Technical efficiency for a sample of Chilean wine grape producers: A stochastic production frontier analysis

Troncoso, JL (Troncoso, Javier L.) Univ Talca, Dept Agr Econ, Talca, Chile. ; Bravo-Ureta, BE (Bravo-Ureta, Boris E.) Univ Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269 USATechnical efficiency for a sample of Chilean wine grape producers: A stochastic production frontier analysis. Cien. Inv. Agr. 38(3):321-329. Chile has become an increasingly important player in international wine markets. Concurrent with the expansion of Chilean wine output and exports, there has been an increase in production in several other "New World" countries including Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The overall growth in wine supplies has increased competition to capture market share, which highlights the importance of productivity gains among wine and grape producers. The purpose of this paper is to estimate and analyze the technical efficiency (TE) component of productivity for a sample of wine grape producers in Chile. The data includes 38 farms with specific input-output information for individual blocks yielding a total of 263 observations. We use a Cobb-Douglas model to estimate a stochastic production frontier (SPF) and to obtain TE scores both at the individual block and at the farm level. The results suggest that the average farm level TE is 77.2%, while the block level TE ranges from 23.4 to 95.0%. The value of the function coefficient is 1.021, which suggests nearly constant returns to size

Technical, economic, and allocative efficiency in peasant farming: Evidence from the Dominican Republic

This paper presents measures of technical (TE), economic (EE), and allocative (AE) efficiency for a sample of sixty peasant farmers in the Dajabon region of the Dominican Republic. Maximum likelihood techniques are used to estimate a Cobb-Douglas production frontier, which is then used to derive its corresponding dual cost frontier. These frontiers are the basis for obtaining farm level efficiency estimates. The results reveal average levels of TE, AE, and EE equal to 70 per cent, 44 per cent, and 31 per cent, respectively. In a second step analysis, two-limit tobit regression techniques are used to estimate three separate equations where TE, EE, and AE are expressed as functions of the following farm/farmer characteristics: contract farming, agrarian reform status, farm size, schooling, producer's age, and household size

Migration decisions, agrarian structure, and gender: the case of Ecuador.

This article briefly reviews the literature on migration in Latin America and examines migration decision making in Ecuador. Aggregate data are obtained from the 1974 census of agriculture and population for cantones. Individual level data are obtained from the 1982 census of population. Migration refers to all census persons who recorded differences in their present and previous place of residence during 1974-82. Migration is modeled as dependent upon gender, age, education, marital status, income at origin and at destination, and population pressure or agrarian reform. Logistic model findings indicate that migration decisions are influenced by individual characteristics of migrants and contextual variables. Migration varied by gender. The results confirm Todaro's hypothesis that the probability of migrating is related to income differences between place of destination and origin, but only for males. Findings suggest that females migrate for primary reasons other than economic ones. The probability of migration was greater with increased levels of education. The decision to migrate was affected by quality of life differences, such as literacy rates and levels of urbanization. The probability of migration was reduced by the effects of land reform. Population pressure had a significant effect in increasing migration. The effects of land reform differ from findings in Mexico by William E. Cole and Richard D. Sanders. Land reforms were initiated in 1964 in Ecuador, but by 1974 there was still considerable inequality in land distribution and increased population pressure. Traditional haciendas were modernized, and peasants increased their dependency on non-farm income

The Economic Impact of Marena's Investments on Sustainable Agricultural Systems in Honduras

Bravo-Ureta, BE (Bravo-Ureta, Boris E)Univ Talca, Talca, ChileThis study examines the economic impact of sustainable agricultural production systems in Central America. In particular, we investigate the impact of investments promoted by the MARENA Programme in Honduras on the total value of agricultural production (TVAP) of its beneficiaries. Propensity Score Matching techniques along with the Difference-in-Differences framework are used to mitigate biases stemming from differences in observed as well as unobserved (time-invariant) characteristics between beneficiaries and a control group. The econometric estimates suggest that MARENA has had a positive and significant effect on the TVAP of beneficiaries. In addition, the analysis shows that, under alternative scenarios, MARENA yielded higher than expected internal rates of return. The results of this study shed light on the response of small-scale hillside farmers to economic incentives and lend support to the role of natural resource management projects in Central America as a tool to increase household income while also promoting the conservation of natural resources

An analysis of the joint adoption of water conservation and soil conservation in Central Chile

Jara-Rojas, R (Jara-Rojas, Roberto)[ 1 ] ; Bravo-Ureta, BE (Bravo-Ureta, Boris E.)[ 1,2 ] ; Engler, A (Engler, Alejandra)[ 1 ] ; Diaz, J (Diaz, Jose)[ 1 ] Univ Talca, Dept Agr Econ, Talca, Chile. [ 2 ] Univ Connecticut, Dept Agr & Resource Econ, Storrs, CT 06269 USAStudies reveal that 80% of the world's agricultural land is showing signs of moderate levels of soil erosion. On the other hand, it is a fact that water is becoming a more scarce resource jeopardizing food security. Thus, conserving both water and soil are two of the most pressing issues in international agriculture and food production. This article examines the impact of natural, social, human, and financial capital variables on the adoption of water conservation and soil conservation (WC&SC) as a joint decision, using a bivariate model. Socioeconomic and production information was collected by surveying a random sample of 319 small-scale irrigated farms in central Chile in 2005. The results suggest that the adoption of WC&SC is a joint and complementary decision. The results also indicate that farm size, production system, access to credit, and government incentives are important variables associated with the adoption of conservation measures. From a policy stand point, the institutions in charge of providing incentives and administering instruments intended to promote conservation should take into account the complementarity of the adoption decisions. Program designs should incorporate incentives that jointly promote the adoption of WC&SC in order to enhance effectiveness. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserve

Technical, Allocative, Cost and Scale Efficiencies in Bangladesh Rice Cultivation: A Non-parametric Approach

Applying programming techniques to detailed data for 406 rice farms in 21 villages, for 1997, produces inefficiency measures, which differ substantially from the results of simple yield and unit cost measures. For the Boro (dry) season, mean technical efficiency was efficiency was 56.2 per cent and 69.4 per cent, allocative efficiency was 81.3 per cent, cost efficiency was 56.2 per cent and scale efficiency 94.9 per cent. The Aman (wet) season results are similar, but a few points lower. Allocative inefficiency is due to overuse of labour, suggesting population pressure, and of fertiliser, where recommended rates may warrant revision. Second-stage regressions show that large families are more inefficient, whereas farmers with better access to input markets, and those who do less off-farm work, tend to be more efficient. The information on the sources of inter-farm performance differentials could be used by the extension agents to help inefficient farmers. There is little excuse for such sub-optimal use of survey data, which are often collected at substantial costs