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Zimbabwe’s unemployment level has risen to 11,3 percent with the majority of people moving into the informal sector particularly agriculture, the Zimbabwe National Statistics agency (Zimstat) has said.Speaking at a dissemination workshop for the 2014 Labour Force and Child Labour survey results, Zimstat director general Mr Mutasa Dzinotizei said the unemployment rate has gone up from 4, 8 percent in 2011.

Although some economists have claimed that the unemployment figures from the agency are understated, Mr Dzinotizei said the figures included everyone who contributes to the economy through formal and informal channels.

“The need to provide and analyse data on employment, unemployment, underemployment and informal employment cannot be over emphasised given the conflicting figures and statements on these variables circulating in the media fraternity and other platforms in the country,” he said.

The survey regarded persons who stated that they are a paid employee, employer, own account worker and unpaid family worker were regarded as employed and economically active.

In January, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) said the country’s real unemployment rate has been miscalculated as most of the figures thrown around did not take into account the vast numbers of people in informal employment.

Mr Dzinotizei said there has been a general decline in the number of people employed in the formal sector with the manufacturing sector declining from 118 600 employees to 93 100 in 2014 and the mining sector from 43 000 employees to 38 400.

“However, some sectors showed gains in employments during the same period.

“These are distribution, restaurants and hotels which increased from 74 900 employees to 82 000 employees and transport and communications increased from around 31 200 to 35 500 employees.

“For the economy as a whole, however, the data shows significant declines in formal sector employment,” he said.

According to the survey, the highest proportion of employed population were in the agricultural occupations at 61 percent.

The youth unemployment rate in Zimbabwe was estimated at 16,4 percent with the highest numbers among those who completed form 6 in terms of education.

Most people employed in the informal sector are own account workers with at least 52,5 percent of them being women.

The survey also states that 11 percent of the 6,3 million people that are employed are also engaged in other income generating activities and 62 percent were in the agriculture sector.— BH24