Agriculture, forestry and fishery industry engaged the highest proportion of the employed population 15 years and older in the district with more than three-quarters (86.0%) of the employed population 15 years and older engaged in the industry (Table 4.4). The proportion of male (91.8%) engaged in this industry is higher compared to that of females (80.5%). Wholesale and retail, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles engaged the second highest (6.0%) of the employed population. About 9.0 percent of the females are engaged in wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles as against three percent for the males.

Employment Status

More than half of the employed population 15 years and older in the Zabzugu District are self-employed without employee(s) (53.0%) and a further 38.5 percent are contributing family workers (refer to Figure 4.1). A much higher proportion of employed males are self-employed without employees (58.5%) than the females (47.8%). The proportion of females engaged as contributing family workers, on the other hand, is higher (44.9%) than the male (31.6%). The proportions of the other employed categories are employees (2.0%), self-employed with employees (4.8%), domestic employees (1.0%), apprentices (0.4%) and casual workers (0.1%).

Employment Sector

Figure 4.2 shows the employed population 15 years and older by employment sector for the district. From the figure 97.7 percent of the employed population are in the private informal sector and 1.2 percent are in the public or government sector. Less than two percent (1.1 percent) are engaged in the other employment sectors (other international organizations, NGOs both Local and International, Private formal and Semi-Public/Parastatal). The trend is similar for the male and female employed population with males having 96.9 percent and females 98.5 percent of the employed in the private informal sector.