Share of cereals allocated to human food in Benin
Benin: Share of cereals allocated to human food was 63.7% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Share of cereals allocated to human food in Benin, 1961–2022
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of cereals allocated to human food in Benin is 63.7%, measured in 2022.
The figure is down 0.5% on the previous year and down 1.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of cereals allocated to human food in Benin peaked at 100.0% in 1961 and was at its lowest, 49.2%, in 2014.
Benin ranks 84th of 192 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 62 years of available data.
Share of cereals allocated to human food in Benin, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 100.0% | — |
| 1962 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 98.8% | -1.2% |
| 1976 | 98.8% | +0.1% |
| 1977 | 95.9% | -3.0% |
| 1978 | 93.5% | -2.4% |
| 1979 | 94.7% | +1.2% |
| 1980 | 96.9% | +2.3% |
| 1981 | 97.1% | +0.2% |
| 1982 | 96.9% | -0.3% |
| 1983 | 96.9% | +0.1% |
| 1984 | 96.4% | -0.5% |
| 1985 | 96.6% | +0.2% |
| 1986 | 96.6% | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 96.5% | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 95.9% | -0.6% |
| 1989 | 96.1% | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 88.2% | -8.2% |
| 1991 | 82.5% | -6.5% |
| 1992 | 69.0% | -16.3% |
| 1993 | 69.7% | +0.9% |
| 1994 | 73.2% | +5.1% |
| 1995 | 84.4% | +15.3% |
| 1996 | 91.8% | +8.8% |
| 1997 | 91.4% | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 90.4% | -1.1% |
| 1999 | 90.2% | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 87.5% | -3.0% |
| 2001 | 89.6% | +2.4% |
| 2002 | 88.4% | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 84.8% | -4.1% |
| 2004 | 84.5% | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 81.3% | -3.7% |
| 2006 | 83.6% | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 84.5% | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 77.6% | -8.1% |
| 2009 | 78.5% | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 76.6% | -2.4% |
| 2011 | 74.0% | -3.4% |
| 2012 | 64.6% | -12.8% |
| 2013 | 77.1% | +19.5% |
| 2014 | 49.2% | -36.2% |
| 2015 | 61.2% | +24.3% |
| 2016 | 54.2% | -11.4% |
| 2017 | 52.5% | -3.2% |
| 2018 | 74.7% | +42.4% |
| 2019 | 60.8% | -18.6% |
| 2020 | 64.8% | +6.5% |
| 2021 | 64.0% | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 63.7% | -0.5% |
Benin compared with similar countries
- Benin's 63.7% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 75.2%, 85% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Benin's 63.7% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 88.3%, 72% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of cereals allocated to human food in Benin 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | +42.4% | 52.5% | 74.7% |
| 2014 | -36.2% | 77.1% | 49.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 9 |
| 1970s | 98.2% | 93.5% | 100.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 96.6% | 95.9% | 97.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 83.1% | 69.0% | 91.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 84.0% | 77.6% | 89.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 64.5% | 49.2% | 77.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 64.2% | 63.7% | 64.8% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Benin
More agriculture & rural data for Benin
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 8.16 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.2292 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 380.06 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.6697 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.4664 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 22.9% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 22.9% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 52.9% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.8% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of cereals allocated to human food in Benin?
- Share of cereals allocated to human food in Benin was 63.7% in 2022, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of cereals allocated to human food recorded in Benin?
- The highest recorded value was 100.0% in 1961.
- What is the lowest share of cereals allocated to human food recorded in Benin?
- The lowest recorded value was 49.2% in 2014.
- How does Benin rank for share of cereals allocated to human food?
- Benin ranks 84th out of 192 countries with data for 2022.
- Is share of cereals allocated to human food rising or falling in Benin?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Benin 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 Share of cereals allocated to human food. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of cereals available for domestic use – after accounting for trade – that is allocated to direct human consumption, relative to the total used for human food, animal feed, and industrial purposes. This excludes cereals used for seed, processing, and losses.