Share of employment in agriculture in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Share of employment in agriculture was 60.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Share of employment in agriculture in Ethiopia, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026); Broadberry and Gardner (2013); International Labor Organization (via World Bank) (2013) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of employment in agriculture in Ethiopia is 60.1%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is down 1.4% on the previous year and down 11.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of employment in agriculture in Ethiopia peaked at 78.4% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 60.1%, in 2025.
That places Ethiopia 14th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Share of employment in agriculture in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 77.2% | — |
| 1992 | 78.0% | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 77.4% | -0.9% |
| 1994 | 77.2% | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 77.0% | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 76.2% | -1.0% |
| 1997 | 76.3% | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 76.7% | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 76.4% | -0.4% |
| 2000 | 76.6% | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 76.7% | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 77.3% | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 78.4% | +1.4% |
| 2004 | 77.9% | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 78.1% | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 77.4% | -0.9% |
| 2007 | 76.5% | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 75.8% | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 75.1% | -0.9% |
| 2010 | 73.8% | -1.7% |
| 2011 | 72.7% | -1.5% |
| 2012 | 72.1% | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 71.0% | -1.5% |
| 2014 | 69.6% | -2.1% |
| 2015 | 68.0% | -2.3% |
| 2016 | 66.4% | -2.3% |
| 2017 | 64.7% | -2.6% |
| 2018 | 63.4% | -2.1% |
| 2019 | 61.8% | -2.5% |
| 2020 | 63.6% | +2.9% |
| 2021 | 63.5% | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 63.0% | -0.8% |
| 2023 | 62.2% | -1.3% |
| 2024 | 61.0% | -1.9% |
| 2025 | 60.1% | -1.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 76.9% | 76.2% | 78.0% | 9 |
| 2000s | 77.0% | 75.1% | 78.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 68.3% | 61.8% | 73.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 62.2% | 60.1% | 63.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
- 11 South Sudan 63.8% compare
- 12 Mali 63.0% compare
- 13 Guinea-Bissau 61.1% compare
- 15 Democratic Republic of Congo 58.5% compare
- 16 Eritrea 55.5% compare
- 17 Equatorial Guinea 55.3% compare
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 share of employment in agriculture in Ethiopia?
- Share of employment in agriculture in Ethiopia was 60.1% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026); Broadberry and Gardner (2013); International Labor Organization (via World Bank) (2013) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of employment in agriculture recorded in Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 78.4% in 2003.
- What is the lowest share of employment in agriculture recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 60.1% in 2025.
- How does Ethiopia rank for share of employment in agriculture?
- Ethiopia ranks 14th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of employment in agriculture rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ethiopia data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026); Broadberry and Gardner (2013); International Labor Organization (via World Bank) (2013) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of employment in agriculture. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of working people employed in agriculture, including hunting, forestry and fishing.