Assessing the efficiency of switchgrass different cultural practices for pellet production

Switchgrass is a perennial crop producing high amounts of biomass for good quality pellet production. The objective of this study is to examine the efficiency of different cultural practices of switchgrass for pellet production under field conditions for four different N-fertilization (0, 80, 160 and 240 kg ha⁻¹) and two different irrigation levels (0 and 250 mm), in two soils in central Greece with rather different moisture status over the period 2009–2012. Moreover, comparison between three harvest methods (two different types of bales and silage) was made. The results derived from this study revealed that the bale at 22 kg is the harvesting practice with the highest costs while there was reduction of efficiency scores when nitrogen levels increased. At both environments the efficiency scores followed the same trend, confirming that low levels of nitrogen fertilization enhance the economic competitiveness of switchgrass production. Palamas site is the area where switchgrass for pellet production had positive income ranging from 400 to 1600 € ha⁻¹, while Velestino site had always negative. Therefore, places like Velestino with non-aquic soil should be avoided for switchgrass. These data suggest that growing switchgrass for solid biofuel production as energy crop is a worthwhile decision only in areas with a moderately shallow groundwater table (aquic soil) or maybe in high precipitation regions.     

中国油菜籽生产效率的DEA测度及分析

本文采取数据包络（DEA）分析方法，计算2003年我国油菜籽各产区的技术效率和规模效率。发现目前我国油菜籽生产技术效率和规模效率低下，大部分油菜产区技术和规模均没有发挥到最佳状态，导致实际单产远低于潜在水平。并根据分析结果，提出技术效率低的油菜籽产区不仅要扩大油菜籽生产规模，同时应发展集约型经营，节约资源，增加收益；技术效率高的油菜产区要依靠品种改良等技术创新途径提高单位产量等措施。     

吉林森工集团林业局的生产效率研究——基于DEA和Malmquist指数分析法

基于DEA(Data Envelopment Analysis)方法和Malmquist指数分析法对吉林森工集团8个林业局的生产效率进行了实证研究。研究结果表明:2009年湾沟林业局、泉阳林业局和白石山林业局的技术效率没有达到1;2003—2009年8个林业局的全要素生产力每年平均提高2.04%;其中,主要是技术进步带来的贡献,而技术效率的贡献度相对较低。     

中国城市土地利用效率空间分异特征及优化路径分析--基于287个地级以上城市的实证研究

研究目的：揭示全国地级以上城市土地利用效率空间分异特征,探寻城市土地利用效率优化路径。研究方法：DEA模型,分组比较法。研究结果：测度了地级以上城市土地利用效率,并将之分解为纯技术效率和规模效率,分析了效率变化的源泉。研究结论：（1）全国地级以上城市土地利用效率总体不高,具有较大的改善空间。在空间分布上,各城市效率值大小与其经济发展水平存在着对应关系。（2）纯技术效率对总效率的影响及制约能力强于规模效率。（3）大部分城市处于规模报酬递增阶段。不同等级和不同区域的城市所处的规模报酬阶段存在明显的差异。（4）城市土地利用中要素投入冗余现象严重,可以通过合理配置投入要素方式优化土地利用效率。     

劳动力转移对区域农地利用效率的影响——基于省级面板数据的计量分析

研究目的：探讨农村劳动力转移影响区域农地利用效率的途径,并对二者的关系进行实证检验。研究方法：采用数据包络分析（DEA）测算全国各省1990、1995、2000和2005年的农地利用效率,在此基础上,结合人口普查数据和各省经济发展数据,形成一套省级层面的面板数据,通过构建计量模型估计、检验劳动力省内和省际转移对农地利用效率的影响。研究结果：（1）各省农地利用效率存在显著的时空差异;（2）劳动力省内转移促进了农地利用效率的提高;（3）劳动力省际转移对劳动力输入地区的农地利用效率存在一定程度的负面影响。研究结论：从提高农地利用效率出发,未来的政策应该鼓励农村劳动力转移,特别是本省内流动;同时在理论和政策层面关注劳动力转移过程中的负面影响。     

