Libya Agriculture Employment
Employment in agriculture SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS
Libya's agriculture employment was 10.00% in 2025, ranked 77th globally. This represents a 5.0% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
Libya's agriculture employment stood at 10.00% in 2025, a decline of +0.52% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 9.95% by 2026. Libya ranked 77th globally.
Libya’s share of the labour force employed in agriculture fell to 10.00 percent in 2025, placing the country 77th in the world and marking the lowest point in a 35‑year series that began at 14.98 percent in 1991. The sector’s share peaked at 15.09 percent in 1993 before a gradual decline accelerated after the early 2000s, reflecting the combined impact of urbanisation, oil‑driven income growth and recurrent political instability that limited investment in rural development. The 2025 trough is comparable to Algeria’s 9.48 percent and Greece’s 10.68 percent, underscoring that Libya now aligns more closely with other Mediterranean economies where agriculture contributes a modest share of employment. Continued diversification away from oil and targeted policies to improve irrigation, mechanisation and market access could stabilise or modestly raise agricultural employment, but absent such reforms the downward trajectory is likely to persist.
Data & projection
| Year | Agriculture Employment | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2028* trend | 9.51% | - | - |
| 2027* trend | 9.73% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 9.95% | - | - |
| 2025 | 10.00% | −0.52% | #77 |
| 2024 | 10.52% | −0.08% | #77 |
| 2023 | 10.60% | −0.44% | #78 |
| 2022 | 11.03% | +0.21% | #79 |
| 2021 | 10.82% | −0.15% | #75 |
| 2020 | 10.97% | +0.28% | #78 |
| 2019 | 10.69% | +0.24% | #77 |
| 2018 | 10.45% | −0.33% | #73 |
| 2017 | 10.78% | −0.72% | #76 |
| 2016 | 11.50% | −0.09% | #78 |
| 2015 | 11.60% | −0.22% | #77 |
| 2014 | 11.82% | +0.29% | #76 |
| 2013 | 11.53% | +0.33% | #75 |
| 2012 | 11.20% | +0.10% | #71 |
| 2011 | 11.10% | −0.36% | #70 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Libya matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2017. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw agriculture employment improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Libya's agriculture employment was 10.00% in 2025. Ranked 77th globally. This represents a 5.0% decrease from the previous year.
Libya's agriculture employment peaked at 15.09% in 1993.
The lowest agriculture employment in Libya was 10.00% in 2025.
Libya ranks 77th globally in agriculture employment as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Libya's agriculture employment is projected to reach 9.95% by 2026 based on trend extrapolation.
The agriculture employment of Libya in 2025 was 10.00%. This ranks 77th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_libya_agriculture-employment,
title = {Libya Agriculture Employment},
url = {https://historysaid.com/libya/agriculture-employment/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}