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.     

茶农生产性投资的技术效率及其影响因素实证分析——以福建安溪为例

以福建省安溪县茶农问卷调查数据为基础,利用随机前沿生产函数模型估计样本茶农投资的技术效率,并分析技术效率的变化规律及其影响因素。研究表明,茶农从事茶叶生产加工的时间、茶农从事茶叶生产加工的时间的平方项、茶农户主的受教育年限这3个解释变量对于技术效率的影响不显著;而茶农户主年龄、茶农主栽品种、是否接受过培训、茶农茶叶收入占家庭总收入的比例、茶农家庭拥有的茶园面积、村庄所在地类型虚变量与技术效率呈现正相关的关系;茶农家庭拥有的茶园面积的平方项、地区差异则对技术效率产生负向影响。     

Specification and Estimation of Production Risk, Risk Preferences and Technical Efficiency

This article deals with specification and estimation of risk preferences, production risk, and technical inefficiency. It makes contribution in three separate areas of production economics. First, we model producers' attitude toward risk and derive risk preference functions (without assuming any parametric form of the utility function and any distribution of the error term representing production risk) when risk arises from production uncertainty and technical inefficiency. Second, the standard production risk model is extended to accommodate technical inefficiency and producers' attitude toward risk. Finally, the technical efficiency model is generalized to accommodate production risk and producers' attitude toward risk.     

渔船作业效率及政策研究

本文使用随机前沿生产模型研究了沿海某市渔船的作业效率,结果显示:抽样渔船的平均作业效率只有33%;渔船出海频率过高和性能落后是导致其效率低下的主要原因;船员工资的增加则提高了生产效率。为了提高渔船作业效率,建议采取以下措施:保持和增加资源存量,进一步降低捕捞强度,提高渔船的准入门槛、进行技术扶持、引入外部资金以及帮助渔民转产转业等。     

辽宁省粮食生产技术效率分析

该文利用1994～2009年省粮食生产相关数据,采用超越对数随机前沿生产函数模型,对辽宁省粮食生产技术效率变化和影响因素进行分析。结果表明,辽宁省粮食生产技术效率总体上还有待进一步提高的潜力,而加强农田灌溉设施和提高农机装备水平、提升农技服务、继续加大粮食生产补贴政策以及加强防灾减灾能力建设是提高粮食生产技术有效性的重要政策取向。     

林业技术效率及其影响因素研究——基于随机前沿生产函数

文章运用随机前沿生产函数估计了林业生产投入要素劳动力和资本的产出弹性,测量了各省区2002～2009年的林业技术效率,并分析了林业技术效率的影响因素。结果表明:林业产业存在明显的技术效率损失,随机前沿生产函数的误差主要是由技术非效率引起;林业产业劳动力和资本的产出弹性分别为0.58和0.47,林业生产仍处于规模报酬递增阶段。总体上,各省区林业技术效率水平相差不大,且林业的平均技术效率水平呈现缓慢上升的趋势;森林病虫鼠害的发生率显著降低了林业技术效率,而基层林业工作站人员文化水平的提高能有效的改善林业生产的技术效率。     

社会资本对桃农生产技术效率的影响及对策研究——基于陕西省铜川市桃业的调查

利用铜川地区桃农调研数据,构建随机前沿生产函数模型,将社会资本各维度加入技术效率损失项,测算桃农生产技术效率水平,分析社会资本对桃农生产技术效率的影响。结果表明:桃农的平均生产技术效率为79.38%,存在着一定程度的技术无效率;在社会资本各维度中,关系网络,集体行动以及信息交流的改善能够显著提高桃农生产技术效率,而干群关系、信任与团结对桃农生产技术效率的影响未通过显著性检验。因此,改善桃农关系网络,集体行动,信息交流状况,是提高桃农生产技术效率的有效途径。     

Sources of productivity growth on Finnish dairy farms—application of an input distance function

The objective is to examine sources of productivity change on Finnish dairy farms in the 1990s. The decomposition of productivity change into technical and technical efficiency change is widely recognized but it neglects the scale effect. Generalized decompositions incorporating all three components are calculated for a sample of Finnish dairy farms from 1989-2000. This period is of interest because of the drastic change in agricultural policy when Finland joined the European Union (EU) in 1995. The results indicate that productivity growth was on average low, approximately 0.15% per year. Neutral technical change was identified as the most important source of productivity growth (1.1%). Technical efficiency decreased by almost 0.5% annually. The contribution of the scale effect in productivity change increased towards the end of study period.     

