Eswatini: Food production index (2014-2016 = 100)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Eswatini's food production index (2014-2016 = 100) rose 7.48 on 2023 (from 103.33 to 110.81).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was +0.89 and a typical year strayed about 2.89 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 2.3 standard deviations above that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 8.63 in 2002 and the biggest yearly fall was 5.7 in 1993. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2024 the straight-line trend is upward, about 0.89 a year. A straight line explains 56% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2024, Eswatini had the 87th highest value of the 192 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Eswatini in the 2024 ranking

• Canada — 84th of 192: 112.65
• Comoros — 85th of 192: 111.49
• Chile — 86th of 192: 111.26
• Jamaica — 88th of 192: 110.42
• Tunisia — 89th of 192: 110.41
• South Africa — 90th of 192: 110.4

What this measures

Food production index covers food crops that are considered edible and that contain nutrients. Coffee and tea are excluded because, although edible, they have no nutritive value.

Limitations: Agricultural data are collected by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) from official national sources through the questionnaire and are supplemented with information from official secondary data sources. The secondary sources cover official country data from websites of national ministries, national publications and related country data reported by various international organizations. The FAO tries to impose standard definitions and reporting methods, but complete consistency across countries and over time is not possible. Data on agricultural employment, in particular, should be used with caution.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a weighted average.

All 64 values

Food production index (2014-2016 = 100) in nearby economies

• Angola — 136.55 (2024)
• Benin — 139.75 (2024)
• Botswana — 115.75 (2024)
• Burkina Faso — 121.89 (2024)
• Burundi — 125.94 (2024)
• Cabo Verde — 70.94 (2024)
• Cameroon — 110.09 (2024)
• Central African Republic — 153.98 (2024)
• Chad — 142.33 (2024)
• Comoros — 111.49 (2024)
• Congo, Dem. Rep.

More environment data for Eswatini

• Rural population — 920,507 (2025)
• Rural population (% of total population) — 73.28% (2025)
• Urban population — 335,667 (2025)
• Urban population (% of total population) — 26.72% (2025)
• Rural population growth (annual %) — 0.43% (2025)
• Urban population growth (annual %) — 2.85% (2025)
• Fertilizer consumption (kilograms per hectare of arable land) — 74.56 (2024)
• Agricultural land (sq. km) — 11,974 (2024)
• Agricultural land (% of land area) — 69.62% (2024)
• Arable land (hectares) — 177,000 (2024)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Eswatini's food production index (2014-2016 = 100)?

110.81 in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1961?

It is up 299.46% from 27.74 in 1961 (2.22% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 110.81 in 2024 and the lowest 27.74 in 1961.

How does Eswatini rank?

87th highest of 192 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in food production index (2014-2016 = 100) unusual for Eswatini?

In 2024, Eswatini's food production index (2014-2016 = 100) rose 7.48 on 2023 (from 103.33 to 110.81). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was +0.89 and a typical year strayed about 2.89 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 2.3 standard deviations above that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator AG.PRD.FOOD.XD, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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