Share of agriculture in GDP

Definition

The share of income derived from agriculture is a key parameter in agricultural transformation and the evolution of food systems. Historically, structural transformation has been characterized by a transition from a low-productivity, agriculture-based economy that employs the majority of workers and generates the most output, to one dominated by industry and services and a smaller, more productive agriculture sector.

Relevance

The indicator is a measure of the stage of structural transformation in the economy, closely related to the economic dimensions of food system transformation. It is correlated with economic development: countries with larger share of income coming from agriculture are poorer.