Agriculture accounts for more than half of employment in 19 African countries

Key Takeaways

  • Agriculture accounted for 25.8% of global employment in 2025, meaning roughly one in four employed people worked in the sector.
  • Burundi had the highest share among the countries highlighted, at 85.3%, followed by Mozambique and Niger at about 73% each.
  • 19 African countries had more than half of their employment in agriculture.
  • Sub-Saharan Africa’s agricultural employment share was 49.3%, nearly twice the global average.
  • Nigeria’s share stood at 33.5%, above the global average but well below the Sub-Saharan African average.

Roughly one in four employed people worldwide worked in agriculture in 2025, representing 25.8% of total employment. As the world marks World Food Day today, the figure offers a look at how important agriculture remains to livelihoods around the world.

In Burundi, 85.3% of employment was in agriculture, more than three times the global share. Mozambique and Niger followed at about 73% each.

Overall, 19 African countries had more than half of their employment in agriculture, while the Sub-Saharan Africa average stood at 49.3%. Nigeria stood at 33.5%, above the global average but well below the Sub-Saharan Africa average.

Source:

World Bank

Period:

2025
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