Photo: SuSanA Secretariat derivative work: JamesA · CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 13 of 18 · Country Index 2026
South Sudan: Food & Agriculture
What does a country grow, and what does it take to grow it?
South Sudan is placed 174th 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) 2.17 (2024); Cereal Yield 983.6 (2023).
Share
Food & Agriculture
174th
of 184 countries placed
Placed from 3 of 4 key statistics
- 2.17Progress 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
- 983.6Cereal Yield, 2023Cereal yield (kg per hectare)
- 2,463Dietary Energy Supply, 2024Dietary energy supply (kcal per person per day)
- —Agriculture Orientation Index, 2024No reading for this country
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place South Sudan 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
2.17
Current status score, from 1 (worst) to 5 (best), averaged over up to seven sub-indicators
Higher is better
South Sudan: 2.17. 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 Eastern Africa
- 3.67 Seychelles
- Land neighbours
- Central African Republic 2.83 · DR Congo 2.14 · Ethiopia 2.86 · Kenya 2.86 · Sudan 2.29 · Uganda 2.71
Key 2 of 4
Cereal Yield
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
2023 edition · data for 2023 · CC BY 4.0
983.6
Cereal yield (kg per hectare)
Higher is better
South Sudan: 983.6. 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 Eastern Africa
- 11,643 Mauritius
- Land neighbours
- Central African Republic 878.1 · DR Congo 863.2 · Ethiopia 2,656 · Kenya 1,758 · Sudan 454.9 · Uganda 1,958
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
2,463
Dietary energy supply (kcal per person per day)
Higher is better
South Sudan: 2,463. 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 Eastern Africa
- 3,319 Mauritius
- Land neighbours
- DR Congo 2,069 · Ethiopia 2,539 · Kenya 2,187 · Uganda 2,430
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
No reading
Agriculture orientation index (1.0 = spending matches sector size)
Higher is better
FAO publishes no 2024 figure for South Sudan, so the standing rests on the other keys.
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 Eastern Africa
- 2.21 Zambia
- Land neighbours
- Central African Republic 0.27 · DR Congo 0.11 · Ethiopia 0.09 · Kenya 0.12 · Uganda 0.11
02Over time
Which way South Sudan 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
South SudanWorld median
South Sudan fell from 2.33 in 2015 to 2.17 in 2024; the world median went from 3.14 to 3.14.
Every year’s figures
Year South Sudan World median 2024 2.2 3.1 2023 2.0 3.1 2022 2.0 3.2 2021 2.0 3.1 2020 2.0 3.1 2019 1.8 3.1 2018 1.8 3.2 2017 2.0 3.1 2016 2.2 3.1 2015 2.3 3.1 Cereal Yield
Cereal yield (kg per hectare) · higher is better
South SudanWorld median
South Sudan rose from 705.2 in 2012 to 983.6 in 2023; the world median went from 2,782 to 3,072.
Every year’s figures
Year South Sudan World median 2023 984 3,072 2022 1,056 3,217 2021 845 3,003 2020 886 3,260 2019 881 3,106 2018 844 2,883 2017 885 2,984 2016 879 3,043 2015 907 3,000 2014 1,254 3,001 2013 766 2,970 2012 705 2,782 2011 — 2,754 2010 — 2,647 2009 — 2,653 2008 — 2,664 2007 — 2,553 2006 — 2,514 2005 — 2,512 2004 — 2,428 2003 — 2,331 2002 — 2,378 2001 — 2,199 2000 — 2,170 Dietary Energy Supply
Dietary energy supply (kcal per person per day) · higher is better
South SudanWorld median
South Sudan rose from 2,364 in 2020 to 2,463 in 2024; the world median went from 2,934 to 2,982.
Every year’s figures
Year South Sudan World median 2024 2,463 2,982.0 2023 2,445 2,969.0 2022 2,421 2,962.5 2021 2,384 2,967.0 2020 2,364 2,934.0 2019 — 2,912.5 2018 — 2,893.0 2017 — 2,886.0 2016 — 2,863.0 2015 — 2,835.0 2014 — 2,844.0 2013 — 2,856.0 2012 — 2,838.0 2011 — 2,827.5 2010 — 2,808.0 2009 — 2,818.0 2008 — 2,811.0 2007 — 2,810.5 2006 — 2,772.0 2005 — 2,740.5 2004 — 2,712.5 2003 — 2,685.0 2002 — 2,667.0 2001 — 2,628.0 Agriculture Orientation Index
Agriculture orientation index (1.0 = spending matches sector size) · higher is better
South SudanWorld median
South Sudan rose from 0.33 in 2012 to 4.57 in 2022; the world median went from 0.33 to 0.29.
