Gabon has a small population of 2.4 million people.[1] The country is highly urbanized since almost all of its population (91%) resides in urban areas.[2] Yet, the agricultural sector assumes 29% of total employment in Gabon[3] and represents 5.8% of its national GDP.[4]
The agricultural sector in Gabon is small and under-developed, even though a significant share of rural Gabonese depends on agriculture to meet their needs. Small-holder farmers dominate agriculture in Gabon, with around 70,000 family subsidence farms in existence. These farmers are relatively old and tend to small plots of no more than 0.2 hectares on average. As a result, the country is not able to meet its domestic food demand, thus resolving to import almost 60% of the needed food products.[5]
The top produced commodities in Gabon are plantains, cassava, sugar cane, yams and taro (cocoyam).[6] As for Gabon’s top exported commodities in terms of quantity, these are palm oil, wheat bran, palm kernel oil, and natural rubber.[7]
- ^ World Bank (2023). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL?locations=GA
- ^ World Bank (2023). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS?locations=GA
- ^ World Bank (2022). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS?locations=GA
- ^ World Bank (2023). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NV.AGR.TOTL.ZS?locations=GA
- ^ IFAD. Country Profiles: Gabon. https://www.ifad.org/en/web/operations/w/country/gabon
- ^ FAOSTAT (2022). http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#rankings/commodities_by_country
- ^ FAOSTAT (2022). http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#rankings/commodities_by_country_exports
Minimum wage
The national minimum wage in Gabon is set at 150,000 Central African francs (229 EUR) per worker per month.[1] The government however has not enforced the aforementioned minimum wage in the informal sector, which includes the majority of workers in the country. In addition, labor law regulations have not been enforced in the mining and timber sectors, where the majority of foreign labor is employed. Employers in these sectors have repeatedly mistreated workers, especially foreigners, by underpaying them, dismissing them without notice and even abuse them physically.[2]
- ^ Wage Indicator Foundation (2024). Minimum Wage-Gabon. https://wageindicator.org/salary/minimum-wage/gabon
- ^ U.S. Department of State. 2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Gabon. https://www.state.gov/reports/2023-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/gabon/
Living wage
The Global Living Wage Coalition has developed a living wage reference value for rural and urban Gabon, based on the Anker methodology.
The Anker Living Wage Reference Value in rural Gabon is estimated at 224,151 Central African francs (342 EUR) per month[1], while in urban Gabon it is estimated at 297,008 Central African francs (453 EUR).[2] These ar the wages required for workers in a typical area of rural or urban Gabon respectively, to afford a basic but decent standard of living.
- ^ Global Living Wage Coalition (2023). Anker Living Wage Reference Value: Rural Gabon. https://www.globallivingwage.org/reference-value/living-wage-reference-value%e2%81%a0-rural-gabon/
- ^ Global Living Wage Coalition (2023). Anker Living Wage Reference Value: Urban Gabon. https://www.globallivingwage.org/reference-value/living-wage-reference-value%e2%81%a0-urban-gabon/
Living Wage Reference Value, Urban Gabon 
Living wage estimates for workers to be able to afford a basic but decent living standard in urban areas of Gabon.
Living Wage Reference Value, Rural Gabon
Living wage estimates for workers to be able to afford a basic but decent living standard in rural areas of Gabon.
Cocoa Under Shade
An initiative in Gabon’s Woleu-Ntem province which aims to address poverty and deforestation through the promotion of shade-grown cocoa.