scholarly journals Irrigation, Technical Efficiency, and Farm Size: The Case of Brazil

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1132
Author(s):  
Gabriel A. Sampaio Morais ◽  
Felipe F. Silva ◽  
Carlos Otávio de Freitas ◽  
Marcelo José Braga
Keyword(s):  
Technical Efficiency ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Small Farms ◽  
Stochastic Production Frontier ◽  
Farm Productivity ◽  
Agricultural Census ◽  
Large Farms ◽  
On Farm

In developing countries, irrigation can help to decrease poverty in rural areas through increased employment in the agricultural sector. Evidence shows that irrigation may increase farm productivity and technical efficiency. In this paper, we estimate the effect of irrigation on farm technical efficiency in Brazil using the 2006 Agricultural Census dataset on more than 4 million farms. We estimate a stochastic production frontier at farm level, considering potential selection bias in irrigation adoption. We find that farms using irrigation are on average 2.51% more technically efficient compared to rain-fed farms. Our findings also suggest that while small farms are more efficient than medium and large farms, the largest difference in technical efficiency between rain-fed and irrigated farms is among large farms. Our results indicate that policies that seek to support expansion of irrigation adoption has also the potential to achieve greater rural development given the estimated effects estimated in this paper among very small and small farms, which are more than 70% of the farms in Brazil.

scholarly journals Rural extension and technical efficiency in the Brazilian agricultural sector

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Carlos Otavio de Freitas ◽  
Felipe de Figueiredo Silva ◽  
Marcelo Jose Braga ◽  
Mateus de Carvalho Reis Neves
Keyword(s):  
Technical Efficiency ◽  
Selection Bias ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Productive Performance ◽  
Stochastic Production Frontier ◽  
Production Frontier ◽  
Entropy Balancing ◽  
Agricultural Census ◽  
Stochastic Production

In this paper, we identify the effect of rural extension on the productive performance of Brazilian agricultural establishments, using technical efficiency as a measure of farm performance. The data used is drawn from the microdata of the 2006 Agricultural Census, accessed directly from the IBGE secrecy room. For this, we use an approach that combines the stochastic production frontier, considering selection bias in the adoption of rural extension (Heckman’s approach) and entropy balancing. We find that rural extension increases efficiency in the use of the productive inputs, with more technical efficiency found among adopting producers than non-adopters. When considering the differences according to farm size, an even greater effect is observed for larger producers. In addition, public rural extension generates higher technical efficiency scores than those obtained by privately-operated establishments.

scholarly journals EFFECT OF LAND OWNERSHIP ON THE TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY OF CROP FARMERS

2021 ◽  
Vol 53 (4) ◽  
pp. 357-367
Author(s):  
Adedeji OGUNWUSI ◽  
Ivie OLAGHERE ◽  
Olubunmi OMOTESHO
Keyword(s):  
Technical Efficiency ◽  
Land Ownership ◽  
Average Treatment Effect ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Stochastic Production Frontier ◽  
Access To Credit ◽  
Farm Efficiency ◽  
The Government ◽  
On Farm ◽  
The Impact

The essence of this study was to examine the land ownership pattern in Osun State, Nigeria, with a view to assessing its effect on the technical efficiency of the farms. Precisely, the farm efficiency level was estimated; factors that determine farm efficiency were identified, and the impact of land ownership on-farm efficiency was also assessed. A three-stage random sampling was used to select 144 respondents. Data collected using a pretested interview schedule was subjected to descriptive statistics, stochastic production frontier function, and average treatment effect. The results show that land ownership by absolute interest accounted for about 65% of the farmers. The mean technical efficiency level of the farms was 47%. Farm size and labour are necessary factors to be increased to have increased output. The non-access to credit and land ownership by absolute interest constituted to technical inefficiency of the farms. Similarly, ownership of farmland by absolute interest reduced efficiency by 24% among sampled farmers and 25.5% among owners of farmland. The study, therefore, suggested that farm size should be increased, and credit facilities are made available to farmers to facilitate the acquisition of necessary inputs to increase output given the existing technology. This can be by way of making accessible to food crop farmers, lands belonging to the government, which are currently not in use.

