Sweet potato production in Kenya
Kenya: Sweet potato production was 862,724 tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
862,724 tonnes
Change on year
up 28.9%
World rank
16th
of 120 countries
All-time high
1.23 million tonnes
in 2015
All-time low
140,000 tonnes
in 1961
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Sweet potato production in Kenya, 1961–2024
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 sweet potato production in Kenya is 862,724 tonnes, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 28.9% on the previous year and up 13.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sweet potato production in Kenya peaked at 1.23 million tonnes in 2015 and was at its lowest, 140,000 tonnes, in 1961.
Kenya ranks 16th of 120 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Sweet potato production in Kenya, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 140,000 tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 150,000 tonnes | +7.1% |
| 1963 | 160,000 tonnes | +6.7% |
| 1964 | 170,000 tonnes | +6.2% |
| 1965 | 180,000 tonnes | +5.9% |
| 1966 | 199,000 tonnes | +10.6% |
| 1967 | 200,000 tonnes | +0.5% |
| 1968 | 210,000 tonnes | +5.0% |
| 1969 | 220,000 tonnes | +4.8% |
| 1970 | 230,000 tonnes | +4.5% |
| 1971 | 240,000 tonnes | +4.3% |
| 1972 | 250,000 tonnes | +4.2% |
| 1973 | 260,000 tonnes | +4.0% |
| 1974 | 270,000 tonnes | +3.8% |
| 1975 | 280,000 tonnes | +3.7% |
| 1976 | 235,000 tonnes | -16.1% |
| 1977 | 258,000 tonnes | +9.8% |
| 1978 | 329,700 tonnes | +27.8% |
| 1979 | 340,000 tonnes | +3.1% |
| 1980 | 350,000 tonnes | +2.9% |
| 1981 | 364,000 tonnes | +4.0% |
| 1982 | 530,000 tonnes | +45.6% |
| 1983 | 265,000 tonnes | -50.0% |
| 1984 | 280,000 tonnes | +5.7% |
| 1985 | 487,958 tonnes | +74.3% |
| 1986 | 505,312 tonnes | +3.6% |
| 1987 | 523,281 tonnes | +3.6% |
| 1988 | 541,885 tonnes | +3.6% |
| 1989 | 262,280 tonnes | -51.6% |
| 1990 | 241,884 tonnes | -7.8% |
| 1991 | 405,444 tonnes | +67.6% |
| 1992 | 249,863 tonnes | -38.4% |
| 1993 | 315,000 tonnes | +26.1% |
| 1994 | 285,000 tonnes | -9.5% |
| 1995 | 315,461 tonnes | +10.7% |
| 1996 | 266,000 tonnes | -15.7% |
| 1997 | 380,290 tonnes | +43.0% |
| 1998 | 397,469 tonnes | +4.5% |
| 1999 | 543,089 tonnes | +36.6% |
| 2000 | 527,954 tonnes | -2.8% |
| 2001 | 598,680 tonnes | +13.4% |
| 2002 | 513,485 tonnes | -14.2% |
| 2003 | 587,700 tonnes | +14.5% |
| 2004 | 571,293 tonnes | -2.8% |
| 2005 | 671,709 tonnes | +17.6% |
| 2006 | 724,646 tonnes | +7.9% |
| 2007 | 811,531 tonnes | +12.0% |
| 2008 | 894,781 tonnes | +10.3% |
| 2009 | 1.03 million tonnes | +15.6% |
| 2010 | 820,971 tonnes | -20.6% |
| 2011 | 759,471 tonnes | -7.5% |
| 2012 | 859,549 tonnes | +13.2% |
| 2013 | 729,645 tonnes | -15.1% |
| 2014 | 763,643 tonnes | +4.7% |
| 2015 | 1.23 million tonnes | +61.4% |
| 2016 | 697,364 tonnes | -43.4% |
| 2017 | 769,389 tonnes | +10.3% |
| 2018 | 871,010 tonnes | +13.2% |
| 2019 | 976,691 tonnes | +12.1% |
| 2020 | 685,687 tonnes | -29.8% |
| 2021 | 777,141 tonnes | +13.3% |
| 2022 | 597,900 tonnes | -23.1% |
| 2023 | 669,100 tonnes | +11.9% |
| 2024 | 862,724 tonnes | +28.9% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 862,724 tonnes is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 94,021 tonnes, 9.2× the median. (34 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 862,724 tonnes is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 179,140 tonnes, 4.8× the median. (40 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Sweet potato production in Kenya 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | +74.3% | 280,000 tonnes | 487,958 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 181,000 tonnes | 140,000 tonnes | 220,000 tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 269,270 tonnes | 230,000 tonnes | 340,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 410,972 tonnes | 262,280 tonnes | 541,885 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 339,950 tonnes | 241,884 tonnes | 543,089 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 693,598 tonnes | 513,485 tonnes | 1.03 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 848,006 tonnes | 697,364 tonnes | 1.23 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 718,510 tonnes | 597,900 tonnes | 862,724 tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More reference data data for Kenya
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5379 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 12.22 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 14.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.377 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 14.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.8 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 58.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 68.95 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.05 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sweet potato production in Kenya?
- Sweet potato production in Kenya was 862,724 tonnes in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest sweet potato production recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 1.23 million tonnes in 2015.
- What is the lowest sweet potato production recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 140,000 tonnes in 1961.
- How does Kenya rank for sweet potato production?
- Kenya ranks 16th out of 120 countries with data for 2024.
- Is sweet potato production rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kenya 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 Sweet potato production. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 64 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Sweet potato production is measured in tonnes.