Ireland Agriculture Employment
Employment in agriculture SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS
Ireland's agriculture employment was 3.85% in 2025, ranked 48th globally. This represents a 2.6% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
Ireland's agriculture employment stood at 3.85% in 2025, a decline of +0.10% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 3.68% by 2026. Ireland ranked 48th globally.
Ireland’s share of the labour force employed in agriculture has fallen dramatically over the 35‑year series, dropping from an all‑time peak of 13.91 percent in 1991 to a trough of 3.85 percent in 2025, a decline of 10.06 percentage points. The 2025 figure places Ireland at rank 48 globally, closely aligned with Slovenia’s 3.66 percent and Hungary’s 4.11 percent, indicating that the Irish agricultural sector now resembles that of other small, open economies that have shifted toward services and high‑value manufacturing. The steep contraction reflects structural changes such as farm consolidation, mechanisation, and the expansion of agri‑food export markets, which have reduced the need for labour while increasing productivity. Despite the low employment share, agricultural output per worker has risen, suggesting a move toward a more capital‑intensive model. Continued advances in technology, combined with policies that support farm diversification and sustainable practices, could further compress agricultural employment, but any reversal would likely require a deliberate shift toward labour‑intensive niche production or rural development initiatives.
Data & projection
| Year | Agriculture Employment | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2028* trend | 3.31% | - | - |
| 2027* trend | 3.49% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 3.68% | - | - |
| 2025 | 3.85% | −0.10% | #48 |
| 2024 | 3.95% | −0.68% | #48 |
| 2023 | 4.63% | +0.77% | #52 |
| 2022 | 3.86% | −0.95% | #45 |
| 2021 | 4.81% | +0.33% | #50 |
| 2020 | 4.48% | +0.05% | #49 |
| 2019 | 4.43% | −0.33% | #50 |
| 2018 | 4.76% | −0.28% | #50 |
| 2017 | 5.05% | −0.23% | #52 |
| 2016 | 5.28% | −0.04% | #53 |
| 2015 | 5.32% | −0.12% | #52 |
| 2014 | 5.44% | −0.34% | #53 |
| 2013 | 5.78% | −0.01% | #54 |
| 2012 | 5.79% | +0.06% | #53 |
| 2011 | 5.72% | −0.03% | #53 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Ireland matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2021. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw agriculture employment improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Ireland's agriculture employment was 3.85% in 2025. Ranked 48th globally. This represents a 2.6% decrease from the previous year.
Ireland's agriculture employment peaked at 13.91% in 1991.
The lowest agriculture employment in Ireland was 3.85% in 2025.
Ireland ranks 48th globally in agriculture employment as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Ireland's agriculture employment is projected to reach 3.68% by 2026 based on trend extrapolation.
The agriculture employment of Ireland in 2025 was 3.85%. This ranks 48th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_ireland_agriculture-employment,
title = {Ireland Agriculture Employment},
url = {https://historysaid.com/ireland/agriculture-employment/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}