Malta Agriculture Employment
Employment in agriculture SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS
Malta's agriculture employment was 0.88% in 2025, ranked 8th globally. This represents a 3.4% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
Malta's agriculture employment stood at 0.88% in 2025, a decline of +0.03% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 0.94% by 2026. Malta ranked 8th globally.
Malta’s share of the labour force employed in agriculture has fallen sharply over the past three and a half decades, dropping from an all‑time peak of 2.67 percent in 1991 to just 0.88 percent in 2025, the eighth‑lowest level globally. The decline accelerated after the early 2000s, reaching an all‑time trough of 0.83 percent in 2022 before a modest rebound the following year. This contraction mirrors broader structural shifts toward services and manufacturing, as the island’s limited arable land and high urbanisation constrain agricultural expansion. Malta’s 2025 figure is virtually identical to Luxembourg’s 0.88 percent and only marginally above the United Kingdom’s 0.85 percent, underscoring its position among the least agrarian economies in Europe. Continued pressure from tourism, real‑estate development and climate‑related challenges to the few remaining farms suggests that the share of agricultural employment will likely remain low, unless targeted policy incentives revive rural labour demand.
Data & projection
| Year | Agriculture Employment | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2028* trend | 0.95% | - | - |
| 2027* trend | 0.95% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 0.94% | - | - |
| 2025 | 0.88% | −0.03% | #8 |
| 2024 | 0.91% | −0.20% | #9 |
| 2023 | 1.11% | +0.28% | #10 |
| 2022 | 0.83% | −0.06% | #6 |
| 2021 | 0.88% | −0.25% | #5 |
| 2020 | 1.13% | +0.11% | #11 |
| 2019 | 1.02% | +0.02% | #8 |
| 2018 | 1.00% | +0.02% | #7 |
| 2017 | 0.97% | −0.17% | #4 |
| 2016 | 1.14% | −0.28% | #7 |
| 2015 | 1.42% | +0.15% | #14 |
| 2014 | 1.27% | +0.00% | #8 |
| 2013 | 1.26% | +0.22% | #7 |
| 2012 | 1.04% | −0.10% | #4 |
| 2011 | 1.14% | −0.17% | #6 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Malta matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2024. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw agriculture employment improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Malta's agriculture employment was 0.88% in 2025. Ranked 8th globally. This represents a 3.4% decrease from the previous year.
Malta's agriculture employment peaked at 2.67% in 1991.
The lowest agriculture employment in Malta was 0.83% in 2022.
Malta ranks 8th globally in agriculture employment as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Malta's agriculture employment is projected to reach 0.94% by 2026 based on trend extrapolation.
The agriculture employment of Malta in 2025 was 0.88%. This ranks 8th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_malta_agriculture-employment,
title = {Malta Agriculture Employment},
url = {https://historysaid.com/malta/agriculture-employment/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}