Employment in agrifood systems by subindustry and sex: Agriculture in South Africa
South Africa: Employment in agrifood systems by subindustry and sex: Agriculture was 651.51 1000 No in 2023. ▼ Falling
Employment in agrifood systems by subindustry and sex: Agriculture in South Africa, 2000–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in 1000 No.
Analysis
The most recent figure for employment in agrifood systems by subindustry and sex: agriculture in South Africa is 651.51 1000 No, measured in 2023.
The figure is up 5.0% on the previous year and up 24.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in agrifood systems by subindustry and sex: agriculture in South Africa peaked at 908.43 1000 No in 2002 and was at its lowest, 442.22 1000 No, in 2011.
That places South Africa 48th out of 139 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
Employment in agrifood systems by subindustry and sex: Agriculture in South Africa, year by year
| Year | 1000 No | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 763.75 1000 No | — |
| 2001 | 813.19 1000 No | +6.5% |
| 2002 | 908.43 1000 No | +11.7% |
| 2003 | 854.28 1000 No | -6.0% |
| 2004 | 764.3 1000 No | -10.5% |
| 2005 | 603.2 1000 No | -21.1% |
| 2006 | 575.77 1000 No | -4.5% |
| 2007 | 581.4 1000 No | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 573.54 1000 No | -1.4% |
| 2009 | 506.94 1000 No | -11.6% |
| 2010 | 464.54 1000 No | -8.4% |
| 2011 | 442.22 1000 No | -4.8% |
| 2012 | 478.79 1000 No | +8.3% |
| 2013 | 524.69 1000 No | +9.6% |
| 2014 | 500.75 1000 No | -4.6% |
| 2015 | 612.59 1000 No | +22.3% |
| 2016 | 626.77 1000 No | +2.3% |
| 2017 | 591.45 1000 No | -5.6% |
| 2018 | 576.87 1000 No | -2.5% |
| 2019 | 607.43 1000 No | +5.3% |
| 2020 | 585.66 1000 No | -3.6% |
| 2021 | 628.88 1000 No | +7.4% |
| 2022 | 620.28 1000 No | -1.4% |
| 2023 | 651.51 1000 No | +5.0% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 651.51 1000 No is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 290.39 1000 No, 2.2× the median. (37 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 651.51 1000 No is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 910.18 1000 No, 72% of the median. (36 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 694.48 1000 No | 506.94 1000 No | 908.43 1000 No | 10 |
| 2010s | 542.61 1000 No | 442.22 1000 No | 626.77 1000 No | 10 |
| 2020s | 621.58 1000 No | 585.66 1000 No | 651.51 1000 No | 4 |
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 agrifood systems by subindustry and sex: agriculture in South Africa?
- Employment in agrifood systems by subindustry and sex: agriculture in South Africa was 651.51 1000 No in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest employment in agrifood systems by subindustry and sex: agriculture recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 908.43 1000 No in 2002.
- What is the lowest employment in agrifood systems by subindustry and sex: agriculture recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 442.22 1000 No in 2011.
- How does South Africa rank for employment in agrifood systems by subindustry and sex: agriculture?
- South Africa ranks 48th out of 139 countries with data for 2023.
- Is employment in agrifood systems by subindustry and sex: agriculture rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Employment in agrifood systems by subindustry and sex: Agriculture — Value — Male — All age ranges or no breakdown by age — National — Agriculture. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO).
About this data
The Suite of Gender Indicators presents a set of indicators relevant to agrifood systems that are disaggregated by sex, with the aim of highlighting gender differences across agrifood systems. The initial set of indicators is based on those used in FAO’s 2023 Status of Women in Agrifood Systems (SWAFS) report and on the recommendations of an expert consultation held in December 2023, and covers key dimensions including economic participation, governance, agency, social norms, assets and services, education, health, and nutrition. Indicator selection was informed by expert judgment and by the availability of data with sufficient geographic and temporal coverage to enable meaningful comparisons across regions and over time. While most indicators are produced and published by FAO and other international organizations, the objective of this domain is to provide a one-stop shop for sex-disaggregated data on agrifood systems.