Measuring technical efficiency of Spanish pig farming: Quantile stochastic frontier approach

The pig meat production plays a significant role in the Spanish agrofood system. The assessment of the efficiency performance with which farmers are operating is necessary to define adequate policy and management strategies. In this context, this study aimed to determine the technical efficiency (TE) performance of pig farms and to examine the key factors that may affect the production system in Spain. To do so, the analysis relies on the quantile stochastic frontier model using a sample of Spanish pig farms. Results show a significant difference between production frontier parameters across the selected quantiles, which support the relevance of using the quantile regression approach. The optimal quantile for the stochastic frontier indicates an average TE level of 75%. In addition, empirical findings suggest that pig farmers in Spain give more importance to the adoption of high technology to improve their economic and technical performance as well as their competitiveness at the European pig market.     

发达地区不同规模家庭农场粮食生产技术效率的实证研究基于上海松江家庭农场的调查

目的 松江在发展家庭农场方面的探索和实践,被认为是可以在我国经济较发达地区推广和复制的“松江模式”。通过对该地区家庭农场粮食生产的技术效率进行实证研究,可以为发达地区家庭农场推进适度规模经营、优化资源配置提供理论依据和政策支持。方法 基于2017年上海市松江区943个家庭农场的问卷调查数据,文章运用随机前沿生产函数模型测算了不同经营规模家庭农场粮食生产的技术效率,并在此基础上运用Tobit模型进一步探究了其影响因素。结果 上海市松江区家庭农场粮食生产的技术效率水平较高,达到0.922 6,且适度中规模家庭农场粮食生产的技术效率最高,家庭农场主的性别、受教育程度、务农年限和经营家庭农场的年限以及家庭农场主的父辈是否经营家庭农场、家庭农场种植制度的选择等对家庭农场粮食生产的技术效率具有显著性影响。结论 对于经济发展水平较高的地区而言,必须坚持以农户家庭经营作为农业生产的基本单位,因地制宜推进家庭农场的适度规模经营,同时,大力发展农机社会化服务,鼓励家庭农场主对稻田进行3年1次轮茬,在改良后的土地上种植二麦。     

宁夏沿黄城市带城市体系规模结构研究

本文运用城市首位度、城市基尼指数、城市金字塔等相关理论和方法分析了宁夏沿黄城市带城市体系规模结构的发展特征,认为该城市带城市首位度适中、城市等级规模分布不均衡、城市带规模偏小,最后提出发展措施建议。     

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.     

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.     

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.     

The Effects of Direct Payments on Technical Efficiency of Irish Beef Farms: A Stochastic Frontier Analysis

The 2003 Mid‐Term Review of the CAP sought to refocus the EU's farm support policy to foster a more competitive and market‐orientated agricultural sector. The foundation of this reform comprised the introduction of decoupled payments to farmers, replacing the EU's previous system of supports that were directly linked to production of designated crops and livestock. This paper explores the effect of coupled payments and their subsequent replacement by decoupled support, on the technical efficiency of specialist beef farms in Ireland. Given the high reliance of beef farmers in Ireland on CAP payments, the decoupling of payments has been especially important for the sector. A stochastic production frontier is estimated using a panel dataset comprising detailed accountancy data for Irish beef farms between the years 2000 and 2013. Our results indicate that technical efficiency in the beef farming sector has been consistently poor, with an average efficiency score of only 0.53 during the period analysed. However, we found that direct income received in the form of coupled payments had a positive impact on farm efficiency, and that this positive effect was maintained after their replacement with decoupled income support.     

