Agriculture, forestry, and fishing corresponds to ISIC (Rev. 4) divisions 01-03 and includes the exploitation of vegetal and animal natural resources, comprising the activities of growing of crops, raising and breeding of animals, harvesting of timber and other plants, animals or animal products from a farm or their natural habitats.Value added is the contribution to the economy by a producer or an industry or an institutional sector, which is estimated by the total value of output produced and deducting the total value of intermediate consumption of goods and services used to produce that output. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period. Note: For VAB countries, gross value added at factor cost is used as the denominator.

Aggregation method:

Weighted average

Statistical concept and methodology:

Methodology: National accounts are compiled in accordance with international standards: System of National Accounts, 2008 or 1993 versions. Specific information on how countries compile their national accounts can be found on the IMF website: https://dsbb.imf.org/ Statistical concept(s): The conceptual elements of the SNA (System of National Accounts) measure what takes place in the economy, between which agents, and for what purpose. At the heart of the SNA is the production of goods and services. These may be used for consumption in the period to which the accounts relate or may be accumulated for use in a later period. In simple terms, the amount of value added generated by production represents GDP. The income corresponding to GDP is distributed to the various agents or groups of agents as income and it is the process of distributing and redistributing income that allows one agent to consume the goods and services produced by another agent or to acquire goods and services for later consumption. The way in which the SNA captures this pattern of economic flows is to identify the activities concerned by recognizing the institutional units in the economy and by specifying the structure of accounts capturing the transactions relevant to one stage or another of the process by which goods and services are produced and ultimately consumed.

Development relevance:

This indicator is related to the national accounts, which are critical for understanding and managing a country's economy. They provide a framework for the analysis of economic performance. National accounts are the basis for estimating the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Gross National Income (GNI), which are the most widely used indicator of economic performance. They are essential for government policymakers, providing the data needed to design and assess fiscal and monetary policies; and are also used by businesses and investors to assess the economic climate and make investment decisions. NAS enable comparison between economies, which is crucial for international trade, investment decisions, and economic competitiveness. More specifically, this indicator is related to the production approach (or output approach) used to calculate GDP, which gives detailed breakdown of the economy by sectors, providing valuable insights into the structure of an economy and its key drivers of growth. It helps in identifying which sectors are expanding or contracting, information that is crucial for policymakers when designing economic strategies and interventions. Additionally, by focusing on the production side, it reflects the supply conditions of an economy, which can be particularly important when analyzing issues like productivity and competitiveness.

Limitations and exceptions:

Among the difficulties faced by compilers of national accounts is the extent of unreported economic activity in the informal or secondary economy. In developing countries a large share of agricultural output is either not exchanged (because it is consumed within the household) or not exchanged for money. Agricultural production often must be estimated indirectly, using a combination of methods involving estimates of inputs, yields, and area under cultivation. This approach sometimes leads to crude approximations that can differ from the true values over time and across crops for reasons other than climate conditions or farming techniques. Similarly, agricultural inputs that cannot easily be allocated to specific outputs are frequently "netted out" using equally crude and ad hoc approximations.

Other notes:

Note: Data for OECD countries are based on ISIC, revision 4.