鲤科鱼类池塘养殖技术效率的研究

本文应用随机边界产量函数对我国鲤科鱼类池塘养殖的技术效率进行了分析。通过对全国7个省283个渔场的鲤科鱼类池塘养殖生产情况的分析，表明我国鲤科鱼类池塘养殖总体技术效率水平较高，平均技术效率水平达到70．8％。本文还对影响技术效率的主要因子进行了分析，并就如何进一步提高我国水产养殖生产的技术效率进行了探讨。     

基于县域尺度的海峡西岸经济区效率分析

尝试采用DEA和空间自相关的方法测评2007年海峡西岸经济区152个县域单位的效率,并结合县域效率和人均GDP的Moran散点图进行对照分析,发现目前海西区县域效率相对较低,呈浙南高,福建、粤东略低与赣东低的空间格局;海西区县域效率内部差异大,高效率县域群多分布在沿海,县域效率与经济的空间格局基本吻合;可将海西区效率—经济的空间格局分为高效率—强经济块、高效率—弱经济块、低效率—强经济块和低效率—弱经济块4种类型,分别将其作为区域持续投资区、区域经济新增长极、重点提升技术效率区、技术效仿与经济整治区,借此为海西区协调未来经济发展格局政策的制定提供参考依据。     

Eco-efficiency assessment of olive farms in Andalusia

Olive farming represents an important source of income and employment in the rural areas of Andalusia (Spain), which is the most important olive oil-producing region in the world. Unfortunately, it also exerts significant environmental pressures with regard to soil erosion, use of polluting inputs, excessive water consumption and biodiversity reduction. This paper uses Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) techniques and pressure distance functions to contribute a farm-level assessment of the eco-efficiency of a sample of 292 Andalusian olive farmers. We distinguish between managerial eco-efficiency and program eco-efficiency, the latter being associated to the different natural conditions prevailing in the three main olive cultivation systems in the region, namely, traditional rain-fed mountain groves, traditional rain-fed plain groves and irrigated intensive groves. Our findings show that eco-inefficient management is a widespread practice across olive farmers, mainly due to widespread technical inefficiency. Furthermore, the most eco-efficient production system is the traditional plain growing system. Finally, we find that soil-climate conditions strongly influence managerial eco-efficiency in all three aforementioned cultivation systems.     

地区旅游景区效率分析

旅游景区是以旅游及其相关活动为主要功能的空间或地域的组合体,同时也是地区旅游业发展的重要标志。旅游景区运营状况能够反映该地区旅游业发展水平,对景区效率进行评价分析有利于其制定更为合理的发展策略。运用DEA方法对我国29个省区旅游景区运营效率进行实证分析,结果显示:各地区间的效率差距明显,且多数地区都处于规模效益递减的阶段,旅游景区的管理水平与技术水平落后、资源配置在旅游景区的发展过程中起重要作用,该结果可以为地区旅游景区发展提供参考。     

基于DEA方法的江苏省开发区土地集约利用效率分析

运用数据包络分析方法(DEA),从投入产出的角度,对2006—2008年江苏省及三大区域开发区土地集约利用效率进行了分析和对比研究。结果表明:(1)开发区综合技术效率值为0,438,土地集约利用水平有不断升高的趋势,三大区域开发区土地集约利用效率存在较大差异,苏中土地集约利用效率平均水平略高于苏南,而苏北最低;(2)绝大多数的开发区仍处于规模报酬递增阶段,苏南处于规模报酬递减阶段的开发区数量占比最大,苏北处于规模报酬递增阶段的开发区数量占比最大;(3)从投入导向和产出导向来看,开发区实际值与效率目标值都有一定差距,但差距在逐渐缩小。     

