Photo: User:Kentstander derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY 2.5 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 13 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Lesotho: Food & Agriculture
What does a country grow, and what does it take to grow it?
Lesotho is placed joint 158th of 184 countries on food & agriculture in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: Progress Toward Productive and Sustainable Agriculture (SDG 2.4.1 Proxy) 1.71 (2024); Cereal Yield 804.1 (2023).
Share
Food & Agriculture
joint158th
of 184 countries placed
Placed from 3 of 4 key statistics
- 1.71Progress Toward Productive and Sustainable Agriculture (SDG 2.4.1 Proxy), 2024Current status score, from 1 (worst) to 5 (best), averaged over up to seven sub-indicators
- 804.1Cereal Yield, 2023Cereal yield (kg per hectare)
- —Dietary Energy Supply, 2024No reading for this country
- 0.35Agriculture Orientation Index, 2024Agriculture orientation index (1.0 = spending matches sector size)
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Lesotho on food & agriculture — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
Key 1 of 4
Progress Toward Productive and Sustainable Agriculture (SDG 2.4.1 Proxy)
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 4.0
1.71
Current status score, from 1 (worst) to 5 (best), averaged over up to seven sub-indicators
Higher is better
Lesotho: 1.71. Across the 186 countries in this edition, values run from 1.67 (Tuvalu) to 4.57 (Italy); the world median is 3.14.
- World median
- 3.14
- Best in Southern Africa
- 3.14 South Africa
- Land neighbours
- South Africa 3.14
Key 2 of 4
Cereal Yield
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
2023 edition · data for 2023 · CC BY 4.0
804.1
Cereal yield (kg per hectare)
Higher is better
Lesotho: 804.1. Across the 179 countries in this edition, values run from 23 (Cabo Verde) to 29,147 (Oman); the world median is 3,072.
- World median
- 3,072
- Best in Southern Africa
- 5,703 South Africa
- Land neighbours
- South Africa 5,703
Key 3 of 4
Dietary Energy Supply
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 4.0
No reading
Dietary energy supply (kcal per person per day)
Higher is better
FAO publishes no 2024 figure for Lesotho, so the standing rests on the other keys.
Across the 155 countries in this edition, values run from 1,757 (Somalia) to 3,962 (United States); the world median is 2,982.
- World median
- 2,982
- Best in Southern Africa
- 2,715 Botswana
- Land neighbours
- South Africa 2,659
Key 4 of 4
Agriculture Orientation Index
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 4.0
0.35
Agriculture orientation index (1.0 = spending matches sector size)
Higher is better
Lesotho: 0.35. Across the 132 countries in this edition, values run from 0.03 (Ghana) to 5.38 (Singapore); the world median is 0.305.
- World median
- 0.305
- Best in Southern Africa
- 2.16 Botswana
- Land neighbours
- South Africa 0.43
02Over time
Which way Lesotho is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Progress Toward Productive and Sustainable Agriculture (SDG 2.4.1 Proxy)
Current status score, from 1 (worst) to 5 (best), averaged over up to seven sub-indicators · higher is better
LesothoWorld median
Lesotho was at 1.71 in both 2015 and 2024; the world median went from 3.14 to 3.14.
Every year’s figures
Year Lesotho World median 2024 1.7 3.1 2023 1.7 3.1 2022 1.6 3.2 2021 1.6 3.1 2020 1.6 3.1 2019 1.6 3.1 2018 1.9 3.2 2017 2.1 3.1 2016 1.6 3.1 2015 1.7 3.1 Cereal Yield
Cereal yield (kg per hectare) · higher is better
LesothoWorld median
Lesotho rose from 718.8 in 2000 to 804.1 in 2023; the world median went from 2,170 to 3,072.
Every year’s figures
Year Lesotho World median 2023 804 3,072 2022 729 3,217 2021 973 3,003 2020 437 3,260 2019 705 3,106 2018 716 2,883 2017 990 2,984 2016 471 3,043 2015 662 3,000 2014 683 3,001 2013 769 2,970 2012 656 2,782 2011 664 2,754 2010 909 2,647 2009 402 2,653 2008 375 2,664 2007 414 2,553 2006 491 2,514 2005 687 2,512 2004 595 2,428 2003 609 2,331 2002 736 2,378 2001 996 2,199 2000 719 2,170 Agriculture Orientation Index
Agriculture orientation index (1.0 = spending matches sector size) · higher is better
LesothoWorld median
Lesotho fell from 0.5 in 2001 to 0.35 in 2024; the world median went from 0.36 to 0.305.
