Number of people employed in agriculture in Benin
Benin: Number of people employed in agriculture was 2.63 million people in 2025. ▲ Rising
Number of people employed in agriculture in Benin, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of people employed in agriculture in Benin is 2.63 million people, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.1% on the previous year and up 31.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people employed in agriculture in Benin peaked at 2.63 million people in 2025 and was at its lowest, 969,357 people, in 1991.
Benin ranks 46th of 186 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Number of people employed in agriculture in Benin, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 969,357 people | — |
| 1992 | 1.00 million people | +3.2% |
| 1993 | 1.05 million people | +5.1% |
| 1994 | 1.09 million people | +4.0% |
| 1995 | 1.10 million people | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 1.13 million people | +2.4% |
| 1997 | 1.16 million people | +2.6% |
| 1998 | 1.19 million people | +3.2% |
| 1999 | 1.23 million people | +3.0% |
| 2000 | 1.26 million people | +2.6% |
| 2001 | 1.30 million people | +2.8% |
| 2002 | 1.34 million people | +3.1% |
| 2003 | 1.38 million people | +3.0% |
| 2004 | 1.42 million people | +3.1% |
| 2005 | 1.47 million people | +3.8% |
| 2006 | 1.52 million people | +3.1% |
| 2007 | 1.55 million people | +2.1% |
| 2008 | 1.59 million people | +2.6% |
| 2009 | 1.65 million people | +3.6% |
| 2010 | 1.71 million people | +3.6% |
| 2011 | 1.73 million people | +1.3% |
| 2012 | 1.81 million people | +4.2% |
| 2013 | 1.86 million people | +3.1% |
| 2014 | 1.92 million people | +3.0% |
| 2015 | 2.00 million people | +4.5% |
| 2016 | 2.08 million people | +4.1% |
| 2017 | 2.15 million people | +2.9% |
| 2018 | 2.20 million people | +2.4% |
| 2019 | 2.26 million people | +3.1% |
| 2020 | 2.39 million people | +5.6% |
| 2021 | 2.51 million people | +4.8% |
| 2022 | 2.55 million people | +1.7% |
| 2023 | 2.58 million people | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 2.60 million people | +1.0% |
| 2025 | 2.63 million people | +1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.10 million people | 969,357 people | 1.23 million people | 9 |
| 2000s | 1.45 million people | 1.26 million people | 1.65 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.97 million people | 1.71 million people | 2.26 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.54 million people | 2.39 million people | 2.63 million people | 6 |
Countries ranked near Benin
More agriculture & rural data for Benin
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 8.16 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.2292 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 380.06 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.6697 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.4664 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 22.9% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 22.9% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 52.9% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.8% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people employed in agriculture in Benin?
- Number of people employed in agriculture in Benin was 2.63 million people in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people employed in agriculture recorded in Benin?
- The highest recorded value was 2.63 million people in 2025.
- What is the lowest number of people employed in agriculture recorded in Benin?
- The lowest recorded value was 969,357 people in 1991.
- How does Benin rank for number of people employed in agriculture?
- Benin ranks 46th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of people employed in agriculture rising or falling in Benin?
- Over the last ten years it is up 31.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Benin data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people employed in agriculture. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of people working in agriculture, including hunting, forestry and fishing.