Evaluating Agricultural Productivity and Policy in Russia

Russia's transition to a market economy in the early 1990s shocked its agricultural sector, creating the potential for profit and gains from specialisation and productivity improvements. However, subsequent regional agricultural development has been highly uneven, and the sources of the sector's productivity improvement remain unclear. Drawing on a newly-assembled Russian regional farm production and policy dataset, we evaluate agricultural total factor productivity growth from 1994 to 2013, decomposing that growth into technical progress and efficiency gains, for the nation as a whole and for the major agricultural districts of the South and Central. We then test how investments in road and rail infrastructure and human capital have influenced those gains. The South substantially outperformed the Central district and the nation at large with respect to all three performance indicators. However, contrary to the literature, we find that these particular state policies provided no substantial growth advantages, there or elsewhere. Rather, the dominant force behind Russia's agricultural growth has been informal technical change.     

The Effect of Investment,LFA and Agri-environmental Subsidies on the Components of Total Factor Productivity: The Case of Slovenian Farms

The effect of subsidies on the performance of farms has received a great deal of attention in the literature, although results are inconclusive. Furthermore, much of the related literature examines the effect of subsidies only on technical efficiency (TE). We examine the effect of different types of subsidies on the different components of total factor productivity (TFP) in Slovenian agriculture over the period 2006–2013. We first estimate a Random Parameter Stochastic production frontier model. Then, based on the estimates of this model, we calculate and decompose the TFP index into TE, scale efficiency and technological change. Third, we apply combined difference-in-difference and a matching estimator to examine the effect of investment, less favoured area (LFA) and agri-environmental (AE) subsidies on the different components of TFP. In our case, these subsidies are found to have no significant effect on either TFP or on its components.     

Size and Productivity in the U.S. Milling and Baking Industries

From the late 1950s through mid-1990s, productivity growth in U.S. grain milling and feed manufacturing has been consistently strong and positive. In grain milling, approximately 15% of the growth is due to size economies. Technical change has been capital-using, increasingly material-saving, and, in recent years, decreasingly labor-saving or increasingly labor-using. The quality of capital has risen relative to that of labor and materials. In all but the baking industry, capital intensification and incentives for plant size growth remain unabated.     

土地资源错配的全要素生产率损失效应与形成机制

研究目的：测度土地资源错配的全要素生产率损失效应,分析土地资源错配的形成机制。研究方法：扩展的HK模型、面板计量模型。研究结果：（1）全国层面上,资源错配的全要素生产率损失效应平均值为19.03%且呈上升趋势。区域层面上,损失效应大小排序为西部、东部、东北、中部。（2）全国层面上,资源错配导致全要素生产率损失的主要症结在于土地资源错配。区域层面上,东部、中部地区的主要症结在于土地资源错配,西部、东北地区的主要症结在于资本错配。（3）全国层面上,机制障碍、数量结构均为土地资源错配的重要成因。区域层面上,土地资源错配的成因具有一定差异。研究结论：着力推动财税与政绩考核制度改革,调整基于地区、城市双重偏向的土地供给政策,有利于从机制障碍、数量结构两个维度化解土地资源错配,促进全要素生产率的提升。     

中国生态环境治理绩效动态评价研究——基于DEA-BCC模型和全要素生产率指数

为研究中国生态环境治理情况,分别运用DEA-BCC模型和全要素生产率(TFP)指数对中国内地30个省份(除西藏)的生态环境治理绩效进行分析和评价。实证结果表明:(1)从静态分析结果来看,全国生态环境治理绩效提高且在0.85以上,大部分省市的生态环境治理绩效在0.8以上,全国生态环境治理情况整体良好;(2)从动态分析结果来看,2007-2016年中国生态环境治理绩效呈现波动上升趋势,平均TFP指数为1.018,技术进步是生态环境治理绩效提高的关键。最后,就分析结果提出对策建议。     

如何有效提高家庭农场的全要素生产率 ——基于上海市松江区家庭农场数据的实证分析

研究目的：基于上海松江区家庭农场的调查数据计算家庭农场的全要素生产率，离析出影响家庭农场全要素生产率的关键因素，据以提出有针对性的措施。研究方法：Global Malmquist和混合Tobit模型。研究结果：（1）2007—2017年，全部家庭农场全要素生产率指数为1.077 3，其中，纯效率变化指数为0.998 4、技术变化指数为1.075 0、规模效率变化指数为1.007 2；纯粮食种植型家庭农场全要素生产率指数为1.061 9，纯效率变化指数为0.989 6，技术变化指数为1.071 9，规模效率变化指数为1.004 6；其他类型家庭农场全要素生产率指数为1.081 7，其中，纯效率变化指数、技术变化指数和规模效率变化指数分别为1.027 9、1.049 0和1.014 0。（2）总体水平上，农场主是否有农业从业经历、是否有农机驾驶证、土地经营权合同年限、是否购买农机作业正向影响全部家庭农场的全要素生产率，但不同类型家庭农场全要素生产率的影响因素存在差异。研究结论：虽然松江家庭农场全要素生产率增长速度较快，但仍然存在一定的提升空间。为此，需要提高家庭农场劳动力素质，切实保障好家...     