中国玉米产量主要影响因素的协整分析

研究玉米产量的主要影响因素,利用协整分析,检验了各影响因素与玉米产量之间的长期均衡以及短期动态均衡关系.研究表明,玉米产量与玉米种植面积以及玉米出口量之间存在着长期均衡关系,在其他条件保持不变的情况下,玉米种植面积每增加1％,玉米产量增加1.606635％.最后,根据协整分析结果,提出增加玉米产量的政策建议.     

基于随机前沿分析的中国城市土地利用效率时空分异研究

研究目的:测度并探索城市土地利用效率的时空分异,促进城市土地集约高效利用。研究方法:"一步法"随机前沿生产函数模型、核密度估计、空间自相关分析。研究结果:2009—2016年中国城市土地利用效率整体提升,但仍处于中低水平;城市土地利用效率在空间上由东向西递减,效率越低的区域其内部不均衡性越明显;城市土地利用效率空间集聚态势显著,集聚程度趋于加强;高效率均质区域集中于东部地区,并出现向中西部延伸的趋势,低—高关联类型主要分布在东、中部交界地区,高—低关联类型在空间上表现为沿交通干线的带状分布,低效率均质区域集中在中西部地区。研究结论:应注重土地利用投入产出的技术效率,通过投入要素优化和技术能力提升实现城市土地利用的报酬递增,同时要制定区域差别化的效率提升策略。     

农业生产性服务对玉米生产技术效率的影响研究基于微观数据的实证分析

[目的]探究农业生产性服务对玉米生产技术效率的影响,引导农业生产性服务精准化发展,有助于维稳国家粮食安全,尽早实现农业现代化和乡村振兴发展目标。[方法]文章利用对黑龙江省13市47村298个玉米种植户的微观数据,构建随机前沿生产函数模型对玉米生产技术效率进行测算,并在此基础上构建技术无效率模型,实证检验农业生产性服务对玉米生产技术效率是否产生重要影响。[结果]目前玉米生产技术效率平均值在75%左右,有较大提升空间;农资供应服务、农业技术服务、农业信息服务、农机作业服务均能够显著提高玉米生产技术效率,但影响程度存在一定差异,其中农业信息服务对玉米生产技术效率的作用效果最为明显,其次是农机作业服务、农业技术服务和农资供应服务;性别、年龄、受教育程度、是否担任村干部、是否有农地流转、玉米收入占比对提高玉米生产技术效率有显著正向影响,是否兼业对提高玉米生产技术效率有显著负向影响。[结论]提高玉米生产技术效率要从完善农业生产性服务体系、建立农村信息服务平台、提高农户认知水平等方面入手。     

Production Efficiency of Jasmine Rice Producers in Northern and North‐eastern Thailand

The paper jointly evaluates the determinants of switching to Jasmine rice and its productivity while allowing for production inefficiency at the level of individual producers. Model diagnostics reveal that serious selection bias exists, justifying use of a sample selection framework in stochastic frontier models. Results from the probit variety selection equation reveal that gross return (mainly powered by significantly higher Jasmine rice price), access to irrigation and education are the important determinants of choosing Jasmine rice. Results from the stochastic production frontier reveal that land, irrigation and fertilisers are the significant determinants of Jasmine rice productivity. Significantly lower productivity in Phitsanulok and Tung Gula Rong Hai provinces demonstrate the influence of biophysical and environmental factors on productivity performance. The mean level of technical efficiency is estimated at 0.63 suggesting that 59% [(100 ? 63)/63] of the productivity is lost due to technical inefficiency. Policy implications include measures to keep Jasmine rice price high, increase access to irrigation and fertiliser availability, as well as investment in education targeted to farm households which will synergistically increase adoption of Jasmine rice as well as farm productivity.