In a context of accelerated transformation in agribusiness, marked by productive, demographic and technological pressures, CONSULT developed Evolution Study of Working in Agriculture in Portugal, with the aim of analysing structural changes in agricultural work over recent decades and supporting evidence-based decision-making. The study confirms that Portuguese agriculture is today a more productive and technologically advanced sector, but also more dependent on new forms of work, labour immigration and technical skills, while facing significant challenges regarding an ageing workforce and safety.

Key Findings

• Portuguese agriculture produces more value today with fewer workers. Over the last three decades, the volume of labour has fallen from more than 430,000 to around 220,000 full-time workers, while the value generated by the sector has grown consistently, allowing productivity to more than double.
• Agricultural employment has not disappeared; it has changed. The number of people employed has stabilised at between 165,000 and 180,000 in recent years, with a sharp decline in family labour and an increase in paid employment, which now accounts for around 40% of the total.
• Four in ten agricultural workers are foreign nationals. More than 40% of the agricultural workforce is of foreign origin, a proportion that has quadrupled since 2014 and is unparalleled in any other sector of the Portuguese economy. In intensive and seasonal crops, this workforce is critical to coping with concentrated peaks in workload and ensuring continuity of production throughout the year.
• Foreign workers are, on average, better qualified than Portuguese workers. In agriculture, 7.5% of foreign workers have a higher education qualification, compared with just 2.7% of Portuguese workers, highlighting a significant contribution to the sector’s skill levels.
• Agricultural wages have risen by around 50% over ten years. The average monthly wage has risen from around 660 euros to close to 1,000 euros, growing faster than the economy-wide average. Even so, it remains well below the national average of 1,742 euros.
• Portuguese agriculture varies significantly from region to region. The Alentejo accounts for 54.7% of the agricultural area, but only 11.3% of the workforce, reflecting a large-scale and highly mechanised model. Regions such as the Algarve and the West have yields exceeding 5,200 euros per hectare, which are associated with higher labour intensity.
• The agricultural workforce is ageing rapidly. The average age of workers has risen from 46 in 1989 to 59 in 2023, whilst the family labour force has fallen by more than 60%, signalling a clear lack of generational renewal.
• Accidents have fallen, but they remain serious. Between 2014 and 2023, workplace accidents fell by around 20%; however, the fatality rate remains high, with around 0.19% of accidents resulting in death – one of the highest rates amongst the main economic sectors.
• The farmer of the future will increasingly be a technology operator. The growing integration of automation, sensors, artificial intelligence and specialised services is replacing manual tasks, increasing productive efficiency and demanding workers with technical and digital skills.

The study reinforces the need for public policy, investment and business strategies aligned with this new reality of agribusiness, where productivity, skills and social sustainability become inseparable.