Every year’s figures
Year Lesotho World median 2024 0.35 0.305 2023 0.24 0.305 2022 0.41 0.290 2021 0.36 0.260 2020 0.43 0.255 2019 0.51 0.265 2018 0.60 0.270 2017 0.60 0.260 2016 0.54 0.285 2015 0.69 0.305 2014 0.66 0.300 2013 0.53 0.285 2012 0.55 0.330 2011 0.58 0.290 2010 0.55 0.320 2009 0.54 0.370 2008 0.66 0.390 2007 0.66 0.410 2006 0.56 0.355 2005 0.61 0.325 2004 0.65 0.320 2003 0.62 0.320 2002 0.59 0.340 2001 0.50 0.360
03In context
Lesotho beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 184 countries on food & agriculture, never a place within the region.
Lesotho and the countries it borders
Standing among all 184; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.
| Country | Standing | Progress Toward Productive and Sustainable Agriculture (SDG 2.4.1 Proxy)Current status score, from 1 (worst) to 5 (best), averaged over up to seven sub-indicators | Cereal YieldCereal yield (kg per hectare) | Dietary Energy SupplyDietary energy supply (kcal per person per day) | Agriculture Orientation IndexAgriculture orientation index (1.0 = spending matches sector size) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 South Africa | =77th | 3.14 | 5,703 | 2,659 | 0.43 |
| Lesotho | =158th | 1.71 | 804.1 | — | 0.35 |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Southern Africa
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 184.
Placed either side on food & agriculture
The countries immediately above and below Lesotho in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Lesotho is ahead of the world, and behind
28 more statistics filed under food & agriculture, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median2
Statistics on which Lesotho does better than the middle country measured.
Legal Guarantees of Women's Equal Rights to LandFAO · 2025 · world median 343No earlier reading
Lesotho: 4 · world median 3 · Level of legal guarantees of women's equal rights to land ownership and control, 1 (lowest) to 6 (highest). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1 to 6; higher is better.
Crop Production IndexFAO · 2022 · world median 106.23107.64106.23▼ Worsened since 2012
Lesotho: 107.64 · world median 106.23 · Crop production index (2014–2016 = 100). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 53.79 to 189.93; higher is better.
Position 87th of 195 · derived.
Behind the world median9
Statistics on which Lesotho does worse than the middle country measured.
Global Report on Food CrisesFSIN · 2024 · world median 222722▲ Improved since 2016
Lesotho: 27 · world median 22 · In IPC Phase 3+ (% of analysed population). Food Security Information Network (FSIN), 2025 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 3 to 56; lower is better.
Position 15th of 44 · derived, 1st = worst.
Food Production IndexFAO · 2022 · world median 106.0898.67106.08▼ Worsened since 2012
Lesotho: 98.67 · world median 106.08 · Food production index (2014–2016 = 100). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 71.08 to 177.49; higher is better.
Position 151st of 195 · derived.
Livestock Production IndexFAO · 2022 · world median 107.0693.82107.06▼ Worsened since 2012
Lesotho: 93.82 · world median 107.06 · Livestock production index (2014–2016 = 100). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 35.52 to 190.08; higher is better.
Position 163rd of 194 · derived.
Prevalence of Severe Food InsecurityFAO · 2024 · world median 4.924.34.9▲ Improved since 2018
Lesotho: 24.3 · world median 4.9 · Population in severe food insecurity (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.6 to 62.9; lower is better.
Position 15th of 119 · derived, 1st = worst.
Vegetable Supply per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 102.6931.13102.69▲ Improved since 2013
Lesotho: 31.13 · world median 102.69 · Vegetables available as food (kg per person per year). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 6.89 to 412.72; higher is better.
Share of Dietary Energy Supply from Cereals, Roots and TubersFAO · 2022 · world median 416641▲ Improved since 2012
Lesotho: 66 · world median 41 · Share of dietary energy supply from cereals, roots and tubers (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 21 to 82; lower is better.
Agricultural Emissions IntensityFAO · 2023 · world median 1.5656.31.565No real change since 2013
Lesotho: 6.3 · world median 1.565 · Greenhouse gases from farming per value of agricultural output (kg CO₂eq per international dollar). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 28.2; lower is better.
Position 12th of 190 · derived, 1st = worst.
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Value Added per WorkerWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 6,742602.086,742▲ Improved since 2015
Lesotho: 602.08 · world median 6,742 · Agricultural value added per worker (constant 2015 US$). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 210.77 to 150,632; higher is better.
