Employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) was 48.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) in Sub-Saharan Africa is 48.2%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.0% on the previous year and down 9.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 60.9% in 1994 and was at its lowest, 48.2%, in 2025.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 11th of 47 groups on this measure, 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 Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 60.5% | — |
| 1992 | 60.8% | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 60.9% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 60.9% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 60.8% | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 60.3% | -0.7% |
| 1997 | 60.2% | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 60.0% | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 59.9% | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 60.0% | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 59.9% | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 60.0% | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 59.9% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 59.6% | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 59.4% | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 58.9% | -0.8% |
| 2007 | 58.3% | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 57.7% | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 57.2% | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 56.3% | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 55.8% | -1.0% |
| 2012 | 54.6% | -2.0% |
| 2013 | 54.1% | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 53.6% | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 52.9% | -1.2% |
| 2016 | 52.5% | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 51.8% | -1.4% |
| 2018 | 51.0% | -1.5% |
| 2019 | 50.0% | -2.0% |
| 2020 | 51.5% | +3.1% |
| 2021 | 51.6% | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 50.3% | -2.6% |
| 2023 | 49.5% | -1.5% |
| 2024 | 48.7% | -1.6% |
| 2025 | 48.2% | -1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 60.5% | 59.9% | 60.9% | 9 |
| 2000s | 59.1% | 57.2% | 60.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 53.3% | 50.0% | 56.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 50.0% | 48.2% | 51.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 8 Uganda 70.8% compare
- 9 Central African Republic 68.5% compare
- 10 Laos 68.4% compare
- 11 Madagascar 68.3% compare
- 12 Pakistan 68.0% compare
- 13 Democratic Republic of Congo 67.4% compare
- 14 Tanzania 66.8% compare
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)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.6% (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 395.96 billion current US$ (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 17.9% (2025)
- Rural population 731.42 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) in Sub-Saharan Africa was 48.2% 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 Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 60.9% in 1994.
- What is the lowest employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.2% in 2025.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment)?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 11th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa 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).