sector's economic importance has diminished across APO member economies, both in terms of production and employment. Second, industrialization has driven structural transformation, though the pace has varied considerably by economy. Third, discrepancies between GDP and employment shares reflect differences in productivity. Economies such as Lao PDR (employment 66.9% vs. GDP 21.1%) and Nepal (employment 65.4% vs. GDP 25.9%) employ large agricultural workforces but generate relatively low value added, suggesting labor-intensive, low-productivity agriculture. In contrast, the ROK (employment 4.2% vs. GDP 1.7%) and Japan (employment 3.6% vs. GDP 1.1%) have achieved higher productivity with small agricultural populations through capital- and 3. Theoretical Background and Literature Review Energy use constitutes a critical input in modern agriculture, underpinning the operation of machinery, irrigation, and greenhouse management (FAO, 2017). Enhancing energy efficiency has APO PRODUCTIVITY OUTLOOK 2026 | ENERGY EFFICIENCY, PRODUCTIVITY IMPACTS, AND COMPOSITE INDICATOR DEVELOPMENT | 43