Institutional Environment and Technical Efficiency: A Stochastic Frontier Analysis of Cotton Producers in West Africa

This paper examines the effects of the institutional environment on West African cotton farmers’ technical efficiency (TE). First, key aspects of the cotton sector institutional environment are discussed, including input and credit access, and producers’ organisations. Then, a stochastic frontier production function, which incorporates technical inefficiency effects, is applied to farm level data collected in Benin, Burkina Faso and Mali. The survey includes farmers’ evaluations of the cotton sector institutional environment. Results suggest that institutional level features influence producers’ TE, besides farm‐level characteristics. Cotton growers who report a negative experience with the joint liability programme, who identify the cotton price mechanism or access to credit as the main constraints to performance, and who cultivate more hectares of cereals are technically more inefficient in producing cotton. Findings suggest that cotton farmers in Mali are less technically efficient in producing cotton than in Burkina Faso and Benin. Agricultural development policies focusing on reducing farmers’ financial stress, particularly through the establishment of adequate price mechanisms (i.e. higher farm‐gate prices and timely payments to farmers) and improvement in the input–credit markets should be encouraged to improve TE in West Africa.     

The use of rented farmland in an area of intensive agricultural production in Norway

The amount of rented farmland in Norway has increased steadily since the 1950s. Concerns have been raised questioning whether farmland is treated less well by tenants compared to landowners. This study aims to investigate how farmers perceive their treatment of rented farmland, which factors impact their decision-making related to this and if farmers are concerned about farmland elements that are less important for productivity but mainly of interest for cultural heritage or environmental management reasons. Semi-structured interviews with a group of randomly selected farmers were carried out in an area dominated by intensive agriculture. Independent of, for example, amount of rented land or duration of the rental agreement, all farmers agreed that rented land was treated well. A strong competition for farmland in combination with farmers being dependent on renting land was the most important reason. Results from this study may be transferrable to other farming areas, at least where competition for farmland is comparable. We do suggest, however, that any further research on treatment of rented farmland in Norway should take a regional approach, since national statistics may cover significant regional differences.     

陕西省粮食产量预测及其影响因素的灰色关联分析

根据1988—2007年粮食生产相关指标的统计数据,借助灰色关联理论对影响陕西省粮食生产的粮食单位面积产量,农业劳动力,机械总动力,化肥施用量,受灾面积,粮食播种面积,农田有效灌溉面积,农村用电量等8项指标进行了灰色关联度的定量分析,总结出不同时间段主要影响因素,并根据关联度的大小排序,,结合该省实际情况,提出了针对性,可行性的建议;将灰色关联分析结果中关联度比较高的指标作为神将网络的输入层单元,借助基于动量法的BP神经网络的MOBP模型预测出未来2015年和2020年的粮食产量,经检验该模型的平均相对误差达到2．5％,为陕西省可持续发展战略的制定和规划提供可靠的数据和参考价值。     

半城市化对中国农村土地利用效率的影响——基于CHIP数据的实证分析

研究目的:考察中国半城市化现状对农村土地利用效率的影响。研究方法:基于中国家庭收入调查(CHIP)2013年数据,采用二元logistic模型对半城市化水平与农村土地利用效率进行实证研究。研究结果:半城市化水平与土地资源的利用效率成明显负相关,半城市化程度越高,农村土地有效利用就越低。研究结论:半城市化现象的突出后果就是土地资源没有得到有效配置,即农村人口的减少并没有带来土地利用效率的提高。基于此,提出在半城市化背景下,要改变土地利用水平不高的问题,其前提是解决好城市化中的农民工问题,要让只是名义农民的农民工真正进城,实现农民工权益保障与农村土地配置优化双赢。     

Determinants of efficiency of vegetable production in smallholder farms: The case of Ethiopia

