Economically active population in agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Economically active population in agriculture was 208.98 million number in 2012. ▲ Rising
Latest (2012)
208.98 million number
Change on year
up 2.1%
Rank
2nd
of 6 groups
All-time high
208.98 million number
in 2012
All-time low
105.88 million number
in 1980
Years of data
33
1980–2012
Economically active population in agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1980–2012
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization, Production Yearbook and data files. Measured in number.
Analysis
The most recent figure for economically active population in agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa is 208.98 million number, measured in 2012. That is the highest value across all 33 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.1% on the previous year and up 22.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, economically active population in agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 208.98 million number in 2012 and was at its lowest, 105.88 million number, in 1980.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Economically active population in agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 105.88 million number | — |
| 1981 | 108.20 million number | +2.2% |
| 1982 | 110.60 million number | +2.2% |
| 1983 | 113.04 million number | +2.2% |
| 1984 | 115.33 million number | +2.0% |
| 1985 | 117.80 million number | +2.1% |
| 1986 | 120.31 million number | +2.1% |
| 1987 | 123.00 million number | +2.2% |
| 1988 | 125.90 million number | +2.4% |
| 1989 | 128.88 million number | +2.4% |
| 1990 | 131.93 million number | +2.4% |
| 1991 | 135.00 million number | +2.3% |
| 1992 | 138.05 million number | +2.3% |
| 1993 | 141.16 million number | +2.2% |
| 1994 | 144.42 million number | +2.3% |
| 1995 | 147.66 million number | +2.2% |
| 1996 | 150.88 million number | +2.2% |
| 1997 | 154.07 million number | +2.1% |
| 1998 | 157.26 million number | +2.1% |
| 1999 | 160.46 million number | +2.0% |
| 2000 | 163.69 million number | +2.0% |
| 2001 | 166.98 million number | +2.0% |
| 2002 | 170.38 million number | +2.0% |
| 2003 | 173.86 million number | +2.0% |
| 2004 | 177.59 million number | +2.1% |
| 2005 | 181.34 million number | +2.1% |
| 2006 | 184.77 million number | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 188.50 million number | +2.0% |
| 2008 | 192.38 million number | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 196.37 million number | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 200.46 million number | +2.1% |
| 2011 | 204.67 million number | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 208.98 million number | +2.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 116.89 million number | 105.88 million number | 128.88 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 146.09 million number | 131.93 million number | 160.46 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 179.59 million number | 163.69 million number | 196.37 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 204.71 million number | 200.46 million number | 208.98 million number | 3 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
More agriculture & rural data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 10.7 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.5534 units per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1791 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 299.6 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.53 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 395.96 billion current US$ (2025)
- Rural population 55.3% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.6% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is economically active population in agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Economically active population in agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa was 208.98 million number in 2012, according to Food and Agriculture Organization, Production Yearbook and data files.
- What is the highest economically active population in agriculture recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 208.98 million number in 2012.
- What is the lowest economically active population in agriculture recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 105.88 million number in 1980.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for economically active population in agriculture?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 2nd out of 6 groups with data for 2012.
- Is economically active population in agriculture rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization, Production Yearbook and data files, published as part of Economically active population in agriculture (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Agricultural employment shows the number of workers in the agricultural sector.