PRESS ROOM
9/9/2024
In July, the lowest unemployment rate for the month in the last seven years was recorded in the rural sector.
The decrease in the unemployment rate in the rural sector (+0.5 percentage points) is mainly explained by the reduction of 28,000 unemployed people and the increase of 6,000 in the labor force.
Bogotá D. C., (@Minagricultura, @UPRAColombia, @claudialili76). In agriculture, livestock, hunting, forestry, and fishing, there was positive growth in the employed population during July 2024, reaching 3.4 million people, which represents an increase of 30,000 people (0.9%) compared to the same month last year. This increase reflects a recovery in the rural sector's ability to absorb labor, highlighting the importance of these activities in the country's labor structure.
"In Colombia, we are seeing how the resilience of the agricultural and rural sectors drives sustainable employment growth, which not only benefits our rural communities but also strengthens our national economy. The increase in rural employment and the decrease in unemployment in these areas reflect the country's commitment to inclusive territorial development. At UPRA, we continue to work on consolidating a rural planning model that enhances these positive dynamics by creating opportunities for all and promoting a more competitive and equitable rural sector," said Claudia Cortés, Director of the Unit for Rural Agricultural Planning (UPRA).
Employment in the rural sector also showed improvements. In July 2024, the unemployment rate in populated and dispersed rural areas was 6.3%, a decrease of 0.5 percentage points compared to the 6.8% rate recorded in July 2023. This unemployment rate is the lowest recorded in the rural sector for the month of July in the last seven years.
This decrease is mainly explained by the reduction of 28,000 unemployed people and an increase of 6,000 in the labor force, reaching a total of 4.8 million employed people, a 0.7% increase compared to July 2023.
Moreover, the employed population in the rural sector showed an increase of 34,000 people compared to the same month last year.
However, during the moving quarter from May to July 2024, the unemployment rate in the rural sector rose to 7.1%, 0.4 percentage points higher than in the same quarter the previous year. This increase occurred despite the fact that activities related to agriculture, livestock, hunting, forestry, and fishing saw an increase of 47,000 employed people (+1.8%), representing 54.7% of rural employment.
