IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/ags/ajaeau/22447.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

An Approach To The Econometric Estimation Of Attitudes To Risk In Agriculture

Author

Listed:
  • Bardsley, Peter
  • Harris, Michael

Abstract

A simple model is developed relating the debt and asset portfolio of the farm to the production decision, which leads to a small non-linear system of equations. The system is estimated with time-series cross-sectional data from Australian broadacre agriculture using non-linear three-stage least squares. This gives a new method of estimating risk aversion coefficients by using actual behaviour of farmers in a realistic economic environment, rather than games played in artificial situations. Australian farmers are found to be risk averse, and the partial coefficient of risk aversion decreases with wealth and increases with income. The results are consistent with the results of studies by Binswanger in India and elsewhere using a completely different method. This consistency suggests that the partial risk aversion coefficient is a relatively robust measure of attitudes to risk.

Suggested Citation

  • Bardsley, Peter & Harris, Michael, 1987. "An Approach To The Econometric Estimation Of Attitudes To Risk In Agriculture," Australian Journal of Agricultural Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 31(2), pages 1-15, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:ajaeau:22447
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.22447
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/22447/files/31020112.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.22004/ag.econ.22447?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lins, David A. & Gabriel, Stephen C. & Sonka, Steven T., 1981. "An Analysis Of The Risk Aversion Of Farm Operators: An Asset Portfolio Approach," Western Journal of Agricultural Economics, Western Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 6(1), pages 1-16, July.
    2. Baltensperger, Ernst, 1978. "Credit Rationing: Issues and Questions," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 10(2), pages 170-183, May.
    3. Machina, Mark J, 1982. ""Expected Utility" Analysis without the Independence Axiom," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 50(2), pages 277-323, March.
    4. Menezes, C F & Hanson, D L, 1970. "On the Theory of Risk Aversion," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 11(3), pages 481-487, October.
    5. Machina, Mark J., 1984. "Temporal risk and the nature of induced preferences," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 33(2), pages 199-231, August.
    6. Binswanger, Hans P, 1981. "Attitudes toward Risk: Theoretical Implications of an Experiment in Rural India," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 91(364), pages 867-890, December.
    7. Ockwell, Anthony P. & Batterham, Robert L., 1980. "Nonprice Rationing Of Agricultural Credit By Two Trading Banks," Australian Journal of Agricultural Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 24(3), pages 1-13, December.
    8. Gallant, A. Ronald, 1977. "Three-stage least-squares estimation for a system of simultaneous, nonlinear, implicit equations," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 5(1), pages 71-88, January.
    9. Masson, Robert Tempest, 1972. "The Creation of Risk Aversion by Imperfect Capital Markets," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 62(1), pages 77-86, March.
    10. Robert P. King & Lindon J. Robison, 1981. "An Interval Approach to Measuring Decision Maker Preferences," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 63(3), pages 510-520.
    11. A.P. Ockwell & Robert L. Batterham, 1980. "Nonprice Rationing Of Agricultural Credit By Two Trading Banks," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 24(3), pages 183-195, December.
    12. Amemiya, Takeshi, 1977. "The Maximum Likelihood and the Nonlinear Three-Stage Least Squares Estimator in the General Nonlinear Simultaneous Equation Model," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 45(4), pages 955-968, May.
    13. Bond, Gary E. & Wonder, Bernard, 1980. "Risk Attitudes Amongst Australian Farmers," Australian Journal of Agricultural Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 24(1), pages 1-19, April.
    14. Gary E. Bond & Bernard Wonder, 1980. "Risk Attitudes Amongst Australian Farmers," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 24(1), pages 16-34, April.
    15. Wilson, Paul N. & Eidman, Vernon R., 1983. "An Empirical Test Of The Interval Approach For Estimating Risk Preferences," Western Journal of Agricultural Economics, Western Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 8(2), pages 1-13, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Gomez-Limon, Jose A. & Arriaza, Manuel & Riesgo, Laura, 2003. "An MCDM analysis of agricultural risk aversion," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 151(3), pages 569-585, December.
