Maize yield in Lesotho
Lesotho: Maize yield was 634.4 kg per hectare in 2011. ▼ Falling
Maize yield in Lesotho, 1961–2011
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site. Measured in kg per hectare.
Analysis
The most recent figure for maize yield in Lesotho is 634.4 kg per hectare, measured in 2011.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 30.1% on the previous year and down 28.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, maize yield in Lesotho peaked at 1,568 kg per hectare in 1977 and was at its lowest, 415.9 kg per hectare, in 2009.
That places Lesotho 46th out of 49 countries with data for 2011, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 51 years of available data.
Maize yield in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | kg per hectare | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 814.8 kg per hectare | — |
| 1962 | 814.8 kg per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 814.8 kg per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 814.8 kg per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 709.7 kg per hectare | -12.9% |
| 1966 | 778.6 kg per hectare | +9.7% |
| 1967 | 743.2 kg per hectare | -4.5% |
| 1968 | 682.2 kg per hectare | -8.2% |
| 1969 | 717.4 kg per hectare | +5.2% |
| 1970 | 514.6 kg per hectare | -28.3% |
| 1971 | 548.1 kg per hectare | +6.5% |
| 1972 | 536.4 kg per hectare | -2.1% |
| 1973 | 608.7 kg per hectare | +13.5% |
| 1974 | 944.8 kg per hectare | +55.2% |
| 1975 | 651.8 kg per hectare | -31.0% |
| 1976 | 579.2 kg per hectare | -11.1% |
| 1977 | 1,568 kg per hectare | +170.6% |
| 1978 | 1,408 kg per hectare | -10.2% |
| 1979 | 1,112 kg per hectare | -21.0% |
| 1980 | 957.1 kg per hectare | -13.9% |
| 1981 | 846.7 kg per hectare | -11.5% |
| 1982 | 726.5 kg per hectare | -14.2% |
| 1983 | 736 kg per hectare | +1.3% |
| 1984 | 680 kg per hectare | -7.6% |
| 1985 | 782.2 kg per hectare | +15.0% |
| 1986 | 708.9 kg per hectare | -9.4% |
| 1987 | 666.4 kg per hectare | -6.0% |
| 1988 | 922.1 kg per hectare | +38.4% |
| 1989 | 1,048 kg per hectare | +13.6% |
| 1990 | 1,100 kg per hectare | +5.0% |
| 1991 | 540.8 kg per hectare | -50.8% |
| 1992 | 579.2 kg per hectare | +7.1% |
| 1993 | 887.5 kg per hectare | +53.2% |
| 1994 | 862.9 kg per hectare | -2.8% |
| 1995 | 812.6 kg per hectare | -5.8% |
| 1996 | 1,249 kg per hectare | +53.7% |
| 1997 | 985.7 kg per hectare | -21.1% |
| 1998 | 1,317 kg per hectare | +33.6% |
| 1999 | 941 kg per hectare | -28.6% |
| 2000 | 677.3 kg per hectare | -28.0% |
| 2001 | 891.3 kg per hectare | +31.6% |
| 2002 | 808.8 kg per hectare | -9.3% |
| 2003 | 643.9 kg per hectare | -20.4% |
| 2004 | 634.7 kg per hectare | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 701.1 kg per hectare | +10.5% |
| 2006 | 597.4 kg per hectare | -14.8% |
| 2007 | 487.7 kg per hectare | -18.4% |
| 2008 | 434.9 kg per hectare | -10.8% |
| 2009 | 415.9 kg per hectare | -4.4% |
| 2010 | 907.1 kg per hectare | +118.1% |
| 2011 | 634.4 kg per hectare | -30.1% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 634.4 kg per hectare is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1,330 kg per hectare, 48% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 634.4 kg per hectare is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1,322 kg per hectare, 48% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Maize yield in Lesotho 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | +170.6% | 579.2 kg per hectare | 1,568 kg per hectare |
| 2010 | +118.1% | 415.9 kg per hectare | 907.1 kg per hectare |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 765.59 kg per hectare | 682.2 kg per hectare | 814.8 kg per hectare | 9 |
| 1970s | 847.14 kg per hectare | 514.6 kg per hectare | 1,568 kg per hectare | 10 |
| 1980s | 807.35 kg per hectare | 666.4 kg per hectare | 1,048 kg per hectare | 10 |
| 1990s | 927.58 kg per hectare | 540.8 kg per hectare | 1,317 kg per hectare | 10 |
| 2000s | 629.3 kg per hectare | 415.9 kg per hectare | 891.3 kg per hectare | 10 |
| 2010s | 770.75 kg per hectare | 634.4 kg per hectare | 907.1 kg per hectare | 2 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 43 Angola 737.6 kg per hectare compare
- 44 Mauritania 661.1 kg per hectare compare
- 45 Somalia 646 kg per hectare compare
- 47 Guinea-Bissau 577.8 kg per hectare compare
- 48 Botswana 195.8 kg per hectare compare
- 49 Cape Verde 177.8 kg per hectare compare
More agriculture & rural data for Lesotho
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 5.38 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0649 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 70.63 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.6715 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0005 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.5533 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 6.5% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 6.5% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 5.1% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 2.0% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is maize yield in Lesotho?
- Maize yield in Lesotho was 634.4 kg per hectare in 2011, according to Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site.
- What is the highest maize yield recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 1,568 kg per hectare in 1977.
- What is the lowest maize yield recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 415.9 kg per hectare in 2009.
- How does Lesotho rank for maize yield?
- Lesotho ranks 46th out of 49 countries with data for 2011.
- Is maize yield rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 28.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site, published as part of Maize yield (kg per hectare). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Maize yield, measured as kilograms per hectare of harvested land. Production data on relate to crops harvested for dry grain only. Crop harvested for hay or harvested green for food, feed, or silage and those used for grazing are excluded.