Insecticide use in Colombia
Colombia: Insecticide use was 1,547 tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Insecticide use in Colombia, 1990–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
Colombia recorded 1,547 tonnes for insecticide use in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 34 years on record.
The figure is down 94.4% on the previous year and down 83.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, insecticide use in Colombia peaked at 36,457 tonnes in 2005 and was at its lowest, 1,547 tonnes, in 2023.
Colombia ranks 44th of 211 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Insecticide use in Colombia, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 4,006 tonnes | — |
| 1991 | 3,507 tonnes | -12.5% |
| 1992 | 2,682 tonnes | -23.5% |
| 1993 | 2,281 tonnes | -15.0% |
| 1994 | 2,569 tonnes | +12.6% |
| 1995 | 4,240 tonnes | +65.0% |
| 1996 | 3,485 tonnes | -17.8% |
| 1997 | 2,730 tonnes | -21.7% |
| 1998 | 8,420 tonnes | +208.4% |
| 1999 | 12,217 tonnes | +45.1% |
| 2000 | 12,743 tonnes | +4.3% |
| 2001 | 11,521 tonnes | -9.6% |
| 2002 | 9,875 tonnes | -14.3% |
| 2003 | 11,430 tonnes | +15.7% |
| 2004 | 16,181 tonnes | +41.6% |
| 2005 | 36,457 tonnes | +125.3% |
| 2006 | 12,122 tonnes | -66.7% |
| 2007 | 11,715 tonnes | -3.4% |
| 2008 | 8,199 tonnes | -30.0% |
| 2009 | 7,458 tonnes | -9.0% |
| 2010 | 8,718 tonnes | +16.9% |
| 2011 | 12,198 tonnes | +39.9% |
| 2012 | 5,116 tonnes | -58.1% |
| 2013 | 9,401 tonnes | +83.8% |
| 2014 | 7,689 tonnes | -18.2% |
| 2015 | 3,624 tonnes | -52.9% |
| 2016 | 3,210 tonnes | -11.4% |
| 2017 | 4,441 tonnes | +38.3% |
| 2018 | 5,188 tonnes | +16.8% |
| 2019 | 3,703 tonnes | -28.6% |
| 2020 | 5,329 tonnes | +43.9% |
| 2021 | 27,846 tonnes | +422.5% |
| 2022 | 27,846 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 1,547 tonnes | -94.4% |
Colombia compared with similar countries
- Colombia's 1,547 tonnes is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 339.5 tonnes, 4.6× the median. (56 countries reporting)
- Colombia's 1,547 tonnes is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 492 tonnes, 3.1× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Insecticide use in Colombia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | +422.5% | 5,329 tonnes | 27,846 tonnes |
| 1998 | +208.4% | 2,730 tonnes | 8,420 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 4,614 tonnes | 2,281 tonnes | 12,217 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 13,770 tonnes | 7,458 tonnes | 36,457 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 6,329 tonnes | 3,210 tonnes | 12,198 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 15,642 tonnes | 1,547 tonnes | 27,846 tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near Colombia
More reference data data for Colombia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.92 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 11.17 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 19.02 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.4113 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 19.02 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 9.81 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 2.67 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 61.25 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 94.56 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.24 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is insecticide use in Colombia?
- Insecticide use in Colombia was 1,547 tonnes 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 insecticide use recorded in Colombia?
- The highest recorded value was 36,457 tonnes in 2005.
- What is the lowest insecticide use recorded in Colombia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,547 tonnes in 2023.
- How does Colombia rank for insecticide use?
- Colombia ranks 44th out of 211 countries with data for 2023.
- Is insecticide use rising or falling in Colombia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 83.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Colombia 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 Insecticide use. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 34 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual quantity of insecticides used in agriculture, measured as the tonnes of active ingredient per year.