Savanna and woody savanna — Burning crop residues in South Africa
South Africa: Savanna and woody savanna — Burning crop residues was 1.58 million t in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Savanna and woody savanna — Burning crop residues in South Africa, 1990–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in t.
Analysis
The most recent figure for savanna and woody savanna — burning crop residues in South Africa is 1.58 million t, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 127.1% on the previous year and up 38.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, savanna and woody savanna — burning crop residues in South Africa peaked at 9.42 million t in 1998 and was at its lowest, 493,389 t, in 2022.
South Africa ranks 34th of 221 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Savanna and woody savanna — Burning crop residues in South Africa, year by year
| Year | t | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 2.24 million t | — |
| 1991 | 2.24 million t | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 2.24 million t | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 2.24 million t | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 2.24 million t | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 2.24 million t | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 9.32 million t | +316.2% |
| 1997 | 8.00 million t | -14.2% |
| 1998 | 9.42 million t | +17.8% |
| 1999 | 9.01 million t | -4.4% |
| 2000 | 8.84 million t | -1.9% |
| 2001 | 842,576 t | -90.5% |
| 2002 | 840,687 t | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 786,139 t | -6.5% |
| 2004 | 551,706 t | -29.8% |
| 2005 | 897,152 t | +62.6% |
| 2006 | 656,764 t | -26.8% |
| 2007 | 1.06 million t | +62.1% |
| 2008 | 1.07 million t | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 991,208 t | -7.2% |
| 2010 | 1.00 million t | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 740,681 t | -26.1% |
| 2012 | 1.14 million t | +54.3% |
| 2013 | 1.13 million t | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 1.14 million t | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 560,864 t | -50.9% |
| 2016 | 600,206 t | +7.0% |
| 2017 | 619,079 t | +3.1% |
| 2018 | 676,463 t | +9.3% |
| 2019 | 937,002 t | +38.5% |
| 2020 | 608,202 t | -35.1% |
| 2021 | 741,566 t | +21.9% |
| 2022 | 493,389 t | -33.5% |
| 2023 | 694,381 t | +40.7% |
| 2024 | 1.58 million t | +127.1% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 1.58 million t is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 9,323 t, 169.2× the median. (52 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 1.58 million t is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.26 million t, 1.2× the median. (44 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Savanna and woody savanna — Burning crop residues in South Africa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | +316.2% | 2.24 million t | 9.32 million t |
| 2024 | +127.1% | 694,381 t | 1.58 million t |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 4.92 million t | 2.24 million t | 9.42 million t | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.65 million t | 551,706 t | 8.84 million t | 10 |
| 2010s | 855,526 t | 560,864 t | 1.14 million t | 10 |
| 2020s | 822,958 t | 493,389 t | 1.58 million t | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More climate change data for South Africa
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 717.27 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 34,365 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 11,741 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 22,624 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 44.31 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 807.99 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 5,495 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 5,119 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 376.6 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 19.32 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is savanna and woody savanna — burning crop residues in South Africa?
- Savanna and woody savanna — burning crop residues in South Africa was 1.58 million t in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest savanna and woody savanna — burning crop residues recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 9.42 million t in 1998.
- What is the lowest savanna and woody savanna — burning crop residues recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 493,389 t in 2022.
- How does South Africa rank for savanna and woody savanna — burning crop residues?
- South Africa ranks 34th out of 221 countries with data for 2024.
- Is savanna and woody savanna — burning crop residues rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 38.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Savanna and woody savanna — Burning crop residues (Biomass burned, dry matter). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO).
About this data
The FAOSTAT domain on Emissions from Fires consists of estimates of methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions generated from biomass burning in a range of vegetation types and from fires in organic soils.