Skip to main content
PRESS ROOM
Calendar 1/3/2024

In January 2024, the agricultural sector generated 244,000 jobs

En enero de 2024, el sector agropecuario generó 244.000 empleos

The national unemployment rate was 12.7%. 
In agriculture, livestock, hunting, forestry, and fishing, 3.2 million people were employed in the country, making it the second economic activity that generated the most employment nationally.
 

Bogotá D.C., (@Minagricultura, @UPRAColombia, @claudialili76). During January 2024, the labor situation in the rural sector and in activities related to agriculture, livestock, hunting, forestry, and fishing showed a significant increase in employment, according to data recently published by the National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE) and analyzed by the Rural Agricultural Planning Unit (UPRA). 

In the first month of 2024, the national unemployment rate was 12.7%, one percentage point lower than the rate reported in January 2023 (13.7%). The employed population in the country reached 22 million people, with an increase of 533,000 people (2.5%) compared to the same month of the previous year.

 

T1. Población ocupada según rama de actividad económica

​​

In the specific case of the rural sector, in January 2024, "in agriculture, livestock, hunting, forestry, and fishing, 3.2 million people were employed; representing an increase of 244,000 people (8.3%), compared to January 2023. This figure reflects a significant growth in employment, consolidating this activity as the second largest job generator at the national level, with a 14.5% share," explained Claudia Cortés, director of UPRA, who also added:
 
"This increase in rural employment reflects the dynamism and resilience of our agricultural sector. It is an encouraging sign that we are making progress in generating job opportunities in rural areas of the country." 
 
In rural towns and dispersed rural areas, the unemployment rate stood at 9.5%, showing a decrease of 0.2 percentage points compared to the same period of the previous year. The number of employed individuals in the rural sector was 4.5 million people, a​​​​ figure 47,000 lower than the employed population in January 2023; representing a decrease of 1%. 
 

T2. Variación de la población Ocupada 2024-2023

​

Regarding informality, in the moving quarter from October to December 2023, the proportion of informal workers, nationwide, in agriculture, livestock, hunting, forestry, and fishing was 85.4%, making it the economic activity with the highest proportion of informal workers in the country.
 
These data reflect the dynamism and importance of the rural sector in the Colombian economic context, as well as the relevance of continuing to implement policies and programs that promote its sustainable development and contribute to improving the working conditions of its inhabitants.