Improving production efficiency remains as a plausible means of increasing productivity when resource reallocation, and the creation and adoption of new technologies are limited. Technical, allocative and economic efficiencies are derived from a sample of smallholder vegetable farmers in Ethiopia using parametric and non-parametric methods. The results reveal that the two methods yield similar estimates and the existence of substantial inefficiencies in production as well as efficiency differentials among farmers. The analysis of the determinants of efficiency of vegetable production using regression models show that low asset ownership, illiteracy, large family size, inadequate extension contacts, small farm size, age, low off/non-farm income and high consumer spending are the major socio-economic factors causing inefficiency of vegetable production in the study areas. A comparison of the market-driven (vegetables) with the whole-farm (crops and livestock) production efficiency indicates that lower economic efficiency scores for the former might be related to the limited access to capital markets, high consumer spending, and large family size.     

基于威廉姆森分析范式的农村集体建设用地市场交易费用研究——南海区1872份市场交易数据和372份调研数据供给侧分析

研究目的:应用1872份市场交易数据和372份调研数据,对南海区农村集体建设用地市场交易费用及影响因素进行实证分析。研究方法:Tobit模型。研究结果:从1872份市场交易数据归纳出市场特征:市场交易形式存在明显的偏向性,"以租代让"现状普遍存在;土地细碎化程度较强;契约期限大部分都在5年以下,交易周期较短,交易频率较高。根据372份调研数据对市场交易费用的研究结果表明,集体经济组织自组织化是市场有效交易的重要制度变迁;政府干预代表市场化程度,市场化程度越高,交易费用相对较低;交易双方信息越对称、信息透明度越高、市场越规范,市场的不确定性越低,集体经济组织将面临的市场风险越低,其交易费用将越低。研究结论:为了提高集体建设用地市场发展的有效性,交易标的产权清晰是前提,交易公开化、透明化,减少政府在市场交易过程中干预,降低交易的不确定性。     

Gender differentials in farming efficiency and profits: The case of rice production in the Philippines

Women make essential contributions to the agricultural and rural economies in all developing countries. Rural women are involved in a variety of production and farm management activities. In the Philippines women engage more intensively in agricultural work than men. However, Filipino women’s actual contribution to food production and the rural economy remains undervalued, if not invisible. Using the average treatment effect and farm-level data from the Philippines, this study investigates the effect of gender on farming efficiency, profits, and costs of rice production. Results indicate that female-headed farm households, despite having limited access to land, have higher values of rice production than their male counterparts. However, female-headed households have higher fixed, seed and labor input costs, consequently earning lower profits. In addition, female-headed farm households have lower irrigation costs. Findings from this study also indicate that women are less efficient in farming, but are more likely to adopt improved seed varieties.     

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.     

农村集体建设用地市场的发展与影响因素计量经济研究 ——基于广东省南海区1872份市场交易及398份调研数据需求侧的实证分析

研究目的:利用2010—2015年集体建设用地市场交易数据归纳出市场发展特征,在此基础上利用398份问卷调研数据分析南海区农村集体建设用地市场发展及影响因素,为农村集体建设用地市场的发展提供建议。研究方法:Tobit模型,二值选择的Probit模型。研究结果:(1)集体建设用地市场发展特征表现为集体经济组织的高度自组织性;市场交易的高频率;市场客体为存量建设用地;市场交易波动性大。(2)资产专用性正向影响契约期限、交易对象的选择,威廉姆斯交易成本理论认为长期契约有利于给予投资者进行投资的信心;集体经济组织化水平是集体建设用地市场发展的关键因素。(3)交易的不确定性越强,企业越倾向于选择短期契约,以降低企业的预期风险;市场交易"买进"战略存在风险,企业倾向于选择与集体经济组织交易,以降低交易成本,提高市场交易的有效性。研究结论:为提高集体建设用地市场发展的有效性和效率,明晰土地和房屋产权是前提和保障,其次应将农村集体经济组织作为集体建设用地市场交易的第三方规制。