scholarly journals Off-farm participation and technical efficiency among smallholder farmers in the Northern Region, Ghana

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 35-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gideon Danso-Abbeam ◽  
Brightina A.A. Abban ◽  
Samuel A. Donkoh
Keyword(s):  
Regression Model ◽  
Technical Efficiency ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Stochastic Frontier ◽  
Negative Influence ◽  
Northern Region ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Farm Income

The study aimed at investigating the effects of off-farm participation on technical efficiency of maize production in the Tolon district of the Northern Region, Ghana. The Logit regression model was used to analyze the determinants of off-farm participation while the stochastic frontier production function was used to model the determinants of maize output and technical efficiency. The empirical results from the logistic regression model indicate that age of farmer, educational attainment, farming experience, farm size, and previous farm income are significant drivers of farmers’ participation in off-farm activities. Farmers’ average technical efficiency level was 90.7% suggesting a 9.3% potential loss to inefficiency. Moreover, participation in off-farm activities had a negative influence on farmers’ technical efficiency level. The study, therefore, recommends that farm-level policy should be directed towards making the agricultural sector attractive by promoting investment and agricultural employment opportunities in the rural areas so as to ensure full commitment to farming activities. JEL code: Q22

scholarly journals Measuring   Farm Technical Efficiency using Stochastic Frontier Production Function Model Approach

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mercy Ebere Ndubueze-Ogaraku ◽  
Anil Graves
Keyword(s):  
Technical Efficiency ◽  
Niger Delta ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Stochastic Frontier ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Mean Value ◽  
Women Farmers ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Stochastic Production Frontier ◽  
Function Model

Abstract Agricultural productivity in Africa is the lowest in the world with many households not able to feed themselves. In Africa women make up 70–80% of the labour forces in the agricultural sector and play a core role in agriculture but underperform in terms of productivity largely because they lack access to physical and human resources. Well-being, a health resource is an important asset in production because people can work when they are healthy. The study is aimed to analyze farm technical efficiency of women farmers in Niger Delta, Nigeria. 216 female farmers were randomly selected from 18 communities of the three states in Niger Delta Nigeria. Stochastic production frontier function model was the analytical tools used. The result showed that farm size and labour positively influenced technical efficiency and was significant at 1% with a mean value of 68.8%. Farm efficiency level in Delta and Akwa Ibom States are not significantly different. However, technical efficiency level in both Delta and Akwa Ibom States are significantly different from Rivers State. Inefficiency variables of age and number of years spent schooling were significant at 5% and 10% level respectively. The study recommends that women should increase the use of farm plots and labour resource for higher productivity.

scholarly journals Analysis of Technical Efficiency of Irrigated Tomato Production in North Gondar Zone of Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tigabu Dagnew Koye ◽  
Abebe Dagnew Koye ◽  
Taye Melese Mekie
Keyword(s):  
Technical Efficiency ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Total Population ◽  
Stochastic Frontier ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Stochastic Production Frontier ◽  
Tomato Production ◽  
Regional State ◽  
North Gondar Zone

