Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) was 49.3% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Employment in agriculture (% of total 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 (% of total employment) in Sub-Saharan Africa is 49.3%, 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 7.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in agriculture (% of total employment) in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 60.6% in 1994 and was at its lowest, 49.3%, in 2025.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 7th 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 (% of total employment) in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 60.2% | — |
| 1992 | 60.5% | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 60.6% | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 60.6% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 60.6% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 60.3% | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 60.2% | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 60.0% | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 59.9% | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 59.8% | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 59.7% | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 59.7% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 59.5% | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 59.1% | -0.7% |
| 2005 | 58.8% | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 58.3% | -0.8% |
| 2007 | 57.9% | -0.8% |
| 2008 | 57.4% | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 56.9% | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 56.1% | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 55.5% | -1.0% |
| 2012 | 54.8% | -1.4% |
| 2013 | 54.4% | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 53.8% | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 53.3% | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 53.0% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 52.4% | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 51.6% | -1.6% |
| 2019 | 50.7% | -1.8% |
| 2020 | 52.1% | +2.9% |
| 2021 | 52.0% | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 50.9% | -2.1% |
| 2023 | 50.6% | -0.7% |
| 2024 | 49.8% | -1.5% |
| 2025 | 49.3% | -1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 60.3% | 59.9% | 60.6% | 9 |
| 2000s | 58.7% | 56.9% | 59.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 53.6% | 50.7% | 56.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 50.8% | 49.3% | 52.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 4 Chad 71.7% compare
- 5 Madagascar 69.2% compare
- 6 Lao People's Democratic Republic 68.6% compare
- 7 Central African Republic 66.1% compare
- 8 Malawi 65.0% compare
- 9 Uganda 64.9% compare
- 10 Tanzania, United Republic of 64.6% 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)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2024)
- Rural population 55.3% (2025)
- Rural population growth 1.5% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in agriculture (% of total employment) in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) in Sub-Saharan Africa was 49.3% 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 Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 60.6% in 1994.
- What is the lowest employment in agriculture (% of total employment) recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 49.3% in 2025.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for employment in agriculture (% of total employment)?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 7th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is employment in agriculture (% of total employment) rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.4%. 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 (% 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).