Number of people employed in agriculture in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Number of people employed in agriculture was 33.01 million people in 2025. ▲ Rising
Number of people employed in agriculture in Ethiopia, 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
In 2025, number of people employed in agriculture in Ethiopia stood at 33.01 million people. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.6% on the previous year and up 7.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people employed in agriculture in Ethiopia peaked at 33.01 million people in 2025 and was at its lowest, 16.33 million people, in 1991.
That places Ethiopia 5th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Number of people employed in agriculture in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 16.33 million people | — |
| 1992 | 17.20 million people | +5.3% |
| 1993 | 17.64 million people | +2.6% |
| 1994 | 18.21 million people | +3.2% |
| 1995 | 18.75 million people | +3.0% |
| 1996 | 19.11 million people | +1.9% |
| 1997 | 19.64 million people | +2.8% |
| 1998 | 20.25 million people | +3.1% |
| 1999 | 20.67 million people | +2.1% |
| 2000 | 21.37 million people | +3.4% |
| 2001 | 22.10 million people | +3.4% |
| 2002 | 23.00 million people | +4.1% |
| 2003 | 24.08 million people | +4.7% |
| 2004 | 24.79 million people | +2.9% |
| 2005 | 25.74 million people | +3.8% |
| 2006 | 26.37 million people | +2.5% |
| 2007 | 26.97 million people | +2.3% |
| 2008 | 27.63 million people | +2.5% |
| 2009 | 28.36 million people | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 28.91 million people | +1.9% |
| 2011 | 29.55 million people | +2.2% |
| 2012 | 30.41 million people | +2.9% |
| 2013 | 31.09 million people | +2.2% |
| 2014 | 30.93 million people | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 30.69 million people | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 30.43 million people | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 30.07 million people | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 29.80 million people | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 29.39 million people | -1.4% |
| 2020 | 30.02 million people | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 30.46 million people | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 31.49 million people | +3.4% |
| 2023 | 32.09 million people | +1.9% |
| 2024 | 32.49 million people | +1.2% |
| 2025 | 33.01 million people | +1.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 18.64 million people | 16.33 million people | 20.67 million people | 9 |
| 2000s | 25.04 million people | 21.37 million people | 28.36 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 30.13 million people | 28.91 million people | 31.09 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 31.59 million people | 30.02 million people | 33.01 million people | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
More agriculture & rural data for Ethiopia
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual -20.36 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.3282 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 306.11 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.93 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0008 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.7589 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 32.8% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 32.8% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 9.7% (2023)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.5% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people employed in agriculture in Ethiopia?
- Number of people employed in agriculture in Ethiopia was 33.01 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 Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 33.01 million people in 2025.
- What is the lowest number of people employed in agriculture recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.33 million people in 1991.
- How does Ethiopia rank for number of people employed in agriculture?
- Ethiopia ranks 5th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of people employed in agriculture rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ethiopia 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.