Number of people employed in agriculture in Kenya
Kenya: Number of people employed in agriculture was 10.70 million people in 2025. ▲ Rising
Number of people employed in agriculture in Kenya, 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 Kenya is 10.70 million people, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 3.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people employed in agriculture in Kenya peaked at 10.70 million people in 2025 and was at its lowest, 5.25 million people, in 1991.
That places Kenya 14th 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 Kenya, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 5.25 million people | — |
| 1992 | 5.44 million people | +3.7% |
| 1993 | 5.63 million people | +3.5% |
| 1994 | 5.82 million people | +3.2% |
| 1995 | 6.00 million people | +3.1% |
| 1996 | 6.17 million people | +2.8% |
| 1997 | 6.36 million people | +3.2% |
| 1998 | 6.55 million people | +2.9% |
| 1999 | 6.76 million people | +3.2% |
| 2000 | 7.03 million people | +3.9% |
| 2001 | 7.26 million people | +3.3% |
| 2002 | 7.52 million people | +3.7% |
| 2003 | 7.77 million people | +3.4% |
| 2004 | 8.01 million people | +3.0% |
| 2005 | 8.23 million people | +2.8% |
| 2006 | 8.43 million people | +2.5% |
| 2007 | 8.62 million people | +2.2% |
| 2008 | 8.90 million people | +3.2% |
| 2009 | 9.16 million people | +3.0% |
| 2010 | 9.35 million people | +2.0% |
| 2011 | 9.58 million people | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 9.78 million people | +2.1% |
| 2013 | 9.98 million people | +2.1% |
| 2014 | 10.16 million people | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 10.36 million people | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 10.56 million people | +2.0% |
| 2017 | 10.38 million people | -1.7% |
| 2018 | 10.11 million people | -2.6% |
| 2019 | 9.86 million people | -2.4% |
| 2020 | 10.28 million people | +4.2% |
| 2021 | 10.64 million people | +3.5% |
| 2022 | 10.24 million people | -3.7% |
| 2023 | 10.42 million people | +1.7% |
| 2024 | 10.56 million people | +1.4% |
| 2025 | 10.70 million people | +1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 6.00 million people | 5.25 million people | 6.76 million people | 9 |
| 2000s | 8.09 million people | 7.03 million people | 9.16 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.01 million people | 9.35 million people | 10.56 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.47 million people | 10.24 million people | 10.70 million people | 6 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
- 11 Vietnam 14.07 million people compare
- 12 Thailand 11.58 million people compare
- 13 Madagascar 11.47 million people compare
- 15 Mozambique 10.67 million people compare
- 16 Philippines 10.46 million people compare
- 17 Myanmar 10.00 million people compare
More agriculture & rural data for Kenya
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 16.52 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.2316 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 547.24 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.47 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.6779 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 23.2% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 23.2% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 12.9% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 2.0% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people employed in agriculture in Kenya?
- Number of people employed in agriculture in Kenya was 10.70 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 Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 10.70 million people in 2025.
- What is the lowest number of people employed in agriculture recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.25 million people in 1991.
- How does Kenya rank for number of people employed in agriculture?
- Kenya ranks 14th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of people employed in agriculture rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Kenya 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.