Ghana Agriculture Employment
Employment in agriculture SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS
Ghana's agriculture employment was 34.57% in 2025, ranked 137th globally. This represents a 1.7% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
Ghana's agriculture employment stood at 34.57% in 2025, a decline of +0.61% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 34.43% by 2026. Ghana ranked 137th globally.
Ghana’s share of the labour force employed in agriculture fell from an all‑time peak of 71.78 percent in 1991 to a trough of 34.57 percent in 2025, placing the country at rank 137 globally out of 215 economies. The 35‑year decline reflects structural shifts toward services and industry, as well as productivity gains that have reduced the need for farm labour. Ghana’s 2025 figure is closely aligned with peer nations such as Azerbaijan (34.23 percent) and Rwanda (35.05 percent), suggesting a regional convergence toward similar agricultural employment levels. The rapid contraction coincides with government initiatives to modernise agriculture, expand value‑added processing, and improve rural infrastructure, yet the sector still employs a sizable proportion of the population relative to many middle‑income countries. If investment in mechanisation and agribusiness continues, the downward trajectory is likely to persist, potentially pushing Ghana’s agricultural employment share below 30 percent within the next decade.
Data & projection
| Year | Agriculture Employment | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2028* trend | 33.65% | - | - |
| 2027* trend | 34.04% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 34.43% | - | - |
| 2025 | 34.57% | −0.61% | #137 |
| 2024 | 35.19% | −0.82% | #137 |
| 2023 | 36.01% | −0.31% | #138 |
| 2022 | 36.32% | +0.35% | #138 |
| 2021 | 35.97% | −1.45% | #137 |
| 2020 | 37.42% | −0.24% | #139 |
| 2019 | 37.66% | −2.24% | #139 |
| 2018 | 39.90% | −2.12% | #145 |
| 2017 | 42.02% | −0.84% | #148 |
| 2016 | 42.86% | −0.57% | #148 |
| 2015 | 43.43% | −0.47% | #147 |
| 2014 | 43.90% | −0.45% | #146 |
| 2013 | 44.34% | −1.42% | #146 |
| 2012 | 45.76% | −1.32% | #145 |
| 2011 | 47.08% | −1.76% | #148 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Ghana matched the Currency Crisis Pattern pattern in 2023. Historically, 27% of countries showing this pattern (35 out of 128) saw agriculture employment improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Ghana's agriculture employment was 34.57% in 2025. Ranked 137th globally. This represents a 1.7% decrease from the previous year.
Ghana's agriculture employment peaked at 71.78% in 1991.
The lowest agriculture employment in Ghana was 34.57% in 2025.
Ghana ranks 137th globally in agriculture employment as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Ghana's agriculture employment is projected to reach 34.43% by 2026 based on trend extrapolation.
The agriculture employment of Ghana in 2025 was 34.57%. This ranks 137th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_ghana_agriculture-employment,
title = {Ghana Agriculture Employment},
url = {https://historysaid.com/ghana/agriculture-employment/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}