Sweet potato production in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Sweet potato production was 254,823 tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
254,823 tonnes
Change on year
down 4.5%
World rank
32nd
of 120 countries
All-time high
266,696 tonnes
in 2023
All-time low
8,941 tonnes
in 1962
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Sweet potato production in Sierra Leone, 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 Sierra Leone is 254,823 tonnes, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.5% on the previous year and up 26.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sweet potato production in Sierra Leone peaked at 266,696 tonnes in 2023 and was at its lowest, 8,941 tonnes, in 1962.
That places Sierra Leone 32nd out of 120 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Sweet potato production in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 8,992 tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 8,941 tonnes | -0.6% |
| 1963 | 9,144 tonnes | +2.3% |
| 1964 | 9,144 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 13,500 tonnes | +47.6% |
| 1966 | 20,600 tonnes | +52.6% |
| 1967 | 20,000 tonnes | -2.9% |
| 1968 | 12,000 tonnes | -40.0% |
| 1969 | 20,000 tonnes | +66.7% |
| 1970 | 18,600 tonnes | -7.0% |
| 1971 | 20,000 tonnes | +7.5% |
| 1972 | 18,800 tonnes | -6.0% |
| 1973 | 19,300 tonnes | +2.7% |
| 1974 | 19,300 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 19,300 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 10,500 tonnes | -45.6% |
| 1977 | 10,000 tonnes | -4.8% |
| 1978 | 11,000 tonnes | +10.0% |
| 1979 | 11,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 12,000 tonnes | +9.1% |
| 1981 | 12,500 tonnes | +4.2% |
| 1982 | 12,600 tonnes | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 12,700 tonnes | +0.8% |
| 1984 | 13,000 tonnes | +2.4% |
| 1985 | 13,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 13,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 13,800 tonnes | +6.2% |
| 1988 | 14,000 tonnes | +1.4% |
| 1989 | 14,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 38,800 tonnes | +177.1% |
| 1991 | 40,800 tonnes | +5.2% |
| 1992 | 34,800 tonnes | -14.7% |
| 1993 | 39,500 tonnes | +13.5% |
| 1994 | 43,900 tonnes | +11.1% |
| 1995 | 45,200 tonnes | +3.0% |
| 1996 | 46,600 tonnes | +3.1% |
| 1997 | 50,300 tonnes | +7.9% |
| 1998 | 42,200 tonnes | -16.1% |
| 1999 | 34,200 tonnes | -19.0% |
| 2000 | 28,091 tonnes | -17.9% |
| 2001 | 25,450 tonnes | -9.4% |
| 2002 | 28,446 tonnes | +11.8% |
| 2003 | 153,196 tonnes | +438.6% |
| 2004 | 157,792 tonnes | +3.0% |
| 2005 | 99,927 tonnes | -36.7% |
| 2006 | 104,925 tonnes | +5.0% |
| 2007 | 110,172 tonnes | +5.0% |
| 2008 | 113,478 tonnes | +3.0% |
| 2009 | 176,969 tonnes | +56.0% |
| 2010 | 206,189 tonnes | +16.5% |
| 2011 | 210,313 tonnes | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 220,829 tonnes | +5.0% |
| 2013 | 225,246 tonnes | +2.0% |
| 2014 | 201,121 tonnes | -10.7% |
| 2015 | 237,712 tonnes | +18.2% |
| 2016 | 149,438 tonnes | -37.1% |
| 2017 | 153,188 tonnes | +2.5% |
| 2018 | 157,033 tonnes | +2.5% |
| 2019 | 178,753 tonnes | +13.8% |
| 2020 | 195,016 tonnes | +9.1% |
| 2021 | 264,836 tonnes | +35.8% |
| 2022 | 253,601 tonnes | -4.2% |
| 2023 | 266,696 tonnes | +5.2% |
| 2024 | 254,823 tonnes | -4.5% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 254,823 tonnes is below the median for low income countries, which is 502,352 tonnes, 51% of the median. (19 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 254,823 tonnes is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 179,140 tonnes, 1.4× the median. (40 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Sweet potato production in Sierra Leone 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | +438.6% | 28,446 tonnes | 153,196 tonnes |
| 1990 | +177.1% | 14,000 tonnes | 38,800 tonnes |
| 1969 | +66.7% | 12,000 tonnes | 20,000 tonnes |
| 2009 | +56.0% | 113,478 tonnes | 176,969 tonnes |
| 1966 | +52.6% | 13,500 tonnes | 20,600 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 13,591 tonnes | 8,941 tonnes | 20,600 tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 15,780 tonnes | 10,000 tonnes | 20,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 13,060 tonnes | 12,000 tonnes | 14,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 41,630 tonnes | 34,200 tonnes | 50,300 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 99,845 tonnes | 25,450 tonnes | 176,969 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 193,982 tonnes | 149,438 tonnes | 237,712 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 246,994 tonnes | 195,016 tonnes | 266,696 tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
More reference data data for Sierra Leone
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0238 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.4498 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.5935 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.12 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.5935 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0797 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.044 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.91 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.72 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.6534 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sweet potato production in Sierra Leone?
- Sweet potato production in Sierra Leone was 254,823 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 Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 266,696 tonnes in 2023.
- What is the lowest sweet potato production recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 8,941 tonnes in 1962.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for sweet potato production?
- Sierra Leone ranks 32nd out of 120 countries with data for 2024.
- Is sweet potato production rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is up 26.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sierra Leone 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.