Every year’s figures
Year South Sudan World median 2024 — 0.305 2023 — 0.305 2022 4.57 0.290 2021 0.73 0.260 2020 0.04 0.255 2019 0.07 0.265 2018 0.11 0.270 2017 0.42 0.260 2016 0.08 0.285 2015 0.19 0.305 2014 0.30 0.300 2013 0.35 0.285 2012 0.33 0.330 2011 — 0.290 2010 — 0.320 2009 — 0.370 2008 — 0.390 2007 — 0.410 2006 — 0.355 2005 — 0.325 2004 — 0.320 2003 — 0.320 2002 — 0.340 2001 — 0.360
03In context
South Sudan 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.
South Sudan 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Ethiopia | 145th | 2.86 | 2,656 | 2,539 | 0.09 |
 Central African Republic | 146th | 2.83 | 878.1 | — | 0.27 |
 Uganda | 157th | 2.71 | 1,958 | 2,430 | 0.11 |
 Kenya | =158th | 2.86 | 1,758 | 2,187 | 0.12 |
| South Sudan | 174th | 2.17 | 983.6 | 2,463 | — |
 DR Congo | 181st | 2.14 | 863.2 | 2,069 | 0.11 |
 Sudancompare | 182nd | 2.29 | 454.9 | — | — |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Eastern 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 South Sudan in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where South Sudan is ahead of the world, and behind
18 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 median4
Statistics on which South Sudan does better than the middle country measured.
Per Capita Food Supply VariabilityFAO · 2024 · world median 29929No earlier reading
South Sudan: 9 · world median 29 · Year-to-year variability of the food supply (kcal per person per day). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 4 to 227; lower is better.
Crop Production IndexFAO · 2022 · world median 106.23117.91106.23▲ Improved since 2012
South Sudan: 117.91 · 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 53rd of 195 · derived.
Food Production IndexFAO · 2022 · world median 106.08114.76106.08▲ Improved since 2012
South Sudan: 114.76 · 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 62nd of 195 · derived.
Livestock Production IndexFAO · 2022 · world median 107.06113.15107.06▲ Improved since 2012
South Sudan: 113.15 · 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 74th of 194 · derived.
Behind the world median4
Statistics on which South Sudan does worse than the middle country measured.
Prevalence of UndernourishmentFAO · 2023 · world median 5.222.35.2No real change since 2020
South Sudan: 22.3 · world median 5.2 · Population undernourished (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 2.5 to 54.2; lower is better.
Position 19th of 104 · derived, 1st = worst.
Agricultural Emissions IntensityFAO · 2023 · world median 1.56512.631.565No real change since 2013
South Sudan: 12.63 · 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 4th of 190 · derived, 1st = worst.
Global Report on Food CrisesFSIN · 2024 · world median 225622▼ Worsened since 2016
South Sudan: 56 · 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 1st of 44 · derived, 1st = worst.
Prevalence of Severe Food InsecurityFAO · 2024 · world median 4.962.94.9No real change since 2017
South Sudan: 62.9 · 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 1st of 119 · derived, 1st = worst.
Level with the median, or no median to compare1
Legal Guarantees of Women's Equal Rights to LandFAO · 2025 · world median 333No earlier reading
South Sudan: 3 · 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.
No better end9
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Agricultural EmissionsFAO · 2023 · world median 8,63557,0148,635No real change since 2013
South Sudan: 57,014 · 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 30th of 193 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Arable Land per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 0.1090.2170.109No real change since 2013
South Sudan: 0.217 · 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 55th of 206 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Agricultural LandFAO · 2023 · world median 37.9644.8637.96No real change since 2013
South Sudan: 44.86 · 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 78th of 209 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Land Under Cereal ProductionFAO · 2023 · world median 689,2781,104,151689,278No real change since 2013
South Sudan: 1,104,151 · 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 77th of 179 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Fisheries and Aquaculture ProductionFAO · 2024 · world median 52,37555,03452,375Moved since 2014
South Sudan: 55,034 · 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.