Abstract Ethiopia is a country with a total population of more than 110 million, of which about 80% of the total population is engaged in subsistence farming in rural areas. Although agricultural sector plays a great role in Ethiopian economy, it is characterized by low productivity due to technological and socioeconomic factors. Improving smallholder irrigated tomato production, and productivity, would contribute to enhancing food security and alleviating poverty. Therefore, this study was investigated to fill this gap with the aim of analyzing technical efficiency of irrigated tomato production and its determinant factors in North Gondar Zone, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia. Primary data were collected from 160 farmers’ selected using multistage sampling procedure and analyzed using descriptive statistics, a parametric stochastic frontier production function models. The stochastic frontier and Cobb-Douglas functional form with a one-step approach was employed to analyze efficiency and factors affecting efficiency in irrigated tomato production. The estimated gamma parameters indicated that 80% of the total variation in tomato output was due to technical inefficiency. The means technical efficiency was found 55%, and about 6,907.32 kg of tomato output per hectare was lost due to inefficiency factors implying there is a room for improvement in technical efficiency by 43% with the present technology. The Stochastic Production Frontier (SPF) result revealed that ODE, DAP and plot size at 1% and labor at 10% probability level significantly influencing tomato production. The socio-economic variables that exercised important role for variations in technical efficiency positively were the level of education, TLU and watering in morning, and in contrast age, off farm, watering frequency and training for marketing were found to increase inefficiency significantly among farm households. To get better farmers' efficiency in the production of irrigated tomato a continuous marketing training should be established and strengthening the available farmers training center (FTC) to improve farm productivity. The government and any concerned bodies should be build irrigation canals and other alternatives so as to reduce watering frequency. There should be timely and sufficient supply of DAP to improve farmers’ efficiency in production of tomato.

scholarly journals The effect of the farm size on milk traits of cows

2011 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 951-958 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Kucevic ◽  
S. Trivunovic ◽  
M. Radinovic ◽  
M. Plavsic ◽  
Z. Skalicki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Milk Yield ◽  
Milk Fat ◽  
Dairy Farm ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Small Farms ◽  
Milk Traits ◽  
Holstein Friesian ◽  
Milk Performance ◽  
Fat Yield ◽  
Large Farms

Objective of this study was to analyze the effect of the dairy farm on milk traits of cows in Vojvodina. The research was carried out on small farms with 10 to 20 cows, medium farms with 20 to 50 cows, and large farms with over 50 dairy cows. The study included registered animals of Simmental (SM) and Holstein-Friesian breed (HF; including Red Holstein) in the first lactation for traits of milk yield and yield and content of milk fat. Total of 1323 first lactations were analyzed. The average milk yield (both breeds) in the first lactation of 305 days was 6295 kg of milk with 234,3 kg of milk fat and average milk fat content of 3,74%. Milk performance of cows varied significantly (CV=22,9% and SD=1447,8), as well as milk fat yield (CV=21,6% and SD=50,8). Large farms produced in average 6534 kg of milk, medium farms 6347kg and small farms 4717kg. Size of the farm exhibited significantly high effect on all observed traits, and the tendency was that farms with higher number of animals realize also higher average of production. Farm management and various breeding-zootechnical conditions present on farms had significant effect on milk performance of cows.

Determinants of technical efficiency in agriculture in new EU member states from Central and Eastern Europe

2014 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 197-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Štefan Bojnec ◽  
Imre Fertő ◽  
Attila Jámbor ◽  
József Tóth
Keyword(s):  
Technical Efficiency ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Rural Economy ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Panel Data Analysis ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Member States ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
New Eu Member States

Technical efficiency in agriculture of 10 new EU member states is analysed by Data Envelopment Analysis and econometric panel data analysis. Technical efficiency in agriculture is significantly positively associated with agricultural factor endowments, average farm size, farm specialisation, small-scale farms, and technological change. Foreign direct investments have an ambiguous effect. Reform and institutional developments, large-scale privatisation and price liberalisation, and urban- rural income gap are associated with technical efficiency in agriculture positively. An increase in technical efficiency in agriculture and the development of the rural economy are seen as a strategy to boost the level of living standards in agriculture and in rural areas.

scholarly journals Farm Structure And Efficiency In The Hungarian Agriculture

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 51-56
Author(s):  
Orsolya Tóth ◽  
István Takács
Keyword(s):  
Technical Efficiency ◽  
Stochastic Frontier Analysis ◽  
Stochastic Frontier ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Empirical Literature ◽  
Data Envelopment ◽  
Frontier Analysis ◽  
Parametric Data ◽  
Legal Forms ◽  
On Farm

