6.6 2.6 8.5 In 1996 the world's agricultural labour force is estimated at over 1,140 million persons. In many countries, women's extensive contribution to agricultural output remains largely unrecorded.
Agriculture is a prime engine of growth in the process of development.
The historical experience of the industrial revolution underlines the importance of a sustained rise in agricultural labour productivity. Today's rapidly growing countries are undergoing a similar process based on sustained rates of agricultural growth. Poverty and low incomes are primarily found in those countries in which agriculture is moving only slowly and absorbs a large share of the labour force. The world's agricultural labour force is projected to continue to rise until the year 2006, albeit at a slower rate, after which it will decline in absolute terms. The declining share of agriculture in the total labour force reflects the accelerating trend towards industrialization and urbanization in all regions.