黑龙江国有林区林业产业全要素生产率及其影响因素分析

利用DEA法测量了黑龙江省森工40个林业企业的全要素生产率(Total Factor Productiv-ity,TFP),并利用Panel-Data模型找出其影响因素。实证分析结果表明:2003～2009黑龙江国有林区林业企业全要素生产率总体上呈现下降趋势,其原因可归结为林区技术进步缓慢;规模效率和纯技术效率对全要素生产率有正向作用;技术因素和营林投资比重对森工企业的全要素生产率有正向影响,固定资产投资对其存在负向影响,而劳动投入和天保工程(政策因素)对其影响不显著。为此,提出鼓励林业企业技术创新、优化林业投资结构、加强林业投资体制改革、加快森林生态服务的市场化进程和深化林业管理体制改革等建议。     

中国水资源利用秩序评价

水资源利用秩序反映了水资源供给侧效率和需求侧公平的程度。采用秩序模型对我国30个省级行政区2008—2017年的水资源利用状态进行测度,通过测量高低收入人群收入差距的变动状况度量公平程度,使用数据包络分析法将全要素生产率的增长进行分解,从而度量其效率发挥状况,将二者综合,计算水资源总秩序水平。研究结果表明:我国大多数省级行政区水资源利用纵向秩序较好、横向秩序较差,因此应采取措施,以保障水资源利用秩序保持在较高且比较稳定的水平上。     

Decomposition of Productivity Growth Using Distance Functions: The Case of Dairy Farms in Three European Countries

Within an output distance function framework, the Total Factor Productivity growth index is decomposed into four components (technical change, technical and allocative efficiency, and scale component). We estimate stochastic translog output distance functions using panel data from dairy farms over the period 1991–94 for three European countries (Germany, the Netherlands, and Poland). Results indicate that the change in the productivity growth index in Germany (+6%) and Poland (−5%) are mainly dictated by the technical change component. In contrast, the productivity growth index in the Netherlands (+3%) is influenced by allocative efficiency components.     

Considering Technical and Allocative Efficiency in the Inverse Farm Size–Productivity Relationship

In the leading explanations for the oft‐observed inverse relationship (IR) between farm size and productivity in developing country agriculture, labour market imperfections have commonly occupied a central role. However, an emerging literature suggests that disparities in technical or allocative efficiency may be driving productivity differentials. Using nationally‐representative panel data from Nicaragua, we develop and employ a four‐stage empirical framework to simultaneously test the competing explanations for the IR. While efficiency differences exert a significant impact on all productivity indicators, their explanatory power is insufficient to rule out labour market imperfections as the driving force behind the relationship.     

农业科技创新对农业绿色全要素生产率的空间效应分析

文章通过数据包络模型测算2013-2018年我国31个省的农业绿色全要素生产率,剖析其时空分布演进特征,在测算结果基础上构建空间杜宾模型,探讨农业科技创新对农业绿色全要素生产率的空间溢出效应。研究发现:2013-2018年全国农业绿色全要素生产率空间分异与集聚特征明显;本省农业科技创新显著促进了农业绿色全要素生产率的提升,而其辐射作用阻碍了周边省的农业绿色全要素生产率的提高。研究结果对于深化完善农业科技创新机制、提升农业科技教育水平、创新农业科技推广模式具有现实意义。     

土地资源空间错配的绿色全要素生产率损失效应与作用机制

研究目的：刻画、分析土地资源空间错配对绿色全要素生产率的影响及其作用机制，指出缓解土地资源空间错配促进绿色全要素生产率提升的路径。研究方法：面板中介效应模型。研究结果：（1）土地资源空间错配的绿色全要素生产率损失效应显著存在，土地供给相对短缺城市的损失效应明显大于土地供给相对过剩城市。（2）结构效应、技术效应、规模效应三个维度的作用机制都显著成立。（3）对于全部城市，结构效应、技术效应相当，规模效应相对次要；对于土地供给相对过剩城市，结构效应更为重要；对于土地供给相对短缺城市，技术效应更为重要。研究结论：减缓土地资源空间错配程度，并分别针对性地避免制造业低端锁定效应、创新能力削弱效应在中西部、东部城市的负面作用，有利于提升绿色全要素生产率。     

Bridging the Gap between Partial and Total Factor Productivity Measures Using Directional Distance Functions

Technical dependencies as well as data constraints limit our ability to allocate inputs across sectors and hence our ability to measure sectoral productivity. We adapt a directional measure of efficiency to the measurement of sector-specific productivity that does not require allocating all inputs across sectors. Applied to the agricultural sector of a group of countries, the results show important differences in livestock and crops productivity growth. Commonly used partial factor productivity measures for livestock and crops tend to overestimate productivity growth in most developing countries while underestimating it in European countries.     

