South Africa: Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate)
In , South Africa's Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate) was 5.41.
That's down 0.6% from 2024, the highest value since .
The global average for this indicator in 2025 was 21.81 . South Africa ranks #126 globally out of 182 reporting countries. Within Sub-Saharan Africa, it ranks #44 of 45.
Source: World Bank Open Data (SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS) • Data as of 2025
Trend (2006–2025)
- 2008 · Global financial crisis
- 2020 · COVID-19 pandemic
Highlights
- Peak
- 5.81
- Trough
- 4.53
- 1-year change
- -0.6%
- 5-year change
- -1.0%
- -0.2% / yr
- 10-year change
- -3.0%
- -0.3% / yr
Historical Data — Last 10 Years
| Year | Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate) |
|---|---|
| 5.4071 | |
| 5.4390 | |
| 5.4973 | |
| 5.5432 | |
| 5.6922 | |
| 5.4629 | |
| 5.2455 | |
| 5.1228 | |
| 5.2366 | |
| 5.5226 |
About Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate)
Employment is defined as persons of working age who were engaged in any activity to produce goods or provide services for pay or profit, whether at work during the reference period or not at work due to temporary absence from a job, or to working-time arrangement. The agriculture sector consists of activities in agriculture, hunting, forestry and fishing, in accordance with division 1 (ISIC 2) or categories A-B (ISIC 3) or category A (ISIC 4).
Indicator code: SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS • Category: Labor & Business
Frequently asked questions
- What was South Africa's Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate) in 2025?
- In 2025, South Africa's Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate) was 5.41, according to World Bank Open Data.
- Is South Africa's Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate) rising or falling?
- South Africa's Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate) fell 0.6% from 2024 to 2025.
- How does South Africa rank globally on Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate)?
- In 2025, South Africa ranked #126 out of 182 countries reporting Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate).
- How does South Africa's Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate) compare to the world average?
- The global average for Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate) in 2025 was 21.81, so South Africa is below the world average. Within Sub-Saharan Africa, it ranks #44 of 45.
- What is Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate) and how is it measured?
- Employment is defined as persons of working age who were engaged in any activity to produce goods or provide services for pay or profit, whether at work during the reference period or not at work due to temporary absence from a job, or to working-time arrangement. The agriculture sector consists of activities in agriculture, hunting, forestry and fishing, in accordance with division 1 (ISIC 2) or categories A-B (ISIC 3) or category A (ISIC 4).
Source: World Bank Open Data (SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS), CC BY 4.0.