Abstract It has long been the subject of empirical researches to examine the technical efficiency on farm (micro) level. Two main methods are most often used in the empirical literature: the non-parametric Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) based on linear programming, and the Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA) introduced by Aigner, Lovell and Schmidt (1977). The present study aimed to investigate the technical efficiency of farms involved in agricultural activities in Hungary using the DEA-method and the data from the Hungarian FADN database. The technical efficiency was examined based on legal forms, farm size categories and the type of farming between 2001 and 2013.

scholarly journals Estimating Relative Technical Efficiency in Barani Agriculture: Some Further Results

1995 ◽  
Vol 34 (4III) ◽  
pp. 913-924
Author(s):  
Himayat Ullah
Keyword(s):  
Technical Efficiency ◽  
Economic Efficiency ◽  
Marginal Cost ◽  
Allocative Efficiency ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Marginal Revenue ◽  
Marginal Revenue Product ◽  
Main Components ◽  
Large Farms ◽  
Revenue Product

The concept of technical efficiency of farms has sufficiently been detailed in the literature on agricultural economic development since Farrell (1957) and has now widely been studied by, among others, Bardhan (1973); Kalirajan and Flinn (1983); Fare, Grosskopf and Lovell (1985); Battese, Coelli and Colbi (1989); Kalirajan (1990); Battese and Coelli (1992); Himayatullah, et al. (1994); and Bashir and Himayatullah (1994). The interest in relative economic efficiency emerged from the observation that labour intensity and yield are inversely related to farm size. Economists interpreted this result as an indication that either small and large farms faced different configurations of input and output prices, or small and large farms differed with respect to economic efficiency. Economic efficiency of a group of farms can be conceptualised as comprising two main components; technical efficiency and allocative efficiency. A group of farms may be considered technically more efficient than another group of farms if it can produce a given output with less of some or all inputs, and a group of farms may be considered allocatively more efficient than another group of farms if it is more successful in equating marginal revenue product with the marginal cost of inputs. More simply, technical efficiency involves the farm’s ability to obtain the maximum possible output from a given set of resources, and allocative efficiency concerns its ability to maximise profits by equating the marginal revenue product with the marginal cost of inputs. Specifically, a group of farms that uses the best combination of inputs achieves the maximum possible output and is superior to another group of farms which does not do the same, given a similar bundle of inputs.

scholarly journals New Evaluation of Small Farms: Implication for an Analysis of Food Security

Agriculture ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zahra Ardakani ◽  
Fabio Bartolini ◽  
Gianluca Brunori
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Composite Indicator ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Small Farms ◽  
Spatial Econometric ◽  
Farm Structure ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Practical Implications

Farm structure is a multi-dimensional concept that can be measured through different criteria. Meanwhile, farm structure has been identified to discern small farms or well-endowed farms from the other farms. Distinguishing and identifying these two groups have practical implications for understanding the dynamics in rural areas and the effectiveness of target measures in these categories. The existing literature lacks a better definition of small farms based on the different criteria used. In this paper, we have developed composite indicators to apply to the concept of farm structure to re-define small farms and discover their role in achieving food security in Europe. By clustering countries using the composite indicator of farm structure, we estimate that more than 80 percent of food across Europe is produced by multi-criteria small and medium farms, but the partial productivities of agricultural land and labor in these countries that have the majority of multi-criteria small and medium farms are much lower than the large ones. Then, an estimate of a spatial econometric regression model was done to recognize how farm structure, a representative of farm size, can affect food availability, which is representative of food security. The results show that improving the structure of farms in a country not only improves its food security but also improves its neighbors’ food security. Hence, improving the structure of multi-criteria small farms is a major part of the solution to improve and achieve food security. Recognizing and understanding the diversity of multi-criteria small farms by considering the specific products and countries is necessary for designing appropriate innovations and policies for supporting more productive multi-criteria small farms.

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