FAO Model — Share of agricultural employment in total AFS employment in South Africa

South Africa: FAO Model — Share of agricultural employment in total AFS employment was 36.19 % in 2023. ▬ Flat

Latest (2023)
36.19 %
Change on year
up 1.6%
World rank
101st
of 145 countries
All-time high
41.33 %
in 2002
All-time low
28.49 %
in 2011
Years of data
24
2000–2023

FAO Model — Share of agricultural employment in total AFS employment in South Africa, 2000–2023

0102030402000201120232000: 37.7 %2001: 36.1 %2002: 41.3 %2003: 39.9 %2004: 37.3 %2005: 32.2 %2006: 30.4 %2007: 32.8 %2008: 32.9 %2009: 31.2 %2010: 29.5 %2011: 28.5 %2012: 30.6 %2013: 32 %2014: 30.4 %2015: 34.3 %2016: 35.2 %2017: 33.8 %2018: 33.7 %2019: 34.4 %2020: 36 %2021: 37.8 %2022: 35.6 %2023: 36.2 %

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2023, fao model — share of agricultural employment in total afs employment in South Africa stood at 36.19 %.

The figure is up 1.6% on the previous year and up 13.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, fao model — share of agricultural employment in total afs employment in South Africa peaked at 41.33 % in 2002 and was at its lowest, 28.49 %, in 2011.

South Africa ranks 101st of 145 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

FAO Model — Share of agricultural employment in total AFS employment in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for FAO Model — Share of agricultural employment in total AFS employment — Value in South Africa, 2000 to 2023.
Year % Change
2000 37.71 %
2001 36.09 % -4.3%
2002 41.33 % +14.5%
2003 39.86 % -3.6%
2004 37.33 % -6.3%
2005 32.24 % -13.6%
2006 30.38 % -5.8%
2007 32.77 % +7.9%
2008 32.86 % +0.3%
2009 31.18 % -5.1%
2010 29.54 % -5.3%
2011 28.49 % -3.6%
2012 30.57 % +7.3%
2013 32.04 % +4.8%
2014 30.35 % -5.3%
2015 34.34 % +13.1%
2016 35.19 % +2.5%
2017 33.81 % -3.9%
2018 33.71 % -0.3%
2019 34.44 % +2.2%
2020 36.02 % +4.6%
2021 37.81 % +5.0%
2022 35.61 % -5.8%
2023 36.19 % +1.6%

South Africa compared with similar countries

  • South Africa's 36.19 % is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 56.11 %, 65% of the median. (38 countries reporting)
  • South Africa's 36.19 % is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 76.87 %, 47% of the median. (35 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 35.17 % 30.38 % 41.33 % 10
2010s 32.25 % 28.49 % 35.19 % 10
2020s 36.41 % 35.61 % 37.81 % 4

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 98 North Macedonia 37.96 % compare
  2. 99 Brazil 37.92 % compare
  3. 100 El Salvador 36.37 % compare
  4. 102 Palestine, State of 36.09 % compare
  5. 103 Latvia 33.82 % compare
  6. 104 Mauritius 33.68 % compare

See the full ranking of 193 places →

More agriculture & rural data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is fao model — share of agricultural employment in total afs employment in South Africa?
Fao model — share of agricultural employment in total afs employment in South Africa was 36.19 % in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
What is the highest fao model — share of agricultural employment in total afs employment recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 41.33 % in 2002.
What is the lowest fao model — share of agricultural employment in total afs employment recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 28.49 % in 2011.
How does South Africa rank for fao model — share of agricultural employment in total afs employment?
South Africa ranks 101st out of 145 countries with data for 2023.
Is fao model — share of agricultural employment in total afs employment rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 13.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of FAO Model — Share of agricultural employment in total AFS employment — Value. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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FAO Model — Share of agricultural employment in total AFS employment in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 14 September 2026, from https://agriculture.statizoid.com/stat/fao-model-share-of-agricultural-employment-in-total-afs-employment-value/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
FAO Model — Share of agricultural employment in total AFS employment — Value
Unit
%
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO)
Coverage
193 places, 4,451 data points, 2000–2023
Last refreshed

The FAOSTAT Employment indicators domain focuses on indicators related to employment in agrifood systems and rural areas. The update is performed yearly, using data from the International Labour Organization (ILO) database that contains a rich set of indicators from a wide range of topics related to labour statistics. The indicators published in FAOSTAT are derived from the labour force statistics (LFS) and rural and urban labour markets (RURURB) databases of the ILOSTAT database. In addition, the ILO modelled estimates and projections (ILOEST) are used to provide information on employment in agriculture. FAOSTAT also publishes indicators on employment in agrifood systems (AFS) from 2000 at the national, regional, and global levels, using a methodology developed by the FAO to estimate the number of people employed within these systems.