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Economy-Wide Effect of Fiscal Drag in Ethiopia

  1. Adnan Abdulaziz Shahir  Is a corresponding author
  2. Francesco Figari
  3. Solomon Tsehay Feleke
  1. Adnan Abdulaziz Shahir: University of Bologna, Italy
  2. Francesco Figari: University of Eastern Piedmont, Italy
  3. Solomon Tsehay Feleke: Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia
Research article
Cite this article as: A. Abdulaziz Shahir, F. Figari, S. Tsehay Feleke; 2025; Economy-Wide Effect of Fiscal Drag in Ethiopia; International Journal of Microsimulation; 18(1); 33-55. doi: 10.34196/ijm.00310
5 figures and 12 tables

Figures

Circular flow diagram. Source: Own elaboration.
Trend of direct tax in Ethiopia. Source: Own computation.
Income tax revenue, income, and effective tax rates by household types. Source: Own computation.
Bottom-up approach. Source: Adapted from Bourguignon and Bussolo (2013).
Production technology. Source: Own elaboration.

Tables

Table 1
Percentage change in household consumption and income.
Household typesHousehold consumptionHousehold income
Urban poor1.31-0.06
Urban non-poor-0.75-0.08
Rural poor0.700.16
Rural non-poor0.330.07
  1. Source: Own computation.

Table 2
Share of consumption and changes in household consumption and production.
ItemShare of consumption by urban non-poorHousehold consumption expenditureProduction
Urban
Poor
Urban non-poorRural poorRural non-poor
Grain20.650.16- 0.090.380.180.14
Livestock28.921.67-0.950.870.400.10
Hotel41.581.86-1.010.630.30-0.13
Forest18.532.06-1.131.260.590.37
Agro-processing25.390.16-0.090.380.180.14
Other service60.881.87-1.000.640.31-0.14
Real estate63.861.88-0.990.650.32-0.34
Transport52.931.87-1.000.640.310.13
Alcohol53.910.17-0.090.390.190.06
Textile27.110.92-0.500.880.420.31
  1. Source: Own computation.

Table 3
Percentage change in factor demand by selected activities.
ItemsAgricultural laborNon-irrigated landIrrigated landAgricultural capitalSemi-skilled laborSkilled laborOther capital
Grain0.170.190.22
Livestock0.200.04
Hotel-0.11-0.10-0.07
Forest0.400.23
Agro-processing0.160.180.21
Other services-0.15-0.13-0.11
Real estate-0.38-0.37-0.34
Transport0.120.140.16
Alcohol0.030.040.07
Textile0.280.300.33
  1. Source: Own computation.

Table 4
Macroeconomic effects of an increase in the income tax rate.
Real GDP0.04
Real domestic production0.04
Real household consumption0.03
Real domestic final demand0.02
Real import-0.05
Real export0.03
Real intermediate input0.05
  1. Source: Own computation.

Table 5
Effects of an increase in the income tax rate on government income and expenditure.
Direct tax9.05
Import tax-0.02
Sales tax-0.11
VAT-0.38
Excise tax-0.04
Government income2.89
Government expenditure-0.08
Government savings6.91
  1. Source: Own computation.

Table A1
Balanced Macro SAM for the year 2015/16.
ActivityCommodityMarginFactorHouseholdTaxGovtKapitalWorldTotal
AgriIndusServiceAgriIndusServiceLaborLandCapitalUrbanRuraldirectIndirect
ActivityAgri649649
Indus1,1241,124
Service806806
CommodityAgri4832065891991048779
Indus463651142013420531131,613
service477125172169138166067917
Margin98704172
FactorLabor357221333911
Land2020
Capital174142168483
HouseholdUrban4680150166686
Rural44320333270868
TaxDirect601272
Indirect8233115
Govt457211530262
Kapital12317692150541
World3233874445
Total6491,1248067791,6139171729112048368686872115262541445
  1. Source: Own computation.

