Employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) in Lesotho
Lesotho: Employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) was 19.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) in Lesotho, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) in Lesotho stood at 19.8%.
The figure is down 1.2% on the previous year and up 12.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) in Lesotho peaked at 21.0% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 15.4%, in 1996.
Lesotho ranks 76th of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 17.0% | — |
| 1992 | 16.8% | -1.2% |
| 1993 | 16.5% | -1.8% |
| 1994 | 16.1% | -2.2% |
| 1995 | 15.9% | -1.5% |
| 1996 | 15.4% | -3.0% |
| 1997 | 15.8% | +2.5% |
| 1998 | 16.6% | +5.1% |
| 1999 | 17.3% | +4.7% |
| 2000 | 17.6% | +1.3% |
| 2001 | 17.8% | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 18.0% | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 18.0% | -0.0% |
| 2004 | 18.3% | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 18.2% | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 17.9% | -1.7% |
| 2007 | 17.8% | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 17.6% | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 17.8% | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 17.7% | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 17.7% | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 17.5% | -1.1% |
| 2013 | 17.6% | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 17.6% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 17.6% | -0.0% |
| 2016 | 17.6% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 18.2% | +3.3% |
| 2018 | 18.5% | +1.8% |
| 2019 | 18.4% | -0.8% |
| 2020 | 20.0% | +8.6% |
| 2021 | 21.0% | +5.3% |
| 2022 | 20.6% | -2.1% |
| 2023 | 20.4% | -0.8% |
| 2024 | 20.1% | -1.7% |
| 2025 | 19.8% | -1.2% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 19.8% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 34.9%, 57% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 19.8% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 44.8%, 44% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 16.4% | 15.4% | 17.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 17.9% | 17.6% | 18.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.8% | 17.5% | 18.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.3% | 19.8% | 21.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More agriculture & rural data for Lesotho
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 5.38 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0649 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 70.63 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.6715 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0005 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.5533 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 6.5% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 6.5% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 5.1% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 2.0% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) in Lesotho?
- Employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) in Lesotho was 19.8% 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 Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 21.0% in 2021.
- What is the lowest employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.4% in 1996.
- How does Lesotho rank for employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment)?
- Lesotho ranks 76th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Lesotho 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).