Employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) in India
India: Employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) was 59.8% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) in India, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
India recorded 59.8% for employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) in 2025.
The figure is down 1.1% on the previous year and up 7.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) in India peaked at 76.8% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 51.1%, in 2018.
That places India 20th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) in India, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 76.8% | — |
| 1992 | 76.7% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 76.5% | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 76.5% | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 76.2% | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 75.9% | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 75.5% | -0.5% |
| 1998 | 74.9% | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 74.2% | -1.0% |
| 2000 | 74.1% | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 73.2% | -1.2% |
| 2002 | 72.4% | -1.1% |
| 2003 | 71.3% | -1.5% |
| 2004 | 70.0% | -1.8% |
| 2005 | 68.9% | -1.6% |
| 2006 | 68.5% | -0.6% |
| 2007 | 67.7% | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 67.2% | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 66.2% | -1.4% |
| 2010 | 65.3% | -1.3% |
| 2011 | 62.5% | -4.3% |
| 2012 | 59.7% | -4.5% |
| 2013 | 58.4% | -2.1% |
| 2014 | 57.0% | -2.5% |
| 2015 | 55.7% | -2.3% |
| 2016 | 54.1% | -2.9% |
| 2017 | 52.6% | -2.7% |
| 2018 | 51.1% | -2.9% |
| 2019 | 52.4% | +2.5% |
| 2020 | 58.1% | +10.8% |
| 2021 | 59.3% | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 59.2% | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 61.5% | +4.0% |
| 2024 | 60.5% | -1.7% |
| 2025 | 59.8% | -1.1% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 59.8% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 34.9%, 1.7× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- India's 59.8% is above the median for South Asia, which is 43.6%, 1.4× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 75.9% | 74.2% | 76.8% | 9 |
| 2000s | 70.0% | 66.2% | 74.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 56.9% | 51.1% | 65.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 59.7% | 58.1% | 61.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near India
More agriculture & rural data for India
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual -2.83 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1623 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 438.73 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.4067 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.6431 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 16.2% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 16.2% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.9% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.5% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) in India?
- Employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) in India was 59.8% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 76.8% in 1991.
- What is the lowest employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 51.1% in 2018.
- How does India rank for employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment)?
- India ranks 20th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Employment is defined as persons of working age who were engaged in any activity to produce goods or provide services for pay or profit, whether at work during the reference period or not at work due to temporary absence from a job, or to working-time arrangement. The agriculture sector consists of activities in agriculture, hunting, forestry and fishing, in accordance with division 1 (ISIC 2) or categories A-B (ISIC 3) or category A (ISIC 4).