TY  - JA
AU  - Desiere,S.
AU  - Staelens,L.
AU  - D'Haese,M.
TI  - When the data source writes the conclusion: valuating agricultural policies
SN  - 0022-0388
PY  - 2016///
CY  - London (United Kingdom)
PB  - Taylor & Francis
KW  - AGROVOC
KW  - Agricultural statistics
KW  - Data
KW  - Agricultural policies
N1  - Peer review
N2  - Statistics describe realities, but they also shape them, since they are used to design or support policies. As such accurate statistics are important. Using the agricultural sector in Rwanda as a case study, we demonstrate that dubious statistics can spread quickly. According to data from the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), yields have increased by 60 per cent since the implementation of large scale agricultural reforms, while other datasets point towards more modest gains. Yet, estimates in line with those of the FAO dominate the official discourse. We suggest that the discrepancies between datasets may be explained by the difficulties of collecting accurate agricultural statistics combined with an incentive to overestimate yields to show that the reforms have worked
T2  - Journal of Development Studies
DO  - https://doi.org/10.1080/00220388.2016.1146703
ER  -