Productivity and Producer Welfare in the Presence of Production Risk

Production risk is an inherent characteristic of agriculture and changes in production risk will affect the welfare of risk‐averse producers. Using standard concepts from the literature on uncertainty, we introduce a welfare measure which comprises total factor productivity (TFP), production risk and farmer risk preferences, and which reflects the impact on producer welfare of changes in production technology. An empirical application is carried out using data from a sample of Spanish dairy farms which shows how the positive impact of increases in TFP on welfare can be offset by increases in the risk premium (‘cost of risk’) to the point where welfare may decrease.     

低碳约束下木材加工业全要素生产率研究

在考虑碳排放的基础上运用DEA-Malmquist指数测算了13个国家木材加工业的全要素生产率。对比分析1995~2009年发达国家与发展中国家木材加工业全要素生产率的发展变化情况。研究发现:总体而言,考虑CO2排放的木材加工业全要素生产率要高于传统全要素生产率,技术进步是全要素生产率增长的主要原因。低碳约束前后发达国家木材加工业全要素生产率平均水平要高于发展中国家。从1995年到2009年由于技术进步指数的变化引起了中国木材加工业全要素生产率较大的波动。根据实证分析结论,提出适当调整产业规模、提高产业技术创新水平等建议。     

木材节约代用理论述评

在讨论了木材节约代用基本涵义的基础上,总结了中国木材节约代用的历史发展,提出了当前中国发展木材节约代用的背景,介绍了国内外木材节约代用理论,并根据作者对木材节约代用的认识,对国内外木材节约代用理论进行了比较和评价。     

Farm Size,Technology Adoption and Agricultural Trade Reform: Evidence from Canada

Using detailed census data covering over 30,000 farms in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Canada, we document the vast and increasing farm size heterogeneity, and analyse the role of farm size in adapting to the removal of an export subsidy in 1995. Consistent with the Alchian-Allen hypothesis, the increase in per-unit trade costs due to the reform was associated with farms of all sizes shifting their production of crops from low value wheat to higher value canola. We find that switching to new labour-saving tillage technologies and away from summerfallow in response to the large negative shock to grain prices caused by the reform varied across the farm size distribution. We develop a theory of heterogenous farms and technology adoption that can explain our findings.     

土地出让市场化、产业结构优化与城市绿色 全要素生产率 ——基于湖北省的实证研究

研究目的:考察土地出让市场化与产业结构优化对城市绿色全要素生产率的影响程度及其作用机制。研究方法:SBM-DEA模型,动态面板广义矩估计(GMM)。研究结果:(1)无论是系统GMM还是差分GMM,土地出让市场化对绿色全要素生产率的影响系数均显著为正,产业结构合理化和高度化的影响系数也均显著为正,但后者的作用程度要明显大于前者;(2)土地出让市场化与产业结构合理化的交互项对绿色全要素生产率的影响系数为负,土地出让市场化与产业结构高度化的交互项对绿色全要素生产率的影响系数为正,且均通过显著性检验。研究结论:土地出让市场化总体上促进了绿色全要素生产率的发展;从作用机制来看,土地出让市场化导致了产业结构合理化的反向发展,抑制了绿色全要素生产率的提升;同时,也促进了产业结构高度化的正向发展,进而对绿色全要素生产率有提升作用。鉴于此,提出:(1)地方政府应继续坚持以市场化为导向的城市土地制度改革;(2)政府应适时引导产业结构调整,促进产业结构转型和升级,更加重视经济增长与环境保护的协调发展。     

Balancing economic revenue and grazing pressure of livestock grazing on the Qinghai–Tibetan–Plateau

Treating grazing pressure as an undesirable output of livestock grazing in a directional distance function improves understanding of how economic behaviour affects the environment. Field survey data from 193 livestock grazing households combined with remotely sensed net primary productivity (NPP) data on the Qinghai–Tibetan–Plateau was used to develop a directional output‐orientation distance function. The average efficiency of livestock grazing households is 0.817 when incorporating grazing pressure as an undesirable output, which means that households can achieve 18.3% more output and decrease proportional grazing pressure holding all inputs fixed. The relative shadow price of undesirable grazing pressure to good output grazing revenue is estimated to be between 1.795 and 3.986. According to the Morishima elasticity of substitution between inputs, there is a significant complementary relationship between grassland, labour and capital.