IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/uwp/landec/v88y2012iv1p639-657.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A Within-Farm Efficiency Comparison of Silvopasture Systems with Conventional Pasture and Forestry in Northeast Argentina

Author

Listed:
  • Gregory E. Frey
  • Hugo E. Fassola
  • A. Nahuel Pachas
  • Luis Colcombet
  • Santiago M. Lacorte
  • Mitch Renkow
  • Oscar Pérez
  • Frederick W. Cubbage

Abstract

Agroforestry, which has multiple inputs and outputs, would benefit from scrutiny of economic efficiency because levels of adoption have not met expectations. Previous literature estimated the efficiency of agricultural systems using data envelopment analysis; however, the vast variability between farms makes comparing systems difficult. This study uses paired, within-farm comparisons of silvopasture, a combination of planted trees and pasture, to conventional cattle-ranching and plantation forestry, to evaluate the relative technical efficiency. Silvopasture proves to be more efficient than conventional cattle-ranching. Forestry demonstrated increasing returns to scale, cattle-raising demonstrated decreasing returns to scale for large-scale farmers, and silvopasture was intermediate.

Suggested Citation

  • Gregory E. Frey & Hugo E. Fassola & A. Nahuel Pachas & Luis Colcombet & Santiago M. Lacorte & Mitch Renkow & Oscar Pérez & Frederick W. Cubbage, 2012. "A Within-Farm Efficiency Comparison of Silvopasture Systems with Conventional Pasture and Forestry in Northeast Argentina," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 88(4), pages 639-657.
    • Handle: RePEc:uwp:landec:v:88:y:2012:iv:1:p:639-657
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://le.uwpress.org/cgi/reprint/88/4/639
    Download Restriction: A subscripton is required to access pdf files. Pay per article is available.
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Coelli, Tim J., 1995. "Recent Developments In Frontier Modelling And Efficiency Measurement," Australian Journal of Agricultural Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 39(3), pages 1-27, December.
    2. Just, Richard E., 2003. "Risk research in agricultural economics: opportunities and challenges for the next twenty-five years," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 75(2-3), pages 123-159.
    3. Ray,Subhash C., 2012. "Data Envelopment Analysis," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781107405264, September.
    4. Boris Bravo-Ureta & Daniel Solís & Víctor Moreira López & José Maripani & Abdourahmane Thiam & Teodoro Rivas, 2007. "Technical efficiency in farming: a meta-regression analysis," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 27(1), pages 57-72, February.
    5. Townsend, R. F. & Kirsten, J. & Vink, N., 1998. "Farm size, productivity and returns to scale in agriculture revisited: a case study of wine producers in South Africa," Agricultural Economics, Blackwell, vol. 19(1-2), pages 175-180, September.
    6. Charnes, A. & Cooper, W. W. & Rhodes, E., 1978. "Measuring the efficiency of decision making units," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 2(6), pages 429-444, November.
    7. Luo, Xueming, 2003. "Evaluating the profitability and marketability efficiency of large banks: An application of data envelopment analysis," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 56(8), pages 627-635, August.
    8. Erik Mathijs & Johan F. M. Swinnen, 2001. "Production Organization And Efficiency During Transition: An Empirical Analysis Of East German Agriculture," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 83(1), pages 100-107, February.
    9. Laure Latruffe & Kelvin Balcombe & Sophia Davidova & Katarzyna Zawalinska, 2004. "Determinants of technical efficiency of crop and livestock farms in Poland," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(12), pages 1255-1263.
    10. Sophia Davidova & Laure Latruffe, 2007. "Relationships between Technical Efficiency and Financial Management for Czech Republic Farms," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(2), pages 269-288, June.
    11. Fraser, I. & Cordina, D., 1999. "An application of data envelopment analysis to irrigated dairy farms in Northern Victoria, Australia," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 59(3), pages 267-282, March.
    12. Haas, David A. & Murphy, Frederic H., 2003. "Compensating for non-homogeneity in decision-making units in data envelopment analysis," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 144(3), pages 530-544, February.
    13. Alene, Arega D. & Manyong, Victor M. & Gockowski, James, 2006. "The production efficiency of intercropping annual and perennial crops in southern Ethiopia: A comparison of distance functions and production frontiers," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 91(1-2), pages 51-70, November.
    14. Zhang, Yaoqi, 2002. "The impacts of economic reform on the efficiency of silviculture: a non-parametric approach," Environment and Development Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 7(1), pages 107-122, February.
    15. Thiam, Abdourahmane & Bravo-Ureta, Boris E. & Rivas, Teodoro E., 2001. "Technical efficiency in developing country agriculture: a meta-analysis," Agricultural Economics, Blackwell, vol. 25(2-3), pages 235-243, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Shunji Oniki & Melaku Berhe & Koichi Takenaka, 2020. "Efficiency Impact of the Communal Land Distribution Program in Northern Ethiopia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-14, May.
    2. Frey, Gregory E. & Cubbage, Frederick W. & Holmes, Thomas P. & Reyes-Retana, Graciela & Davis, Robert R. & Megevand, Carole & Rodríguez-Paredes, Diana & Kraus-Elsin, Yoanna & Hernández-Toro, Berenice , 2019. "Competitiveness, certification, and support of timber harvest by community forest enterprises in Mexico," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 1-1.
    3. Luis A. De los Santos‐Montero & Boris E. Bravo‐Ureta, 2017. "Productivity effects and natural resource management: econometric evidence from POSAF‐II in Nicaragua," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 41(4), pages 220-233, November.
    4. Ahimbisibwe, Vianny & Zhunusova, Eliza & Kassa, Habtemariam & Günter, Sven, 2024. "Technical efficiency drivers of farmer-led restoration strategies, and how substantial is the unrealised potential for farm output?," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 213(C).
    5. Han, Xue & Frey, Gregory E. & Geng, Yude & Cubbage, Frederick W. & Zhang, Zhaohui, 2018. "Reform and efficiency of state-owned forest enterprises in Northeast China as “social firms”," Journal of Forest Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 18-33.