Table A2
Percentage change in Factor prices.
Non-irrigated landIrrigated landAgricultural capitalSemi-skilled laborSkilled laborOther capital
0.271.830.20-0.07-0.07-0.12
  1. Source: Model simulation results.

Table A3
Percentage distribution of household income by factor types.
Factor typesUrban poorUrban nonpoorRural poorRural nonpoor
Agricultural labor2.370.1594.5428.12
Non-irrigated land0.160.045.231.08
Irrigated land0.230.45
Agricultural capital1.070.0628.84
Semi-skilled labor41.3947.22
Skilled labor55.0125.4314.83
Other capital27.1026.68
  1. Source: Model simulation results.

Table A4
Percentage change in unemployment.
Unemployment in agricultural labor
-8.24
  1. Source: Model simulation results.

Table A5
List of main Account of the 2015/16 SAM for Ethiopia.
ActivitiesCommoditiesFactorsHouseholdsTaxes
  • Tef

  • Barley

  • Wheat

  • Maize

  • Sorghum

  • Finger millet

  • Oats

  • Rice

  • Horse beans

  • Peas

  • Haricot bean

  • Lentils

  • Vetch

  • Other pulse

  • Neug / niger

  • Linseed

  • Groundnuts

  • Sesame

  • Other cereals

  • Other spices

  • Other oilseeds

  • Peppers

  • Other vegetables

  • Onion

  • Potato and

    sweet potato

  • Garlic

  • Taro_godere

  • Other roots

  • Bananas

  • Other fruits

  • Chat

  • Coffee

  • Cotton

  • Hops/gesho

  • Sugarcane

  • Enset

  • Flower

  • Livestock

  • Forest

  • Fishing

  • Preserve

  • Vegetable oil

  • Dairy

  • Grain

  • Bakery

  • Sugar

  • Agro processing

  • Animal feed

  • Alcohol

  • Soft

  • Tobacco

  • Textile

  • Apparel

  • Leather

  • Wood

  • Paper

  • Print

  • Chemical

  • Ink

  • Soap detergent

  • Pharmaceutical

  • Rubber

  • Nonmetals

  • Metal

  • Electrical

  • Machinery

  • Furniture

  • Construction

  • Water

  • Transport

  • Trade

  • Real

  • Public

    administration

  • Private household

  • Other service

  • Hotel

  • Health

  • Entertainment

  • Electricity

  • Education

  • Banking

  • Teff

  • Barley

  • Wheat

  • Maize

  • Sorghum

  • Finger millet

  • Oats

  • Rice

  • Horse beans

  • Peas

  • Haricot bean

  • Lentils

  • Vetch

  • Other pulse

  • Neug/ niger

  • Linseed

  • Groundnuts

  • Sesame

  • Other cereals

  • Other spices

  • Other oilseeds

  • Peppers

  • Other vegetables

  • Onion

  • Potato and sweet potato

  • Garlic

  • Taro_godere

  • Other roots

  • Bananas

  • Other fruits

  • Chat

  • Coffee

  • Cotton

  • Hops

  • Sugarcane

  • Enset

  • Flower

  • Livestock

  • Forest

  • Fishing

  • Preserve

  • Vegetable oil

  • Dairy

  • Grain

  • Bakery

  • Sugar

  • Agro processing

  • Animal feed

  • Alcohol

  • Soft

  • Tobacco

  • Textile

  • Apparel

  • Leather

  • Wood

  • Paper

  • Print

  • Chemical

  • Fert

  • Ink

  • Soap detergent

  • pharmaceutical

  • Rubber

  • Nonmetals

  • Metal

  • Electrical

  • Machinery

  • Furniture

  • Gas

  • Construction

  • Water

  • Transport

  • Trade

  • Real

  • Public administration

  • Private household

  • Other service

  • Hotel

  • Health

  • Entertainment

  • Electricity

  • Education

