Share of cereals allocated to human food in Gambia
Gambia: Share of cereals allocated to human food was 97.2% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Share of cereals allocated to human food in Gambia, 1961–2023
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 Gambia is 97.2%, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.0% on the previous year and up 0.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of cereals allocated to human food in Gambia peaked at 98.6% in 1969 and was at its lowest, 74.9%, in 2005.
Gambia ranks 21st of 192 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Share of cereals allocated to human food in Gambia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 96.8% | — |
| 1962 | 96.9% | +0.1% |
| 1963 | 97.0% | +0.1% |
| 1964 | 97.1% | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 98.5% | +1.5% |
| 1966 | 98.5% | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 98.6% | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 98.6% | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 98.6% | +0.1% |
| 1970 | 97.4% | -1.3% |
| 1971 | 97.5% | +0.1% |
| 1972 | 97.5% | -0.0% |
| 1973 | 97.5% | -0.0% |
| 1974 | 98.6% | +1.2% |
| 1975 | 98.5% | -0.1% |
| 1976 | 98.5% | -0.1% |
| 1977 | 98.4% | -0.0% |
| 1978 | 97.4% | -1.1% |
| 1979 | 96.3% | -1.1% |
| 1980 | 95.8% | -0.5% |
| 1981 | 94.7% | -1.2% |
| 1982 | 95.0% | +0.4% |
| 1983 | 95.2% | +0.2% |
| 1984 | 94.4% | -0.9% |
| 1985 | 94.0% | -0.4% |
| 1986 | 85.5% | -9.0% |
| 1987 | 86.1% | +0.7% |
| 1988 | 88.5% | +2.8% |
| 1989 | 85.3% | -3.7% |
| 1990 | 96.2% | +12.8% |
| 1991 | 90.9% | -5.5% |
| 1992 | 89.9% | -1.1% |
| 1993 | 90.7% | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 91.5% | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 96.4% | +5.3% |
| 1996 | 96.7% | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 96.8% | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 86.6% | -10.5% |
| 1999 | 79.6% | -8.1% |
| 2000 | 83.8% | +5.3% |
| 2001 | 80.2% | -4.3% |
| 2002 | 83.6% | +4.2% |
| 2003 | 79.6% | -4.8% |
| 2004 | 79.5% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 74.9% | -5.8% |
| 2006 | 78.2% | +4.3% |
| 2007 | 80.9% | +3.4% |
| 2008 | 85.3% | +5.5% |
| 2009 | 81.2% | -4.9% |
| 2010 | 97.0% | +19.5% |
| 2011 | 96.8% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 96.7% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 96.9% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 96.0% | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 96.4% | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 96.4% | -0.0% |
| 2017 | 96.3% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 95.2% | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 97.2% | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 94.1% | -3.2% |
| 2021 | 96.7% | +2.7% |
| 2022 | 96.2% | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 97.2% | +1.0% |
Gambia compared with similar countries
- Gambia's 97.2% is above the median for low income countries, which is 94.6%, 1.0× the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Gambia's 97.2% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 88.3%, 1.1× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 97.8% | 96.8% | 98.6% | 9 |
| 1970s | 97.8% | 96.3% | 98.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 91.5% | 85.3% | 95.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 91.5% | 79.6% | 96.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 80.7% | 74.9% | 85.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 96.5% | 95.2% | 97.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 96.1% | 94.1% | 97.2% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Gambia
- 18 Chad 97.8% compare
- 19 Haiti 97.8% compare
- 20 French Polynesia 97.6% compare
- 22 Mauritania 96.7% compare
- 23 Afghanistan 96.4% compare
- 24 Netherlands Antilles 96.3% compare
More agriculture & rural data for Gambia
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 25.87 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.2385 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 219.17 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.2766 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3501 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 23.8% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 23.8% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.1% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.3% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of cereals allocated to human food in Gambia?
- Share of cereals allocated to human food in Gambia was 97.2% 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 share of cereals allocated to human food recorded in Gambia?
- The highest recorded value was 98.6% in 1969.
- What is the lowest share of cereals allocated to human food recorded in Gambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 74.9% in 2005.
- How does Gambia rank for share of cereals allocated to human food?
- Gambia ranks 21st out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of cereals allocated to human food rising or falling in Gambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Gambia 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.