Cropland Nitrogen BalanceFAO · 2023 · world median 37.6323.637.63No real change since 2013
South Sudan: 23.6 · 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.
Livestock DensityFAO · 2023 · world median 0.5350.370.535Moved since 2013
South Sudan: 0.37 · 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 123rd of 188 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Water Withdrawal by SectorFAO · 2022 · world median 62.1436.4762.14Moved since 2012
South Sudan: 36.47 · 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 114th of 171 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Fertilizer Consumption per HectareFAO · 2023 · world median 87.360.18787.36No real change since 2013
South Sudan: 0.187 · 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 186th of 188 · derived, counted from the highest value.
No current reading for South Sudan
Agricultural Irrigated Land, Agriculture Orientation Index (last 2022), Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Value Added (% of GDP) (last 2015), Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Value Added per Worker (last 2015), Cereal Import Dependency Ratio, Employment in Agriculture (last 2023), Fish and Seafood Supply per Person, Fruit Supply per Person, Meat Supply per Person, Organic Agricultural Area, Pesticide Use per Hectare, Share of Dietary Energy Supply from Cereals, Roots and Tubers, Vegetable Supply per Person and Women's Share of Agricultural Landowners. 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 South Sudan’s 13 topics
Food & Agriculture is South Sudan’s 4th best-placed topic of 13. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Environment & Sustainability9th of 1862/4 keys
- Gender & Equalityjoint 151st of 1834/4 keys
- Energy154th of 1652/3 keys
- Food & Agriculture174th of 1843/4 keys
- Risk & Resilience183rd of 1933/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties191st of 1983/4 keys
- Peace & Security173rd of 1774/4 keys
- Governance & Institutions190th of 1944/4 keys
- Poverty & Inequality156th of 1593/3 keys
- Digital & Technology197th of 1983/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital196th of 1963/3 keys
- Education & Knowledge198th of 1983/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeing200th of 2003/4 keys
No standing on Economy & Innovation, Work & Labour, Mobility & Trade: 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 South Sudan 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 keysThis page
South Sudan174th3/4 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
South Sudan 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 South Sudan rank on food & agriculture?
South Sudan is placed 174th 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 Dietary Energy Supply). 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 South Sudan?
2.17 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 South Sudan?
983.6 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 South Sudan compare with Ethiopia on food & agriculture?
Ethiopia is placed 145th of 184, and South Sudan 174th. Progress Toward Productive and Sustainable Agriculture (SDG 2.4.1 Proxy): Ethiopia 2.86, South Sudan 2.17; Cereal Yield: Ethiopia 2,656, South Sudan 983.6; Dietary Energy Supply: Ethiopia 2,539, South Sudan 2,463.
How have South Sudan’s food & agriculture figures changed?
Progress Toward Productive and Sustainable Agriculture (SDG 2.4.1 Proxy) fell from 2.33 in 2015 to 2.17 in 2024; Cereal Yield rose from 705.2 in 2012 to 983.6 in 2023; Dietary Energy Supply rose from 2,364 in 2020 to 2,463 in 2024; Agriculture Orientation Index rose from 0.33 in 2012 to 4.57 in 2022.
Which food & agriculture statistics are missing for South Sudan?
No current reading is published for South Sudan on Agricultural Irrigated Land, Agriculture Orientation Index, Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Value Added (% of GDP), Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Value Added per Worker, Cereal Import Dependency Ratio, Employment in Agriculture, Fish and Seafood Supply per Person, Fruit Supply per Person, Meat Supply per Person, Organic Agricultural Area, Pesticide Use per Hectare, Share of Dietary Energy Supply from Cereals, Roots and Tubers, Vegetable Supply per Person and Women's Share of Agricultural Landowners. 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 18 statistics on this page come from 2 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
South Sudan’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- South Sudan (banner) — SuSanA Secretariat derivative work: JamesA, CC BY 2.0
- 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). South Sudan: Food & Agriculture — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/south-sudan/food