Parametric Decomposition of Output Growth Using A Stochastic Input Distance Function

This article proposes a tractable approach for analyzing the sources of TFP changes (i.e., technical change, changes in technical and allocative inefficiency, and the scale effect) in a multi-output setting, while retaining the single-equation nature of the econometric procedure used to estimate the parameters of the underlying technology. The proposed approach relies on Bauer's cost function-based decomposition of TFP changes and the duality between input distance and cost functions. The empirical results are based on a sample of 121 UK livestock farms observed over the period 1983–92 and a translog input distance function.     

中国1997—2007年包含建设用地投入的全要素生产率分析

研究目的:研究土地要素纳入经济增长全要素生产率分析的途径,并对中国近年来经济增长的全要素生产率进行分析。研究方法:数据包络分析方法。研究结果:测算的1997—2007年中国分省的全要素生产率Malmquist指数表明将建设用地纳入全要素生产率分析是可行的。研究结论:1997—2007年中国全要素生产率的增长主要靠技术进步带动;技术效率处于无效状态,表明建设用地等生产要素投入在经济增长中没有发挥最大效益。     

中国农地租赁市场交易双方议价能力及影响因素研究 ——来自中国家庭追踪调查数据

研究目的：探讨农地租赁双方在信息不对称条件下的讨价还价能力,并揭示其异质性问题及背后原因。研究方法：利用信息博弈的双边随机前沿模型（SFA2tier）对不同阶段和不同地区下中国农地租赁市场交易双方议价能力及影响因素进行分析。研究结果：（1）从总体样本看,承租户比出租户具有更强的议价能力,出租户利用自身议价能力将租金抬高28.64%,承租户利用自身议价能力将租金降低34.25%,使得实际租金低于基准租金5.61%。（2）中国农地租赁双方的议价能力差距随时间呈现出不断扩大的趋势,但这种议价能力差距并不是由地区经济水平的差异性引起的,而是由地理区位条件和粮食主产区差异所决定,即承租户与出租户议价能力的差距在东、中、西部地区均为5.50%左右,而在南方地区和北方地区各为7.94%和3.67%,在非粮食主产区和粮食主产区却分别为7.20%和3.64%。（3）城乡因素、受教育程度、户口类型、性别、健康状况、年龄、经营规模等因素均是导致议价能力差距的根本原因,而居住在农村、受过高等教育、农业户口、男性、身体不健康、中老年、小经营规模农户都能够有效降低这种差距。研究结论：应当从实行农地租赁价格补贴、制定差别化的基准租金、完善农地租赁信息服务中心等方面来促进农地流转效率。     

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.     

Assessing Total Factor Productivity Growth in Sub‐Saharan African Agriculture

The importance of the agricultural sector in the economic development process is well known. Improvements in agricultural productivity are often found to spill into other areas of a developing economy, potentially improving the standards of living of urban and rural workers alike. Given the importance of this sector, accurate measures of total factor productivity (TFP) across countries can be helpful in identifying conditions, institutions or policies that promote agricultural development. In this article, we estimate TFP growth in agriculture for a panel of 39 sub‐Saharan African countries from 1961 to 2007. We also develop a set of development outcome measures theoretically consistent with strong agricultural performance to serve as external validation of our results. We find that three estimation methods (stochastic frontier, generalised maximum entropy, and Bayesian efficiency) generate relative rankings that are consistent with the development outcome measures, providing external validation of the methods. However, the data envelopment analysis approach performs poorly in this regard.     

Land Tenure,Tenure Security and Farm Efficiency: Panel Evidence from the Philippines

This article tests the relationships among formalised property rights, land tenure contracts and productive efficiency in farming. Using four rounds of panel data from 230 rice farms in the Philippines, we measure the effects of land tenure arrangements on farm efficiency using a stochastic production frontier model. We test for the allocative efficiency of observed land rental markets. We also test how land tenure security affects farmers' investment decisions. Results suggest that, despite the presence of formalised titles, the rental market remains inefficient at allocating land. In contrast, the unformalised tenure contracts used by farmers appear to provide tenure security.     

