Maize yield in Malawi
Malawi: Maize yield was 2,208 kg per hectare in 2011. ▲ Rising
Maize yield in Malawi, 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 Malawi is 2,208 kg per hectare, measured in 2011.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 9.5% on the previous year and up 86.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, maize yield in Malawi peaked at 2,655 kg per hectare in 2007 and was at its lowest, 480.2 kg per hectare, in 1992.
That places Malawi 10th out of 49 countries with data for 2011, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.
Maize yield in Malawi, year by year
| Year | kg per hectare | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1,019 kg per hectare | — |
| 1962 | 1,062 kg per hectare | +4.3% |
| 1963 | 897.4 kg per hectare | -15.5% |
| 1964 | 1,121 kg per hectare | +24.9% |
| 1965 | 872.5 kg per hectare | -22.2% |
| 1966 | 931.4 kg per hectare | +6.8% |
| 1967 | 1,470 kg per hectare | +57.8% |
| 1968 | 1,020 kg per hectare | -30.6% |
| 1969 | 990.4 kg per hectare | -2.9% |
| 1970 | 900 kg per hectare | -9.1% |
| 1971 | 1,180 kg per hectare | +31.1% |
| 1972 | 1,191 kg per hectare | +0.9% |
| 1973 | 1,115 kg per hectare | -6.4% |
| 1974 | 1,153 kg per hectare | +3.5% |
| 1975 | 1,000 kg per hectare | -13.3% |
| 1976 | 1,098 kg per hectare | +9.8% |
| 1977 | 1,321 kg per hectare | +20.3% |
| 1978 | 1,237 kg per hectare | -6.3% |
| 1979 | 1,200 kg per hectare | -3.0% |
| 1980 | 1,223 kg per hectare | +2.0% |
| 1981 | 1,132 kg per hectare | -7.5% |
| 1982 | 1,179 kg per hectare | +4.2% |
| 1983 | 1,171 kg per hectare | -0.7% |
| 1984 | 1,191 kg per hectare | +1.7% |
| 1985 | 1,184 kg per hectare | -0.6% |
| 1986 | 1,085 kg per hectare | -8.3% |
| 1987 | 1,016 kg per hectare | -6.3% |
| 1988 | 1,172 kg per hectare | +15.3% |
| 1989 | 1,188 kg per hectare | +1.4% |
| 1990 | 999.3 kg per hectare | -15.9% |
| 1991 | 1,142 kg per hectare | +14.3% |
| 1992 | 480.2 kg per hectare | -57.9% |
| 1993 | 1,533 kg per hectare | +219.2% |
| 1994 | 920.9 kg per hectare | -39.9% |
| 1995 | 1,352 kg per hectare | +46.8% |
| 1996 | 1,443 kg per hectare | +6.8% |
| 1997 | 1,096 kg per hectare | -24.1% |
| 1998 | 1,371 kg per hectare | +25.1% |
| 1999 | 1,811 kg per hectare | +32.1% |
| 2000 | 1,743 kg per hectare | -3.8% |
| 2001 | 1,184 kg per hectare | -32.0% |
| 2002 | 1,046 kg per hectare | -11.7% |
| 2003 | 1,226 kg per hectare | +17.2% |
| 2004 | 1,046 kg per hectare | -14.7% |
| 2005 | 809.3 kg per hectare | -22.6% |
| 2006 | 1,481 kg per hectare | +83.0% |
| 2007 | 2,655 kg per hectare | +79.2% |
| 2008 | 1,650 kg per hectare | -37.9% |
| 2009 | 2,226 kg per hectare | +35.0% |
| 2010 | 2,016 kg per hectare | -9.5% |
| 2011 | 2,208 kg per hectare | +9.5% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 2,208 kg per hectare is above the median for low income countries, which is 1,293 kg per hectare, 1.7× the median. (19 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 2,208 kg per hectare is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1,322 kg per hectare, 1.7× the median. (44 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Maize yield in Malawi 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | +219.2% | 480.2 kg per hectare | 1,533 kg per hectare |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1,043 kg per hectare | 872.5 kg per hectare | 1,470 kg per hectare | 9 |
| 1970s | 1,140 kg per hectare | 900 kg per hectare | 1,321 kg per hectare | 10 |
| 1980s | 1,154 kg per hectare | 1,016 kg per hectare | 1,223 kg per hectare | 10 |
| 1990s | 1,215 kg per hectare | 480.2 kg per hectare | 1,811 kg per hectare | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,507 kg per hectare | 809.3 kg per hectare | 2,655 kg per hectare | 10 |
| 2010s | 2,112 kg per hectare | 2,016 kg per hectare | 2,208 kg per hectare | 2 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More agriculture & rural data for Malawi
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 24.6 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.3003 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 201.66 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 2.19 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0012 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.8241 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 30.0% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 30.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.9% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 2.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is maize yield in Malawi?
- Maize yield in Malawi was 2,208 kg per hectare in 2011, according to Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site.
- What is the highest maize yield recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 2,655 kg per hectare in 2007.
- What is the lowest maize yield recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 480.2 kg per hectare in 1992.
- How does Malawi rank for maize yield?
- Malawi ranks 10th out of 49 countries with data for 2011.
- Is maize yield rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 86.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malawi 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.
Download this data
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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.