Pesticide use in Ghana
Ghana: Pesticide use was 9,689 tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Pesticide use in Ghana, 1990–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
The most recent figure for pesticide use in Ghana is 9,689 tonnes, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
The figure is up 120.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, pesticide use in Ghana peaked at 9,689 tonnes in 2017 and was at its lowest, 66 tonnes, in 1990.
That places Ghana 44th out of 211 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Pesticide use in Ghana, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 66 tonnes | — |
| 1991 | 66 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 66 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 66 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 66 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 66 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 1,576 tonnes | +2287.9% |
| 1997 | 502 tonnes | -68.1% |
| 1998 | 298 tonnes | -40.6% |
| 1999 | 114 tonnes | -61.7% |
| 2000 | 82 tonnes | -28.1% |
| 2001 | 82 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 93 tonnes | +13.4% |
| 2003 | 110 tonnes | +18.3% |
| 2004 | 128 tonnes | +16.4% |
| 2005 | 174 tonnes | +35.9% |
| 2006 | 778 tonnes | +347.1% |
| 2007 | 130 tonnes | -83.3% |
| 2008 | 359 tonnes | +176.2% |
| 2009 | 386 tonnes | +7.5% |
| 2010 | 1,389 tonnes | +259.8% |
| 2011 | 2,392 tonnes | +72.2% |
| 2012 | 3,395 tonnes | +41.9% |
| 2013 | 4,398 tonnes | +29.5% |
| 2014 | 5,401 tonnes | +22.8% |
| 2015 | 8,884 tonnes | +64.5% |
| 2016 | 9,287 tonnes | +4.5% |
| 2017 | 9,689 tonnes | +4.3% |
| 2018 | 9,689 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 9,689 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 9,689 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 9,689 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 9,689 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 9,689 tonnes | +0.0% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 9,689 tonnes is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1,280 tonnes, 7.6× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 9,689 tonnes is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 747 tonnes, 13.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Pesticide use in Ghana 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | +2287.9% | 66 tonnes | 1,576 tonnes |
| 2006 | +347.1% | 174 tonnes | 778 tonnes |
| 2010 | +259.8% | 386 tonnes | 1,389 tonnes |
| 2008 | +176.2% | 130 tonnes | 359 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 288.6 tonnes | 66 tonnes | 1,576 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 232.2 tonnes | 82 tonnes | 778 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 6,421 tonnes | 1,389 tonnes | 9,689 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 9,689 tonnes | 9,689 tonnes | 9,689 tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
More reference data data for Ghana
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.2805 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.89 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.69 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1989 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.69 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.9405 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.9478 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 8.22 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 12.64 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.08 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is pesticide use in Ghana?
- Pesticide use in Ghana was 9,689 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 pesticide use recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 9,689 tonnes in 2017.
- What is the lowest pesticide use recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 66 tonnes in 1990.
- How does Ghana rank for pesticide use?
- Ghana ranks 44th out of 211 countries with data for 2023.
- Is pesticide use rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 120.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ghana 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 Pesticide 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
Total pesticide use measured in tonnes of pesticide consumption per year.