Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) in Africa Western and Central
Africa Western and Central: Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) was 41.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) in Africa Western and Central, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Africa Western and Central recorded 41.1% for employment in agriculture (% of total employment) in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.3% on the previous year and down 10.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in agriculture (% of total employment) in Africa Western and Central peaked at 59.3% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 41.1%, in 2025.
That places Africa Western and Central 13th out of 47 groups 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 (% of total employment) in Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 59.3% | — |
| 1992 | 59.1% | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 59.1% | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 59.1% | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 58.9% | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 58.6% | -0.6% |
| 1997 | 58.2% | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 57.8% | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 57.5% | -0.6% |
| 2000 | 57.0% | -0.8% |
| 2001 | 56.7% | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 56.3% | -0.6% |
| 2003 | 55.8% | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 55.1% | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 54.5% | -1.0% |
| 2006 | 53.9% | -1.1% |
| 2007 | 53.2% | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 52.5% | -1.5% |
| 2009 | 51.6% | -1.7% |
| 2010 | 50.4% | -2.3% |
| 2011 | 49.5% | -1.8% |
| 2012 | 48.4% | -2.2% |
| 2013 | 47.2% | -2.4% |
| 2014 | 46.5% | -1.5% |
| 2015 | 46.1% | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 46.1% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 45.3% | -1.6% |
| 2018 | 44.6% | -1.6% |
| 2019 | 43.7% | -2.1% |
| 2020 | 44.7% | +2.3% |
| 2021 | 43.9% | -1.7% |
| 2022 | 42.7% | -2.7% |
| 2023 | 42.1% | -1.3% |
| 2024 | 41.6% | -1.3% |
| 2025 | 41.1% | -1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 58.6% | 57.5% | 59.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 54.7% | 51.6% | 57.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 46.8% | 43.7% | 50.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 42.7% | 41.1% | 44.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Africa Western and Central
- 10 Tanzania 64.6% compare
- 11 South Sudan 63.8% compare
- 12 Mali 63.0% compare
- 13 Guinea-Bissau 61.1% compare
- 14 Ethiopia 60.1% compare
- 15 Democratic Republic of Congo 58.5% compare
- 16 Eritrea 55.5% compare
More agriculture & rural data for Africa Western and Central
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 11.3 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 186.96 billion current US$ (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 21.9% (2025)
- Rural population 247.88 million (2025)
- Rural population growth 1.0% (2025)
- Rural population 46.5% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.7% (2023)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 4.2% (2023)
- Rural population, per capita 0.4652 units per person (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in agriculture (% of total employment) in Africa Western and Central?
- Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) in Africa Western and Central was 41.1% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employment in agriculture (% of total employment) recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 59.3% in 1991.
- What is the lowest employment in agriculture (% of total employment) recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 41.1% in 2025.
- How does Africa Western and Central rank for employment in agriculture (% of total employment)?
- Africa Western and Central ranks 13th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is employment in agriculture (% of total employment) rising or falling in Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Africa Western and Central data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employment in agriculture (% of total 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).