AN ECONOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND ECONOMIC GROWTH IN ZIMBABWE

In Less Developed Countries (LDCs) like Zimbabwe, agricultural production has been regarded by several studies as a paramount prerequisite for industrialization and economic growth. The idea behind this view is that, as agricultural production increases, countries are able to produce more food with...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Alexander Mapfumo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: iVolga Press 2013-11-01
Series:Russian Journal of Agricultural and Socio-Economic Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.rjoas.com/issue-2013-11/article_02.pdf
_version_ 1797705012893188096
author Alexander Mapfumo
author_facet Alexander Mapfumo
author_sort Alexander Mapfumo
collection DOAJ
description In Less Developed Countries (LDCs) like Zimbabwe, agricultural production has been regarded by several studies as a paramount prerequisite for industrialization and economic growth. The idea behind this view is that, as agricultural production increases, countries are able to produce more food with less labour input which allows them to feed their growing population while releasing labour for the manufacturing sector and other sectors of the economy hence the process will lead to economic growth. The main objective of this study was to investigate how agricultural production affected economic growth in Zimbabwe from 1980-2010. The Log linear growth regression model was employed where gross domestic product was the dependant variable and the explanatory variables are the major crop products and factors which affect it. Four major crops which were included in the model are tobacco, maize, coffee and cotton. Moreover, a dummy variable for the prevailing weather conditions was also included in the model. The regression analyses were performed using Econometric-views 3 (E-views 3) statistical package. Regression was carried out on time series data for the period 1980 to 2010. The data was tested for stationarity and for autocorrelation. Problems of non stationarity of data were corrected by differencing the trending series. Results from the empirical analysis provide strong evidence indicating that agricultural production is important in improving the wellbeing of countries especially in LDCs. The results from this study suggest that the value of agricultural production of tobacco, maize and cotton positively affects economic growth in Zimbabwe from 1980 to 2010.
first_indexed 2024-03-12T05:28:57Z
format Article
id doaj.art-b27d034d362a40c28fd310ecca688fec
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2226-1184
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-12T05:28:57Z
publishDate 2013-11-01
publisher iVolga Press
record_format Article
series Russian Journal of Agricultural and Socio-Economic Sciences
spelling doaj.art-b27d034d362a40c28fd310ecca688fec2023-09-03T07:00:55ZengiVolga PressRussian Journal of Agricultural and Socio-Economic Sciences2226-11842013-11-0123111115AN ECONOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND ECONOMIC GROWTH IN ZIMBABWEAlexander Mapfumo0Great Zimbabwe University, Masvingo, ZimbabweIn Less Developed Countries (LDCs) like Zimbabwe, agricultural production has been regarded by several studies as a paramount prerequisite for industrialization and economic growth. The idea behind this view is that, as agricultural production increases, countries are able to produce more food with less labour input which allows them to feed their growing population while releasing labour for the manufacturing sector and other sectors of the economy hence the process will lead to economic growth. The main objective of this study was to investigate how agricultural production affected economic growth in Zimbabwe from 1980-2010. The Log linear growth regression model was employed where gross domestic product was the dependant variable and the explanatory variables are the major crop products and factors which affect it. Four major crops which were included in the model are tobacco, maize, coffee and cotton. Moreover, a dummy variable for the prevailing weather conditions was also included in the model. The regression analyses were performed using Econometric-views 3 (E-views 3) statistical package. Regression was carried out on time series data for the period 1980 to 2010. The data was tested for stationarity and for autocorrelation. Problems of non stationarity of data were corrected by differencing the trending series. Results from the empirical analysis provide strong evidence indicating that agricultural production is important in improving the wellbeing of countries especially in LDCs. The results from this study suggest that the value of agricultural production of tobacco, maize and cotton positively affects economic growth in Zimbabwe from 1980 to 2010.http://www.rjoas.com/issue-2013-11/article_02.pdfEconomic growth; Agricultural production; Zimbabwe
spellingShingle Alexander Mapfumo
AN ECONOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND ECONOMIC GROWTH IN ZIMBABWE
Russian Journal of Agricultural and Socio-Economic Sciences
Economic growth; Agricultural production; Zimbabwe
title AN ECONOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND ECONOMIC GROWTH IN ZIMBABWE
title_full AN ECONOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND ECONOMIC GROWTH IN ZIMBABWE
title_fullStr AN ECONOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND ECONOMIC GROWTH IN ZIMBABWE
title_full_unstemmed AN ECONOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND ECONOMIC GROWTH IN ZIMBABWE
title_short AN ECONOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND ECONOMIC GROWTH IN ZIMBABWE
title_sort econometric analysis of the relationship between agricultural production and economic growth in zimbabwe
topic Economic growth; Agricultural production; Zimbabwe
url http://www.rjoas.com/issue-2013-11/article_02.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT alexandermapfumo aneconometricanalysisoftherelationshipbetweenagriculturalproductionandeconomicgrowthinzimbabwe
AT alexandermapfumo econometricanalysisoftherelationshipbetweenagriculturalproductionandeconomicgrowthinzimbabwe