Agricultural and non-agricultural outputs and energy consumption in Tunisia: empirical evidences from cointegration and causality

Abstract

This short paper investigates the cointegration and causality link between energy consumption and agricultural, non-agricultural outputs (manufacturing sector and services sector) and overall gross domestic product in Tunisia for 1971-2003 period. Empirical results suggest that there is only unidirectional causality running from agricultural and non-agricultural sectors to energy consumption as well as from overall GDP growth to energy consumption. This unidirectional causality signifies a less energy dependent economy and suggests that it is sectoral growth that drives the energy consumption in Tunisia and not vice versa. Empirical results suggest also that Tunisian agricultural sector growth does not depend on energy, and high consumption of energy do not implies more productivity in the short run for this sector.energy consumption, output growth, causality, cointegration, Tunisia, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,