Solid Food Waste — Emissions (CH4) in South Africa

South Africa: Solid Food Waste — Emissions (CH4) was 156.44 kt in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
156.44 kt
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
33rd
of 194 countries
All-time high
156.44 kt
in 2023
All-time low
115.71 kt
in 1990
Years of data
34
1990–2023

Solid Food Waste — Emissions in South Africa, 1990–2023

0501001501990200620231990: 115.7 kt1991: 120.2 kt1992: 124.2 kt1993: 127.6 kt1994: 130.7 kt1995: 133.5 kt1996: 135.8 kt1997: 137.9 kt1998: 139.7 kt1999: 141.2 kt2000: 142.6 kt2001: 143.6 kt2002: 144.5 kt2003: 145.7 kt2004: 146.9 kt2005: 148 kt2006: 149 kt2007: 149.9 kt2008: 150.7 kt2009: 151.4 kt2010: 152.2 kt2011: 153 kt2012: 153.6 kt2013: 154.1 kt2014: 154.5 kt2015: 154.8 kt2016: 155 kt2017: 155.3 kt2018: 155.6 kt2019: 155.8 kt2020: 155.9 kt2021: 156.1 kt2022: 156.3 kt2023: 156.4 kt

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in kt.

Analysis

The most recent figure for solid food waste — emissions in South Africa is 156.44 kt, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.

The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 1.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, solid food waste — emissions in South Africa peaked at 156.44 kt in 2023 and was at its lowest, 115.71 kt, in 1990.

South Africa ranks 33rd of 194 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.

Solid Food Waste — Emissions (CH4) in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Solid Food Waste — Emissions (CH4) in South Africa, 1990 to 2023.
Year kt Change
1990 115.71 kt —
1991 120.19 kt +3.9%
1992 124.16 kt +3.3%
1993 127.63 kt +2.8%
1994 130.7 kt +2.4%
1995 133.46 kt +2.1%
1996 135.83 kt +1.8%
1997 137.93 kt +1.5%
1998 139.69 kt +1.3%
1999 141.22 kt +1.1%
2000 142.55 kt +0.9%
2001 143.63 kt +0.8%
2002 144.54 kt +0.6%
2003 145.68 kt +0.8%
2004 146.86 kt +0.8%
2005 147.97 kt +0.8%
2006 148.98 kt +0.7%
2007 149.93 kt +0.6%
2008 150.71 kt +0.5%
2009 151.43 kt +0.5%
2010 152.24 kt +0.5%
2011 153.02 kt +0.5%
2012 153.65 kt +0.4%
2013 154.13 kt +0.3%
2014 154.53 kt +0.3%
2015 154.79 kt +0.2%
2016 154.98 kt +0.1%
2017 155.27 kt +0.2%
2018 155.57 kt +0.2%
2019 155.8 kt +0.1%
2020 155.88 kt +0.1%
2021 156.14 kt +0.2%
2022 156.33 kt +0.1%
2023 156.44 kt +0.1%

South Africa compared with similar countries

  • South Africa's 156.44 kt is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 50.94 kt, 3.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
  • South Africa's 156.44 kt is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 21.4 kt, 7.3× the median. (41 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 130.65 kt 115.71 kt 141.22 kt 10
2000s 147.23 kt 142.55 kt 151.43 kt 10
2010s 154.4 kt 152.24 kt 155.8 kt 10
2020s 156.2 kt 155.88 kt 156.44 kt 4

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 30 Canada 168.19 kt compare
  2. 31 Kenya 163.99 kt compare
  3. 32 Chile 156.56 kt compare
  4. 34 Morocco 149.38 kt compare
  5. 35 Uganda 145.67 kt compare
  6. 36 Ethiopia 143.97 kt compare

See the full ranking of 227 places →

More climate change data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is solid food waste — emissions in South Africa?
Solid food waste — emissions in South Africa was 156.44 kt in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
What is the highest solid food waste — emissions recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 156.44 kt in 2023.
What is the lowest solid food waste — emissions recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 115.71 kt in 1990.
How does South Africa rank for solid food waste — emissions?
South Africa ranks 33rd out of 194 countries with data for 2023.
Is solid food waste — emissions rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 1.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Solid Food Waste — Emissions (CH4). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Solid Food Waste — Emissions in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 15 November 2026, from https://climate.statizoid.com/stat/solid-food-waste-emissions-ch4/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Solid Food Waste — Emissions (CH4)
Unit
kt
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO)
Coverage
227 places, 7,442 data points, 1990–2023
Last refreshed

The FAOSTAT domain Emissions from Pre- and Post-Agricultural Production provides estimates of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and related activity data associated with pre- and post-production stages of agrifood systems. The domain includes methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), fluorinated gases (F-gases) and their aggregates expressed in carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2eq). Estimates are computed following Tier 1 methods of the IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories (IPCC, 1996; 1997; 2000; 2002; 2006; 2014) and are disseminated annually.