Pesticide use in Zambia
Zambia: Pesticide use was 4,197 tonnes in 2023. ▲ Rising
Pesticide use in Zambia, 1990–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
In 2023, pesticide use in Zambia stood at 4,197 tonnes.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 9.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, pesticide use in Zambia peaked at 4,348 tonnes in 2017 and was at its lowest, 716 tonnes, in 1995.
That places Zambia 66th out of 211 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Pesticide use in Zambia, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 1,080 tonnes | — |
| 1991 | 1,080 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 1,080 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 1,080 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 1,080 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 716 tonnes | -33.7% |
| 1996 | 1,670 tonnes | +133.2% |
| 1997 | 1,798 tonnes | +7.7% |
| 1998 | 1,925 tonnes | +7.1% |
| 1999 | 2,053 tonnes | +6.6% |
| 2000 | 2,180 tonnes | +6.2% |
| 2001 | 2,308 tonnes | +5.9% |
| 2002 | 2,435 tonnes | +5.5% |
| 2003 | 2,563 tonnes | +5.3% |
| 2004 | 2,690 tonnes | +5.0% |
| 2005 | 2,818 tonnes | +4.8% |
| 2006 | 2,945 tonnes | +4.5% |
| 2007 | 3,073 tonnes | +4.3% |
| 2008 | 3,200 tonnes | +4.1% |
| 2009 | 3,328 tonnes | +4.0% |
| 2010 | 3,455 tonnes | +3.8% |
| 2011 | 3,583 tonnes | +3.7% |
| 2012 | 3,710 tonnes | +3.5% |
| 2013 | 3,838 tonnes | +3.5% |
| 2014 | 3,965 tonnes | +3.3% |
| 2015 | 4,093 tonnes | +3.2% |
| 2016 | 4,220 tonnes | +3.1% |
| 2017 | 4,348 tonnes | +3.0% |
| 2018 | 4,197 tonnes | -3.5% |
| 2019 | 4,197 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 4,197 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 4,197 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 4,197 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 4,197 tonnes | +0.0% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 4,197 tonnes is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1,280 tonnes, 3.3× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 4,197 tonnes is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 747 tonnes, 5.6× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Pesticide use in Zambia 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 | +133.2% | 716 tonnes | 1,670 tonnes |
| 1995 | -33.7% | 1,080 tonnes | 716 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1,356 tonnes | 716 tonnes | 2,053 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 2,754 tonnes | 2,180 tonnes | 3,328 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 3,961 tonnes | 3,455 tonnes | 4,348 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 4,197 tonnes | 4,197 tonnes | 4,197 tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More reference data data for Zambia
- Exchange rate, new LCU per USD extended backward, period average 18.94 (2026)
- Exchange rate, old LCU per USD extended forward, period average 18.94 (2026)
- Official exchange rate, LCU per USD, period average 18.94 (2026)
- Global number of reported disasters by size, gaps filled 0 events (2025)
- Annual precipitation, annual growth rate 40.84 % change on previous year (2025)
- Free country, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, gaps filled 4 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- Consumer price index 483.32 2010 = 100 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is pesticide use in Zambia?
- Pesticide use in Zambia was 4,197 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 4,348 tonnes in 2017.
- What is the lowest pesticide use recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 716 tonnes in 1995.
- How does Zambia rank for pesticide use?
- Zambia ranks 66th out of 211 countries with data for 2023.
- Is pesticide use rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia 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.