    2. Gomez-Limon, Jose Antonio & Riesgo, Laura & Arriaza Balmón, Manuel, 2002. "Agricultural Risk Aversion Revisited: A Multicriteria Decision-Making Approach," 2002 International Congress, August 28-31, 2002, Zaragoza, Spain 24827, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    3. David J. Pannell, 1991. "Pests and pesticides, risk and risk aversion," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 5(4), pages 361-383, August.
    4. Arriaza Balmón, Manuel & Gomez-Limon, Jose Antonio, 2003. "Modelling Farmers' Response To A Decoupled Subsidy Via Multi-Attribute Utility Theory And E-V Analysis," 2003 Annual Meeting, August 16-22, 2003, Durban, South Africa 25925, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    5. Pannell, David J. & Malcolm, Bill & Kingwell, Ross S., 2000. "Are we risking too much? Perspectives on risk in farm modelling," Agricultural Economics, Blackwell, vol. 23(1), pages 69-78, June.
    6. Liu, Elaine M. & Huang, JiKun, 2013. "Risk preferences and pesticide use by cotton farmers in China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 202-215.
    7. Fisher, Brian S., 1985. "Frontiers in Agricultural Policy Research," Review of Marketing and Agricultural Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 53(02), pages 1-11, August.
    8. Cochran, Mark J., 1986. "Stochastic Dominance: The State Of The Art In Agricultural Economics," Regional Research Projects > 1986: S-180 Annual Meeting, March 23-26, 1986, Tampa, Florida 271995, Regional Research Projects > S-180: An Economic Analysis of Risk Management Strategies for Agricultural Production Firms.
    9. John W. Ritchie & G. Yahya Abawi & Sunil C. Dutta & Trevor R. Harris & Michael Bange, 2004. "Risk management strategies using seasonal climate forecasting in irrigated cotton production: a tale of stochastic dominance," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 48(1), pages 65-93, March.
    10. Pannell, David J. & Malcolm, Bill & Kingwell, Ross S., 1995. "Are We Risking Too Much? Perspectives on Risk in Farm Modelling and Farm Management," 1995 Conference (39th), February 14-16, 1995, Perth, Australia 171063, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society.
    11. Williams, John & Malcolm, Bill, 2012. "Farmer decisions about selling wheat and managing wheat price risk in Australia," Australasian Agribusiness Review, University of Melbourne, Department of Agriculture and Food Systems, vol. 20, pages 1-10.
    12. Z. Bar‐Shira & R.E. Just & D. Zilberman, 1997. "Estimation of farmers' risk attitude: an econometric approach," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 17(2-3), pages 211-222, December.
    13. Bitros, G.C. & Panas, E.J., 1999. "Another Look at the Inflation-Productivity Trade-Off," Athens University of Economics and Business 114, Athens University of Economics and Business, Department of International and European Economic Studies.
    14. Hassan, Rashid M. & D'Silva, Brian & Hallam, A., 1989. "Normative Supply Response Analysis under Production Uncertainty: Irrigated Multicrop Farming Sector of Sudan," 1989 Occasional Paper Series No. 5 197677, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    15. Holden, Stein T. & Tilahun, Mesfin, 2019. "How related are risk preferences and time preferences?," CLTS Working Papers 4/19, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Centre for Land Tenure Studies, revised 16 Oct 2019.
    16. Maier, Johannes & Rüger, Maximilian, 2010. "Measuring Risk Aversion Model-Independently," Discussion Papers in Economics 11873, University of Munich, Department of Economics.
    17. Ortmann, G. F. & Patrick, G. F. & Musser, W. N. & Doster, D. H., 1992. "Sources And Management Of Risk: Evidence From Leading Cornbelt Farmers In The Usa," Agrekon, Agricultural Economics Association of South Africa (AEASA), vol. 31(4), December.
    18. Wall, Charles A. & Fisher, Brian S., 1988. "Supply Response and the Theory of Production and Profit Functions," Review of Marketing and Agricultural Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 56(03), pages 1-22, December.
    19. Farquharson, Robert J., 1991. "A Farm Level Evaluation of a New Twinning Technology in Beef Cattle," Review of Marketing and Agricultural Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 59(01), pages 1-21, April.
    20. Waweru, Caroline Waithira & Nyikal, Rose & Busienei, John R, 2017. "An Analysis Of Risk Attitudes And Risk Management Strategies Among Dairy Farmers In Murang’A County, Kenya," Dissertations and Theses 271063, University of Nairobi, Department of Agricultural Economics.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ags:ajaeau:22447. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: AgEcon Search (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/aaresea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.