Position 144th of 151 · derived.
Fruit Supply per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 84.8315.684.83No real change since 2013
Lesotho: 15.6 · world median 84.83 · Fruit available as food, excluding wine (kg per person per year). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 4.27 to 379.63; higher is better.
No better end17
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Agricultural LandFAO · 2023 · world median 37.9677.7637.96No real change since 2013
Lesotho: 77.76 · world median 37.96 · Agricultural land (% of land area). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.445 to 86.48.
Position 8th of 209 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Employment in AgricultureILO · 2025 · world median 14.3830.8814.38Moved since 2015
Lesotho: 30.88 · world median 14.38 · Employment in agriculture (% of total employment). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.095 to 85.34.
Position 55th of 182 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Women's Share of Agricultural LandownersFAO · 2025 · world median 25.6433.9125.64No earlier reading
Lesotho: 33.91 · world median 25.64 · Women's share of owners or rights-bearers of agricultural land (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 2.16 to 57.8.
Cereal Import Dependency RatioFAO · 2022 · world median 42.868.442.8Moved since 2012
Lesotho: 68.4 · world median 42.8 · Share of the cereal supply that is imported (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from -1,894 to 100.
Pesticide Use per HectareFAO · 2024 · world median 1.733.441.73Moved since 2014
Lesotho: 3.44 · world median 1.73 · Pesticide use (kg per hectare of cropland). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 37.72.
Position 66th of 178 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Arable Land per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 0.1090.1540.109Moved since 2013
Lesotho: 0.154 · world median 0.109 · Arable land (hectares per person). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 1.459.
Position 79th of 206 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Value Added (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2025 · world median 6.5726.4866.572Moved since 2015
Lesotho: 6.486 · world median 6.572 · Agriculture, forestry and fishing value added (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.025 to 47.59.
Position 80th of 158 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Land Under Cereal ProductionFAO · 2023 · world median 689,278177,933689,278Moved since 2013
Lesotho: 177,933 · world median 689,278 · Land under cereal production (hectares). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 103,715,108.
Position 124th of 179 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Agricultural EmissionsFAO · 2023 · world median 8,6351,2268,635No real change since 2013
Lesotho: 1,226 · world median 8,635 · Farm-gate emissions (kt CO₂eq). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 1,044,508.
Position 144th of 193 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Cropland Nitrogen BalanceFAO · 2023 · world median 37.6311.7637.63Moved since 2013
Lesotho: 11.76 · world median 37.63 · Nitrogen surplus (+) or deficit (−) on cropland, kg per hectare. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from -555.52 to 1,199.
Meat Supply per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 57.8318.7957.83No real change since 2013
Lesotho: 18.79 · world median 57.83 · Meat available as food (kg per person per year, carcass weight). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 3.49 to 156.95.
Water Withdrawal by SectorFAO · 2022 · world median 62.148.67662.14No real change since 2012
Lesotho: 8.676 · world median 62.14 · Freshwater withdrawn for agriculture (% of total). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 99.48.
Position 144th of 171 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Livestock DensityFAO · 2023 · world median 0.5350.210.535Moved since 2013
Lesotho: 0.21 · world median 0.535 · Livestock units per hectare of agricultural land. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.02 to 43.97.
Position 155th of 188 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Fertilizer Consumption per HectareFAO · 2023 · world median 87.368.69887.36Moved since 2013
Lesotho: 8.698 · world median 87.36 · Fertilizer consumption (kg per hectare of arable land). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 2,926.
Position 159th of 188 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Fisheries and Aquaculture ProductionFAO · 2024 · world median 52,3752,18152,375Moved since 2014
Lesotho: 2,181 · world median 52,375 · Fish, crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic animals caught or farmed, tonnes (live weight). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 70,500,841.
Fish and Seafood Supply per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 16.171.9216.17Moved since 2013
Lesotho: 1.92 · world median 16.17 · Fish and seafood available as food (kg per person per year, live-weight equivalent). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.38 to 83.81.
Agricultural Irrigated LandFAO · 2023 · world median 3.660.0533.66No earlier reading
Lesotho: 0.053 · world median 3.66 · Irrigated share of agricultural land (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.003 to 89.04.
Position 117th of 121 · derived, counted from the highest value.
