Barbados Agriculture Employment
Employment in agriculture SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS
Barbados's agriculture employment was 1.25% in 2025, ranked 16th globally. This represents a 4.3% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
Barbados's agriculture employment stood at 1.25% in 2025, a decline of +0.06% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 0.46% by 2026. Barbados ranked 16th globally.
Barbados’ share of the labour force employed in agriculture has fallen sharply over the 35‑year series, slipping from a peak of 5.48 % in 1992 to just 1.25 % in 2025, the lowest level recorded and the 16th‑lowest globally. The decline reflects structural shifts toward services and tourism, reinforced by limited arable land and high import dependence for food. By contrast, neighbouring small‑state economies such as Brunei Darussalam register a comparable agricultural employment share of 1.20 % in 2025, while the United Arab Emirates stands slightly higher at 1.44 %. The all‑time trough in 2025 underscores the sector’s marginal role in the national economy, with only a handful of farms remaining commercially viable. Continued investment in high‑value, climate‑resilient crops and diversification of rural livelihoods could modestly raise agricultural employment, but absent such policies the downward trajectory is likely to persist.
Data & projection
| Year | Agriculture Employment | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2028* trend | -0.52% | - | - |
| 2027* trend | -0.03% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 0.46% | - | - |
| 2025 | 1.25% | −0.06% | #16 |
| 2024 | 1.30% | −0.07% | #16 |
| 2023 | 1.37% | −1.48% | #16 |
| 2022 | 2.85% | −0.08% | #36 |
| 2021 | 2.93% | −0.04% | #37 |
| 2020 | 2.97% | +0.14% | #35 |
| 2019 | 2.83% | −0.27% | #34 |
| 2018 | 3.10% | −0.01% | #36 |
| 2017 | 3.11% | +0.24% | #33 |
| 2016 | 2.86% | −0.03% | #30 |
| 2015 | 2.89% | −0.06% | #31 |
| 2014 | 2.95% | −0.08% | #32 |
| 2013 | 3.03% | −0.09% | #31 |
| 2012 | 3.12% | −0.06% | #32 |
| 2011 | 3.19% | −0.11% | #31 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Barbados matched the Stagflation Risk pattern in 2011. Historically, 38% of countries showing this pattern (117 out of 307) saw agriculture employment improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Barbados's agriculture employment was 1.25% in 2025. Ranked 16th globally. This represents a 4.3% decrease from the previous year.
Barbados's agriculture employment peaked at 5.48% in 1992.
The lowest agriculture employment in Barbados was 1.25% in 2025.
Barbados ranks 16th globally in agriculture employment as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Barbados's agriculture employment is projected to reach 0.46% by 2026 based on trend extrapolation.
The agriculture employment of Barbados in 2025 was 1.25%. This ranks 16th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_barbados_agriculture-employment,
title = {Barbados Agriculture Employment},
url = {https://historysaid.com/barbados/agriculture-employment/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}