Phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Lesotho
Lesotho: Phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland was 1.43 kilograms per hectare in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
1.43 kilograms per hectare
Change on year
up 57.1%
World rank
162nd
of 201 countries
All-time high
13.94 kilograms per hectare
in 1983
All-time low
0.16 kilograms per hectare
in 2011
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Lesotho, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilograms per hectare.
Analysis
The most recent figure for phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Lesotho is 1.43 kilograms per hectare, measured in 2023.
The figure is up 57.1% on the previous year and up 142.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Lesotho peaked at 13.94 kilograms per hectare in 1983 and was at its lowest, 0.16 kilograms per hectare, in 2011.
That places Lesotho 162nd out of 201 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | kilograms per hectare | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 0.81 kilograms per hectare | — |
| 1962 | 1.14 kilograms per hectare | +40.7% |
| 1963 | 0.81 kilograms per hectare | -28.9% |
| 1964 | 1.12 kilograms per hectare | +38.3% |
| 1965 | 1.4 kilograms per hectare | +25.0% |
| 1966 | 1.65 kilograms per hectare | +17.9% |
| 1967 | 1.93 kilograms per hectare | +17.0% |
| 1968 | 0.85 kilograms per hectare | -56.0% |
| 1969 | 1.16 kilograms per hectare | +36.5% |
| 1970 | 0.94 kilograms per hectare | -19.0% |
| 1971 | 2.84 kilograms per hectare | +202.1% |
| 1972 | 1.66 kilograms per hectare | -41.5% |
| 1973 | 2.13 kilograms per hectare | +28.3% |
| 1974 | 1.86 kilograms per hectare | -12.7% |
| 1975 | 3.19 kilograms per hectare | +71.5% |
| 1976 | 2.79 kilograms per hectare | -12.5% |
| 1977 | 5.82 kilograms per hectare | +108.6% |
| 1978 | 13.65 kilograms per hectare | +134.5% |
| 1979 | 12.94 kilograms per hectare | -5.2% |
| 1980 | 13.51 kilograms per hectare | +4.4% |
| 1981 | 13.25 kilograms per hectare | -1.9% |
| 1982 | 13.7 kilograms per hectare | +3.4% |
| 1983 | 13.94 kilograms per hectare | +1.8% |
| 1984 | 13.29 kilograms per hectare | -4.7% |
| 1985 | 10.06 kilograms per hectare | -24.3% |
| 1986 | 12.03 kilograms per hectare | +19.6% |
| 1987 | 10.61 kilograms per hectare | -11.8% |
| 1988 | 11.66 kilograms per hectare | +9.9% |
| 1989 | 13.11 kilograms per hectare | +12.4% |
| 1990 | 12.46 kilograms per hectare | -5.0% |
| 1991 | 12.38 kilograms per hectare | -0.6% |
| 1992 | 11.9 kilograms per hectare | -3.9% |
| 1993 | 11.98 kilograms per hectare | +0.7% |
| 1994 | 6.08 kilograms per hectare | -49.2% |
| 1995 | 6.17 kilograms per hectare | +1.5% |
| 1996 | 6.13 kilograms per hectare | -0.6% |
| 1997 | 6.08 kilograms per hectare | -0.8% |
| 1998 | 6.38 kilograms per hectare | +4.9% |
| 1999 | 5.73 kilograms per hectare | -10.2% |
| 2000 | 7.26 kilograms per hectare | +26.7% |
| 2001 | 10.19 kilograms per hectare | +40.4% |
| 2002 | 2.59 kilograms per hectare | -74.6% |
| 2003 | 1.69 kilograms per hectare | -34.7% |
| 2004 | 1.75 kilograms per hectare | +3.6% |
| 2005 | 3.01 kilograms per hectare | +72.0% |
| 2006 | 2.01 kilograms per hectare | -33.2% |
| 2007 | 2.54 kilograms per hectare | +26.4% |
| 2008 | 0.64 kilograms per hectare | -74.8% |
| 2009 | 0.76 kilograms per hectare | +18.8% |
| 2010 | 0.39 kilograms per hectare | -48.7% |
| 2011 | 0.16 kilograms per hectare | -59.0% |
| 2012 | 0.28 kilograms per hectare | +75.0% |
| 2013 | 0.59 kilograms per hectare | +110.7% |
| 2014 | 0.38 kilograms per hectare | -35.6% |
| 2015 | 0.33 kilograms per hectare | -13.2% |
| 2016 | 0.88 kilograms per hectare | +166.7% |
| 2017 | 2.41 kilograms per hectare | +173.9% |
| 2018 | 4.32 kilograms per hectare | +79.3% |
| 2019 | 1.67 kilograms per hectare | -61.3% |
| 2020 | 1.34 kilograms per hectare | -19.8% |
| 2021 | 1.55 kilograms per hectare | +15.7% |
| 2022 | 0.91 kilograms per hectare | -41.3% |
| 2023 | 1.43 kilograms per hectare | +57.1% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 1.43 kilograms per hectare is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 4.21 kilograms per hectare, 34% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 1.43 kilograms per hectare is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.54 kilograms per hectare, 93% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.21 kilograms per hectare | 0.81 kilograms per hectare | 1.93 kilograms per hectare | 9 |
| 1970s | 4.78 kilograms per hectare | 0.94 kilograms per hectare | 13.65 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 1980s | 12.52 kilograms per hectare | 10.06 kilograms per hectare | 13.94 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.53 kilograms per hectare | 5.73 kilograms per hectare | 12.46 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.24 kilograms per hectare | 0.64 kilograms per hectare | 10.19 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.14 kilograms per hectare | 0.16 kilograms per hectare | 4.32 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.31 kilograms per hectare | 0.91 kilograms per hectare | 1.55 kilograms per hectare | 4 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 159 Congo 1.54 kilograms per hectare compare
- 160 Gambia 1.49 kilograms per hectare compare
- 161 Armenia 1.45 kilograms per hectare compare
- 163 Kazakhstan 1.4 kilograms per hectare compare
- 164 Sudan 1.27 kilograms per hectare compare
- 165 Chad 1.24 kilograms per hectare compare
- 165 Equatorial Guinea 1.24 kilograms per hectare compare
- 165 Sao Tome and Principe 1.24 kilograms 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 phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Lesotho?
- Phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Lesotho was 1.43 kilograms per hectare 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 phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 13.94 kilograms per hectare in 1983.
- What is the lowest phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.16 kilograms per hectare in 2011.
- How does Lesotho rank for phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland?
- Lesotho ranks 162nd out of 201 countries with data for 2023.
- Is phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 142.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho 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 Phosphate fertilizer use per hectare of cropland. 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
Application of phosphate fertilizer, measured in kilograms of total nutrient per hectare.