Employment in agriculture, male (% of male employment) in South Africa
South Africa: Employment in agriculture, male (% of male employment) was 6.7% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Employment in agriculture, male (% of male employment) in South Africa, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, employment in agriculture, male (% of male employment) in South Africa stood at 6.7%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.4% on the previous year and up 1.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in agriculture, male (% of male employment) in South Africa peaked at 11.3% in 2002 and was at its lowest, 5.4%, in 2011.
That places South Africa 129th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Employment in agriculture, male (% of male employment) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 10.7% | — |
| 1992 | 10.7% | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 10.7% | -0.0% |
| 1994 | 10.7% | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 10.6% | -0.9% |
| 1996 | 10.5% | -1.1% |
| 1997 | 10.3% | -1.2% |
| 1998 | 10.2% | -1.1% |
| 1999 | 10.0% | -2.0% |
| 2000 | 9.7% | -2.9% |
| 2001 | 10.2% | +5.2% |
| 2002 | 11.3% | +10.3% |
| 2003 | 10.5% | -7.0% |
| 2004 | 9.2% | -11.8% |
| 2005 | 7.2% | -22.1% |
| 2006 | 6.8% | -5.9% |
| 2007 | 6.8% | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 6.6% | -2.5% |
| 2009 | 6.1% | -7.8% |
| 2010 | 5.7% | -6.2% |
| 2011 | 5.4% | -5.8% |
| 2012 | 5.7% | +5.7% |
| 2013 | 6.1% | +7.2% |
| 2014 | 5.7% | -6.7% |
| 2015 | 6.6% | +16.6% |
| 2016 | 6.8% | +2.8% |
| 2017 | 6.4% | -5.9% |
| 2018 | 6.1% | -4.4% |
| 2019 | 6.4% | +4.8% |
| 2020 | 6.7% | +3.7% |
| 2021 | 7.2% | +8.5% |
| 2022 | 6.8% | -6.1% |
| 2023 | 6.7% | -0.8% |
| 2024 | 6.8% | +0.6% |
| 2025 | 6.7% | -0.4% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 6.7% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 19.7%, 34% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 6.7% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 45.0%, 15% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 10.5% | 10.0% | 10.7% | 9 |
| 2000s | 8.4% | 6.1% | 11.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.1% | 5.4% | 6.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.8% | 6.7% | 7.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More agriculture & rural data for South Africa
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 7.11 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0283 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 186.56 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.812 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3618 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 2.8% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 2.8% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in agriculture, male (% of male employment) in South Africa?
- Employment in agriculture, male (% of male employment) in South Africa was 6.7% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employment in agriculture, male (% of male employment) recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 11.3% in 2002.
- What is the lowest employment in agriculture, male (% of male employment) recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.4% in 2011.
- How does South Africa rank for employment in agriculture, male (% of male employment)?
- South Africa ranks 129th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment in agriculture, male (% of male employment) rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employment in agriculture, male (% of male 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).