Modern Rice Technologies and Productivity in the Philippines: Disentangling Technology from Managerial Gaps

Using cross‐sectional farm‐level data from 3,164 rice‐farming households in the Philippines, we measure the impact of modern rice technologies on farm productivity while disentangling technology gaps (the distance between production frontiers) from managerial gaps (differences in technical efficiency). To do so, we combine a recently developed stochastic production frontier framework with impact evaluation techniques to control for biases stemming from observables and unobservables. First, we find an adequate control group using propensity score matching to mitigate the effect of biases from observable variables. Then, we test for biases that might arise from unobserved variables using a stochastic frontier framework corrected for self‐selection. Finally, we estimate meta‐frontiers to assess productivity differences between adopters and non‐adopters. The analysis shows that the adoption of certified seeds has a significant and positive impact on productivity, efficiency and net income in rice farming.     

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.     

Consistent Estimation of Censored Demand Systems Using Panel Data

We derive a joint continuous/censored commodity demand system for panel data applications. Unobserved heterogeneity is controlled for using a correlated random effects specification and a generalized method of moments framework used to estimate the model. While relatively small differences in elasticity estimates are found between a flexible random effects specification and one that restricts the random effect coefficient to be time invariant, larger differences are observed when comparing the flexible model to a pooled cross-sectional estimator. The results suggest the limited ability of such estimators to control for preference heterogeneity and unit-value endogeneity leads to parameter bias.     

中国城市土地供给错配：特征事实及对 全要素生产率的影响效应

研究目的：探究城市土地供给错配的典型特征,明晰城市土地供给错配对全要素生产率的影响,为提升土地配置效率和全要素生产率提供经验证据。研究方法：从土地供给过度与供给不足视角解析城市土地错配对全要素生产率的影响机制,通过空间一般均衡模型构建城市土地供给错配指数,利用面板计量模型和中介效应模型进行实证分析及中介效应检验。研究结果：（1）中国城市土地供给错配表现出明显的差异性：不同地区、城市规模、人口流动方向分别呈现出“东少西多”“阶梯递减”“逆向配置”特征。（2）城市土地供给错配对全要素生产率产生负向影响,影响效应在不同类型城市存在异质性,城市土地供给过度对全要素生产率的负向作用强于土地供给不足。（3）城市土地供给过度通过创新创业发展和产业结构优化双重路径显著抑制了城市全要素生产率,土地供给不足主要通过产业结构优化对城市效率产生显著的负向影响。研究结论：应警惕土地配置过度的“经济效率”陷阱,强化建设用地指标分配的人地挂钩机制,因城施策提升土地资源配置效率。     

The Contribution of Unmeasurable Inputs to Fisheries Production: An Analysis of Technical Efficiency of Fishing Vessels in the English Channel

Variations in the efficiency of demersal trawlers operating in the English Channel were examined through the estimation of a stochastic frontier production function. The most important measurable factor affecting efficiency was the age of the vessel. However, unmeasurable factors accounted for about 65% of the variation in efficiency, and as much as 9% of the total variation in catches between boats. It is postulated that most of this variation was due to differences in skipper and crew skill. In contrast, "luck" accounted for around 11% of the variation in catches between boats.     

基于SFA-ESDA的长江三角洲地区全要素水资源利用效率研究

为评估长江三角洲地区水资源可持续利用的可行性,首先利用Shephard水距离函数构造全要素水资源利用效率指标,采用随机前沿分析(SFA)技术计算该指标,并利用ARCGIS软件对长江三角洲地区26个城市的全要素水资源利用效率进行可视化评价。然后采用探索性空间数据分析法对全要素水资源利用效率在2006—2015年间的空间变化特征与规律进行初步探索。研究结果表明,长江三角洲地区的全要素水资源利用效率在研究期间呈上升趋势;全要素水资源利用效率的空间分布呈现出相似的特征,存在空间集聚。     

中国农村收入不平等：运用农户数据的回归分解

关于中国收入不平等及其增长趋势，已有大量研究报道，但对促使这一趋势产生的原因的定量分析却很少。传统分析是通过对组成因素或小部分居民的研究来提供很有限的关于收入不平等的决定因素。本文构建了运用农户数据的回归分解框架来研究中国农村收入不平等。研究发现：地理位置是影响收入不平等的突出因素，但对于解释收入不平等总量并不是很重要；资本在收入不平等中显出很重要的作用。农业结构比劳动力和其他投入更能解释导致整个农村出现收入不平等这一现象。     

