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District‐level total factor productivity in agriculture: Western Cape Province, South Africa, 1952–2002

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  • Beatrice Conradie
  • Jenifer Piesse
  • Colin Thirtle

Abstract

This article measures total factor productivity (TFP) growth in Western Cape agriculture for 31 magisterial districts from 1952 to 2002 to illustrate the benefits of disaggregation compared with national TFPs. There is negative or low growth in the eastern districts and rapid growth in the western districts. The regions with substantial chicken, pigs, dairy, and, especially, export fruit production grew rapidly, whereas the sheep‐dominated Karoo had negative growth. Productivity growth correlates mostly with output mix, which in turn depends on irrigation investment. A similar program will be needed at the national level if prosperity is to be extended to black smallholders who currently lack access to water and other modern infrastructure.

Suggested Citation

  • Beatrice Conradie & Jenifer Piesse & Colin Thirtle, 2009. "District‐level total factor productivity in agriculture: Western Cape Province, South Africa, 1952–2002," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 40(3), pages 265-280, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:agecon:v:40:y:2009:i:3:p:265-280
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-0862.2009.00381.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Chambers,Robert G., 1988. "Applied Production Analysis," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521314275.
    2. Thirtle, Colin & Piesse, Jenifer & Lusigi, Angela & Suhariyanto, Kecuk, 2003. "Multi-factor agricultural productivity, efficiency and convergence in Botswana, 1981-1996," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 71(2), pages 605-624, August.
    3. Olmstead, Alan L & Rhode, Paul, 1993. "Induced Innovation in American Agriculture: A Reconsideration," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 101(1), pages 100-118, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Susanne Scheierling & David O. Treguer & James F. Booker, 2016. "Water Productivity in Agriculture: Looking for Water in the Agricultural Productivity and Efficiency Literature," Water Economics and Policy (WEP), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 2(03), pages 1-33, September.
    2. Scheierling, S. M., 2014. "How to assess agricultural water productivity?: looking for water in the agricultural productivity and efficiency literature," IWMI Working Papers H046876, International Water Management Institute.
    3. Khumbuzile C. Mosoma & Renee van Eyden & Heinrich R. Bohlmann, 2023. "Measuring Total Factor Productivity in the South African Agricultural Sector Using a Growth Accounting Framework," Working Papers 202306, University of Pretoria, Department of Economics.
    4. Scheierling, Susanne M. & Treguer, David O. & Booker, James F. & Decker, Elisabeth, 2014. "How to assess agricultural water productivity ? looking for water in the agricultural productivity and efficiency literature," Policy Research Working Paper Series 6982, The World Bank.
    5. Yu, Bingxin & Guo, Zhe, 2015. "Measurement of agricultural productivity in Africa south of Sahara: A spatial typology application:," IFPRI discussion papers 1410, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    6. Liebenberg, Frikkie & Pardey, Philip G., 2012. "A long-run view of South African agricultural production and productivity," African Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, African Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 7(1), pages 1-25, October.

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