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How reliable are national accounts estimates of agricultural output?

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  • Sam Jones
  • Marcelo Mucocana

Abstract

Measurement errors in macroeconomic aggregates such as GDP have been widely lamented, particularly in low-income contexts. This study investigates the reliability of one component of national accounts, agricultural sector output. Focusing first on the case of Mozambique, we use a series of 12 harmonized national agricultural micro-surveys to construct estimates of gross annual output in the sector. Compared to corresponding national accounts values for the period 2002-20, the micro-survey estimates are about 50% lower.

Suggested Citation

  • Sam Jones & Marcelo Mucocana, 2025. "How reliable are national accounts estimates of agricultural output?," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2025-7, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    • Handle: RePEc:unu:wpaper:wp-2025-7
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    File URL: https://www.wider.unu.edu/sites/default/files/Publications/Working-paper/PDF/wp2025-7-how-reliable-national-accounts-estimates-agricultural-output.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Espen Beer Prydz & Dean Jolliffe & Umar Serajuddin, 2022. "Disparities in Assessments of Living Standards Using National Accounts and Household Surveys," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 68(S2), pages 385-420, December.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Measurement error; GDP; National accounts; Agriculture; Survey data; Mozambique; Survey;
    All these keywords.

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