivated area. Cereals include wheat, rice, maize, barley, oats, rye, millet, sorghum, buckwheat, and mixed grains. Production data on cereals relate to crops harvested for dry grain only. Cereal crops harvested for hay or harvested green for food, feed, or silage and those used for grazing are excluded.