Feed use intensification and technical efficiency of dairy farms in New Zealand

In recent years, the traditionally pasture‐based dairy farms in New Zealand have become more intensive by using higher proportions of supplementary feed. This trend has been attributed to a range of factors, such as productivity enhancement, overcoming pasture deficits and the improvement of body condition scores. However, there is a lack of knowledge as to how feed use intensification affects the technical efficiency of dairy farms in New Zealand. This paper addresses the research gap by estimating the impact of feed use intensification on the technical efficiency of New Zealand dairy farms, using a fixed effects stochastic production frontier model and a balanced panel of 257 farms from 2010 to 2013. The empirical results show that technical efficiency on New Zealand dairy farms is positively and significantly influenced by feed use intensification, herd size and milking frequency.     

兽疫防治与畜种改良:南京国民政府时期甘南藏区牧业建设研究

位处汉藏边界地带的甘南藏区拥有的丰富畜牧资源,是南京国民政府加强边疆牧业建设的重要着眼点之一。在西北开发浪潮中,不少官员和专家先后前往甘南藏区考察牧业状况,发现此处牲畜疫病多、受灾重。对此,南京国民政府从兽疫防治和畜种改良两方面入手,设立防疫机构、组织兽疫防治队伍和开展巡回医疗,设立种畜场、培育良种、研究先进的饲养和管理方法等。南京国民政府在甘南藏区推进牧业建设取得了一些成绩,在一定程度上遏制了兽疫的加剧,培育了一些良种,但面临着经费、人事及其与地方社会关系之种种困境。甘南藏区的牧业建设,在很大程度上成为当时南京国民政府在边疆地区施行边政所遇困境的一个缩影。     

Efficiency and technical progress in traditional and modern agriculture: evidence from rice production in China

Productive efficiency for Chinese hybrid and conventional rice production is estimated using a dual stochastic frontier efficiency decomposition model. Results reveal significant differences in technical and allocative efficiency between conventional and hybrid rice production, and indicate significant regional efficiency differences in hybrid rice production, but not in conventional rice production.     

不同类型房价对城镇化的影响研究 ——来自中国省际面板数据的证据

研究目的：建立房价与城镇化之间关系的逻辑分析框架,探讨不同类型房价对城镇化的作用机理。研究方法：理论分析和面板数据模型相结合。利用2001—2012年中国28个省际面板数据模型进行了实证检验,并分为2001—2005年和2005—2012年前后两个阶段进行比较研究。研究结果：从整个时间跨度来说,住宅价格提高对城镇化水平的提高起抑制作用,且后一阶段影响更为显著;商业用房价格对城镇化发展起到促进作用,但显著性不高,自东向西呈梯度增大趋势;工业用房价格对城镇化的影响较为复杂,前后阶段出现了明显变化,主要是由于后一阶段工业用地市场化和产业梯度转移的结果。研究结论：为实现中国新型城镇化建设的重要任务,需要控制住宅价格水平,商业用房价格无需过多关注。     

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。     

Six Decades of Total Factor Productivity Change and Sources of Growth in Bangladesh Agriculture (1948–2008)

This study applies the Färe–Primont index to calculate total factor productivity (TFP) indices for agriculture in 17 regions of Bangladesh covering a 61‐year period (1948–2008). It decomposes the TFP index into six finer components (technical change, technical‐, scale‐ and mix‐efficiency changes, residual scale‐ and residual mix‐efficiency changes). Results reveal that TFP grew at an average rate of 0.57% p.a. led by the Chittagong, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Dinajpur and Noakhali regions. TFP growth is largely powered by technological progress estimated at 0.74% p.a. Technical efficiency improvement is negligible (0.01% p.a.) due to stagnant efficiency in most of the regions. Decline in scale efficiency is also negligible (0.01% p.a.), but the decline in mix efficiency is high at 0.19% p.a. Decomposition of the components of TFP changes into finer measures of efficiency corrects the existing literature’s blame of a decline in technical efficiency as the main cause of poor TFP growth in Bangladesh. Among the sources, farm size, R&D investment, extension expenditure and crop specialisation positively influenced TFP growth, whereas the literacy rate had a negative influence on growth. Policy implications include encouraging investment in R&D and extension, land reform measures to increase average farm size, promotion of Green Revolution technology and crop diversification.