  • Banking

  •  Agricultural labor

  •  Non irrigated land

  •  Irrigated land

  •  Agricultural capital

  •  Skilled labor

  •  Semiskilled labor

  •  Other capital

  •  Urban poor

  •  Urban nonpoor

  •  Rural poor

  •  Rural nonpoor

  • Direct tax

  • Sales tax

  • VAT

  • Excise tax

  • Import tax

  1. Source: Own compilation.

Table A6
Income elasticities for Ethiopia.
CommoditiesUrban poor householdUrban non-poor householdRural poor householdRural non-poor household
Teff1.141.141.081.08
Barley0.330.330.060.06
Wheat0.410.410.420.42
Maize0.580.580.620.62
Sorghum- 0.81- 0.811.001.00
Finger millet- 0.81-0.811.001.00
Oats0.330.330.640.64
Rice0.130.130.640.64
Horse beans0.870.871.131.13
Peas0.870.871.131.13
Haricot beans0.870.871.131.13
Lentils0.870.871.131.13
Vetch0.870.871.131.13
Other pulse0.870.871.131.13
Neug2.102.100.960.96
Linseed2.102.100.960.96
Groundnuts2.102.100.960.96
Sesame2.102.100.960.96
Other cereals-6.70-6.702.302.30
Other spices0.670.670.300.30
Other oilseeds2.102.100.960.96
Peppers0.670.670.300.30
Other vegetable0.870.870.950.95
Onion0.870.870.950.95
Potato and sweat potato0.590.590.180.18
Garlic0.670.670.300.30
Taro godere0.590.590.180.18
Other root crop0.590.590.180.18
Bananas0.870.870.950.95
Other fruits0.870.870.950.95
Chat0.850.851.391.39
Coffee0.850.851.391.39
Cotton0.850.851.391.39
Hops0.850.851.391.39
Sugarcane0.850.851.391.39
Enset- 0.39-0.392.122.12
Flower1.501.501.721.72
Livestock1.231.231.221.22
Forest1.501.501.721.72
Fishing0.120.120.520.52
Preserve0.120.120.520.52
Vegetable oil0.900.900.830.83
Dairy0.120.120.520.52
Grain0.120.120.520.52
Bakery0.120.120.520.52
Sugar0.960.960.160.16
Argo-processing0.120.120.520.52
Animal feed0.120.120.520.52
Alcohol0.120.120.520.52
Soft drinks0.120.120.520.52
Tobacco1.501.501.721.72
Textile0.670.671.191.19
Apparel0.670.671.191.19
Leather0.670.671.191.19
Wood1.501.501.721.72
Papier1.501.501.721.72
Print1.501.501.721.72
Chemicals1.501.501.721.72
Fertilizer1.501.501.721.72
Ink1.501.501.721.72
Soap detergent1.501.501.721.72
Pharmaceutical1.501.501.721.72
Rubber1.501.501.721.72
Non-metal1.501.501.721.72
Metal1.501.501.721.72
Electrical1.501.501.721.72
Machinery1.501.501.721.72
Furniture1.501.501.721.72
Gas1.501.501.721.72
Construction1.501.501.721.72
Water1.351.350.860.86
Transport1.351.350.860.86
Trade1.351.350.860.86
Real1.351.350.860.86
Public1.351.350.860.86
Private1.351.350.860.86
Other service1.351.350.860.86
Hotel1.351.350.860.86
Health1.351.350.860.86
Entertainment1.351.350.860.86
Electricity1.351.350.860.86
Education1.351.350.860.86
Banking1.351.350.860.86
  1. Source: Own compilation based on Hertel (1997) and Tafere et al. (2010).

Table A7
Frisch elasticity
Urban poor householdUrban non-poor
Household
Rural poor householdRural non-poor household
-5.85-5.85-5.85-5.85
  1. Source: Own compilation based on Hertel (1997).

Data and code availability

We used the STAGE 1 variant of the CGE model, which is open source at http://cgemod.org.uk/stage_1.html, and the Social Accounting Matrix can be accessed from the Ministry of Planning and Development of Ethiopia.

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