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As of 2024, Guinea-Bissau registered the agricultural sector's highest contribution to the GDP in Africa, at over ** percent. Chad and Comoros followed, with agriculture, forestry, and fishing accounting for **** percent and **** percent of the GDP, respectively. On the other hand, Djibouti, Seychelles, Libya, and Botswana, were the African countries with the lowest percentage of the GDP generated by the agricultural sector. 

Agriculture remains a pillar of Africa’s economy

Despite the significant variations across countries, agriculture is a key sector in Africa. In 2023, it represented around ** percent of Sub-Saharan Africa’s GDP, growing by over *** percentage points compared to 2011. The agricultural industry also strongly contributes to the continent’s job market. The number of people employed in the primary sector in Africa grew from around *** million in 2011 to *** million in 2023. In proportion, agriculture employed approximately ** percent of Africa’s working population in 2022. Agricultural activities attracted a large share of the labor force in Central, East, and West Africa, which registered percentages over the regional average. On the other hand, North Africa recorded the lowest share of employment in agriculture, as the regional economy relies significantly on the industrial and service sectors.

Cereals are among the most produced crops

Sudan and South Africa are the African countries with the largest agricultural areas. Respectively, they devote around *** million and **** million hectares of land to growing crops. Agricultural production varies significantly across African countries in terms of products and volume. Cereals such as rice, corn, and wheat are among the main crops on the continent, also representing a staple in most countries. The leading cereal producers are Ethiopia, Nigeria, Egypt, and Tanzania. Together, they recorded a cereal output of almost *** million metric tons in 2024. Additionally, rice production was concentrated in Nigeria, Egypt, Madagascar, and Tanzania.