No current reading for Lesotho
Dietary Energy Supply, Organic Agricultural Area (last 2018), Per Capita Food Supply Variability and Prevalence of Undernourishment. Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing
05Country Index 2026
Food & Agriculture among Lesotho’s 14 topics
Food & Agriculture is Lesotho’s 11th best-placed topic of 14. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Environment & Sustainabilityjoint 22nd of 1862/4 keys
- Peace & Security57th of 1774/4 keys
- Gender & Equalityjoint 62nd of 1834/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Libertiesjoint 73rd of 1984/4 keys
- Risk & Resilience111th of 1934/4 keys
- Governance & Institutionsjoint 115th of 1944/4 keys
- Economy & Innovationjoint 132nd of 1763/4 keys
- Work & Labourjoint 140th of 1824/4 keys
- Education & Knowledge154th of 1984/4 keys
- Digital & Technology158th of 1984/4 keys
- Food & Agriculturejoint 158th of 1843/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital178th of 1963/3 keys
- Poverty & Inequality151st of 1593/3 keys
- Health & Wellbeing194th of 2004/4 keys
No standing on Mobility & Trade, Energy: too few of those topics’ key statistics are published for this country.
06The top of the list
Who leads on food & agriculture
The three countries placed highest of 184, and the leaders Lesotho can most readily be measured against.
1
SerbiaSouthern Europe
1st of 184 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Lošmi derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
2
AustriaWestern Europe
2nd of 184 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: chensiyuan · CC BY-SA 4.0, greyscale
3
MaltaSouthern Europe
3rd of 184 · 3 of 4 keys
Photo: Dirk Heldmaier derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest in Africa
Seychelles31st2/4 keysHighest in Southern Africa
South Africa=77th4/4 keysThis page
Lesotho=158th3/4 keys
Positions out of 184 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Questions
Lesotho on food & agriculture: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does Lesotho rank on food & agriculture?
Lesotho is placed joint 158th of 184 countries on Food & Agriculture in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 4 key statistics (Progress Toward Productive and Sustainable Agriculture (SDG 2.4.1 Proxy), Cereal Yield and Agriculture Orientation Index). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest Progress Toward Productive and Sustainable Agriculture (SDG 2.4.1 Proxy) figure for Lesotho?
1.71 in 2024 (current status score, from 1 (worst) to 5 (best), averaged over up to seven sub-indicators), according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The world median in the same edition was 3.14.
What is the latest Cereal Yield figure for Lesotho?
804.1 in 2023 (cereal yield (kg per hectare)), according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The world median in the same edition was 3,072.
How does Lesotho compare with South Africa on food & agriculture?
South Africa is placed joint 77th of 184, and Lesotho joint 158th. Progress Toward Productive and Sustainable Agriculture (SDG 2.4.1 Proxy): South Africa 3.14, Lesotho 1.71; Cereal Yield: South Africa 5,703, Lesotho 804.1; Agriculture Orientation Index: South Africa 0.43, Lesotho 0.35.
How have Lesotho’s food & agriculture figures changed?
Progress Toward Productive and Sustainable Agriculture (SDG 2.4.1 Proxy) was 1.71 in both 2015 and 2024; Cereal Yield rose from 718.8 in 2000 to 804.1 in 2023; Agriculture Orientation Index fell from 0.5 in 2001 to 0.35 in 2024.
Which food & agriculture statistics are missing for Lesotho?
No current reading is published for Lesotho on Dietary Energy Supply, Organic Agricultural Area, Per Capita Food Supply Variability and Prevalence of Undernourishment. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
08Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
This subject is about production and land use, not about whether people are fed. Hunger, undernourishment and what a population actually eats are measured under Health & Wellbeing, and the two regularly disagree — a country can grow a great deal and still leave many people short, and one that grows little can be well fed by trade. The wider environmental cost of farming — emissions, water withdrawal, forest cover — is filed under Environment & Sustainability.
How the Food & Agriculture standing is decided
A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 4 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 4 keys to be placed.
The food & agriculture method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built
The key statistics and their licences
- Progress Toward Productive and Sustainable Agriculture (SDG 2.4.1 Proxy) — Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), CC BY 4.0
- Cereal Yield — Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), CC BY 4.0
- Dietary Energy Supply — Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), CC BY 4.0
- Agriculture Orientation Index — Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), CC BY 4.0
The other 28 statistics on this page come from 4 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Lesotho’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Lesotho (banner) — User:Kentstander derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY 2.5
- Serbia — Lošmi derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Austria — chensiyuan, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Malta — Dirk Heldmaier derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Lesotho: Food & Agriculture — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/lesotho/food