    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. Anirban Nandy & Piyush Kumar Singh & Alok Kumar Singh, 2021. "Systematic Review and Meta- regression Analysis of Technical Efficiency of Agricultural Production Systems," Global Business Review, International Management Institute, vol. 22(2), pages 396-421, April.
    2. Galluzzo Nicola, 2018. "A Non-Parametric Analysis of Technical Efficiency in Bulgarian Farms Using the Fadn Dataset," European Countryside, Sciendo, vol. 10(1), pages 58-73, March.
    3. Speelman, Stijn & D'Haese, Marijke F.C. & Buysse, Jeroen & D'Haese, Luc, 2007. "Technical efficiency of water use and its determinants, study at efficiencies in small-scale irrigation schemes in North-West Province, South Africa," 106th Seminar, October 25-27, 2007, Montpellier, France 7904, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    4. Francesco Aiello & Graziella Bonanno, 2018. "On The Sources Of Heterogeneity In Banking Efficiency Literature," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(1), pages 194-225, February.
    5. Francesco Aiello & Graziella Bonanno, 2016. "Efficiency in banking: a meta-regression analysis," International Review of Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(1), pages 112-149, January.
    6. Daraio, Cinzia & Kerstens, Kristiaan & Nepomuceno, Thyago & Sickles, Robin C., 2019. "Empirical Surveys of Frontier Applications: A Meta-Review," Working Papers 19-005, Rice University, Department of Economics.
    7. Chebil, Ali & Frija, Iheb & Bahri, Walid, 2014. "Irrigation water efficiency in wheat production in Chbika (Tunisia):Parametric versus Nonparametric Comparisons," Agricultural Economics Review, Greek Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 15(1), pages 1-14.
    8. Musa, H. Ahmed & Lemma, Z. & Endrias, G., 2015. "Measuring Technical, Economic and Allocative Efficiency of Maize Production in Subsistence Farming: Evidence from the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia," APSTRACT: Applied Studies in Agribusiness and Commerce, AGRIMBA, vol. 9(3), pages 1-12, December.
    9. Boris Bravo-Ureta & Daniel Solís & Víctor Moreira López & José Maripani & Abdourahmane Thiam & Teodoro Rivas, 2007. "Technical efficiency in farming: a meta-regression analysis," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 27(1), pages 57-72, February.
    10. Han, Xue & Frey, Gregory E. & Geng, Yude & Cubbage, Frederick W. & Zhang, Zhaohui, 2018. "Reform and efficiency of state-owned forest enterprises in Northeast China as “social firms”," Journal of Forest Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 18-33.
    11. Andreu, Monica Lopez & Featherstone, Allen M. & Langemeier, Michael R. & Grunewald, Orlen C., 2006. "Impact of Financial Variables on Production in Kansas Farms Efficiencies," 2006 Annual meeting, July 23-26, Long Beach, CA 21406, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    12. Liu, John S. & Lu, Louis Y.Y. & Lu, Wen-Min & Lin, Bruce J.Y., 2013. "A survey of DEA applications," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 41(5), pages 893-902.
    13. Speelman, Stijn & D'Haese, Marijke & Buysse, Jeroen & D'Haese, Luc, 2008. "A measure for the efficiency of water use and its determinants, a case study of small-scale irrigation schemes in North-West Province, South Africa," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 98(1), pages 31-39, July.
    14. Laure Latruffe & Hervé Guyomard & Chantal Le Mouël, 2009. "The role of public subsidies on farms’ managerial efficiency: An application of a five-stage approach to France," Working Papers SMART 09-05, INRAE UMR SMART.
    15. Vasile Burja, 2011. "Regional Disparities Of Agricultural Performance In Romania," Annales Universitatis Apulensis Series Oeconomica, Faculty of Sciences, "1 Decembrie 1918" University, Alba Iulia, vol. 1(13), pages 1-12.
    16. Paul Rouse & Julie Harrison & Li Chen, 2010. "Data Envelopment Analysis: A Practical Tool to Measure Performance," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 20(2), pages 165-177, June.
    17. Jradi, Samah & Bouzdine Chameeva, Tatiana & Aparicio, Juan, 2019. "The measurement of revenue inefficiency over time: An additive perspective," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 167-180.
    18. Nguyen-Anh, Tuan & Hoang-Duc, Chinh & Tiet, Tuyen & Nguyen-Van, Phu & To-The, Nguyen, 2022. "Composite effects of human, natural and social capitals on sustainable food-crop farming in Sub-Saharan Africa," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    19. Baldos, Uris Lantz C. & Hertel, Thomas W., 2012. "Economics of global yield gaps: A spatial analysis," 2012 Annual Meeting, August 12-14, 2012, Seattle, Washington 124978, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    20. Yongjun Li & Xiao Shi & Min Yang & Liang Liang, 2017. "Variable selection in data envelopment analysis via Akaike’s information criteria," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 253(1), pages 453-476, June.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D24 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Production; Cost; Capital; Capital, Total Factor, and Multifactor Productivity; Capacity
    • O13 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Agriculture; Natural Resources; Environment; Other Primary Products

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:uwp:landec:v:88:y:2012:iv:1:p:639-657. 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: the person in charge (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://le.uwpress.org/ .

    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.