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Assessing farming eco-efficiency: A Data Envelopment Analysis approach

Author

Listed:
  • Andrés J. Picazo-Tadeo

    (Universidad de Valencia. Dpto. Economía Aplicada II.)

  • José A. Gómez-Limón

    (Instituto Andaluz de Investigación y Formación Agraria y Pesquera. Dpto. Economía Agraria. Córdoba.)

  • Ernest Reig-Martínez

    (Universidad de Valencia. Dpto. Economía Aplicada II and Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Económicas (IVIE).)

Abstract

This paper assesses farming eco-efficiency using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). Eco-efficiency scores at both farm and environmental pressurespecific levels are computed for a sample of Spanish farmers operating in the rainfed agricultural system of Campos County. The determinants of eco-efficiency are then studied using truncated regression and bootstrapping. We contribute to previous literature by including information on slacks in the assessment of the potential environmental-pressure reductions in a DEA framework. Our results reveal that farmers are quite eco-inefficient, with very few differences emerging among specific environmental pressures. Furthermore, farmers benefiting from agrienvironmental programs as well as those with university education are found to be more eco-efficient. Concerning the policy implications of these results, public expenditure in agricultural extension and farmer training could be of some help to promote integration between farming and the environment. Furthermore, Common Agricultural Policy agri-environmental programs are also an effective policy to improve eco-efficiency.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrés J. Picazo-Tadeo & José A. Gómez-Limón & Ernest Reig-Martínez, 2010. "Assessing farming eco-efficiency: A Data Envelopment Analysis approach," Working Papers 1004, Department of Applied Economics II, Universidad de Valencia.
    • Handle: RePEc:eec:wpaper:1004
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Andrés J. Picazo‐Tadeo & Ernest Reig‐Martínez, 2006. "Outsourcing and efficiency: the case of Spanish citrus farming," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 35(2), pages 213-222, September.
    2. José A. Gómez‐Limón & Laura Riesgo & Manuel Arriaza, 2004. "Multi‐Criteria Analysis of Input Use in Agriculture," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 55(3), pages 541-564, November.
    3. Andres Picazo-Tadeo & Ernest Reig-Martinez, 2006. "Agricultural externalities and environmental regulation: evaluating good practice in citrus production," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(11), pages 1327-1334.
    4. Basset-Mens, Claudine & Ledgard, Stewart & Boyes, Mark, 2009. "Eco-efficiency of intensification scenarios for milk production in New Zealand," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(6), pages 1615-1625, April.
    5. World Commission on Environment and Development,, 1987. "Our Common Future," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780192820808.
    6. Gómez-Limón, José A. & Sanchez-Fernandez, Gabriela, 2010. "Empirical evaluation of agricultural sustainability using composite indicators," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(5), pages 1062-1075, March.
    7. Van Passel, Steven & Nevens, Frank & Mathijs, Erik & Van Huylenbroeck, Guido, 2007. "Measuring farm sustainability and explaining differences in sustainable efficiency," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 62(1), pages 149-161, April.
    8. Bohringer, Christoph & Jochem, Patrick E.P., 2007. "Measuring the immeasurable -- A survey of sustainability indices," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 63(1), pages 1-8, June.
    9. Picazo-Tadeo, Andres J. & Reig-Martinez, Ernest, 2007. "Farmers' costs of environmental regulation: Reducing the consumption of nitrogen in citrus farming," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 24(2), pages 312-328, March.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Berre, David & Boussemart, Jean-Philippe & Leleu, Hervé & Tillard, Emmanuel, 2013. "Economic value of greenhouse gases and nitrogen surpluses: Society vs farmers’ valuation," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 226(2), pages 325-331.
    2. Picazo-Tadeo, Andrés J. & Castillo-Giménez, Juana & Beltrán-Esteve, Mercedes, 2014. "An intertemporal approach to measuring environmental performance with directional distance functions: Greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 173-182.
    3. Picazo-Tadeo, Andrés J. & Beltrán-Esteve, Mercedes & Gómez-Limón, José A., 2012. "Assessing eco-efficiency with directional distance functions," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 220(3), pages 798-809.
    4. Orea, Luis & Wall, Alan, 2015. "A parametric frontier model for measuring eco-efficiency," Efficiency Series Papers 2015/02, University of Oviedo, Department of Economics, Oviedo Efficiency Group (OEG).
    5. Gómez-Calvet, Roberto & Conesa, David & Gómez-Calvet, Ana Rosa & Tortosa-Ausina, Emili, 2014. "Energy efficiency in the European Union: What can be learned from the joint application of directional distance functions and slacks-based measures?," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 137-154.
    6. Mohamed Ghali & Laure Latruffe & Karine Daniel, 2016. "Efficient Use of Energy Resources on French Farms: An Analysis through Technical Efficiency," Energies, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-15, July.
    7. Rashidi, Kamran & Farzipoor Saen, Reza, 2015. "Measuring eco-efficiency based on green indicators and potentials in energy saving and undesirable output abatement," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 18-26.
    8. Mercedes Beltrán-Esteve & José Gómez-Limón & Andrés Picazo-Tadeo & Ernest Reig-Martínez, 2014. "A metafrontier directional distance function approach to assessing eco-efficiency," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 41(1), pages 69-83, February.
    9. Zhang, Ning & Kong, Fanbin & Choi, Yongrok & Zhou, P., 2014. "The effect of size-control policy on unified energy and carbon efficiency for Chinese fossil fuel power plants," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 193-200.
    10. María Pérez Urdiales & Alfons Oude Lansink & Alan Wall, 2016. "Eco-efficiency Among Dairy Farmers: The Importance of Socio-economic Characteristics and Farmer Attitudes," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 64(4), pages 559-574, August.
    11. Andrés J. Picazo-Tadeo & Juana Castillo & Mercedes Beltrán-Esteve, 2013. "A dynamic approach to measuring ecological-economic performance with directional distance functions: greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union," Working Papers 1304, Department of Applied Economics II, Universidad de Valencia.
    12. Halkos, George & Tzeremes, Nickolaos, 2013. "An additive two-stage DEA approach creating sustainability efficiency indexes," MPRA Paper 44231, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    13. Conto, Francesco & Fiore, Mariantonietta & La Sala, Piermichele & Papapietro, Paolo, . "The Role Of Education, Knowledge And Human Resources For The Agricultural Development In The Perspective Of New Cap: An Hypothesis Of Change In Basilicata," APSTRACT: Applied Studies in Agribusiness and Commerce, AGRIMBA, vol. 6(01-2), pages 1-8.
    14. Begin, Rosemarie & Tamini, Lota D. & Doyon, Maurice, 2014. "L'effet du travail hors-ferme sur l'efficacité technique des fermes laitières québécoises: un modèle intégrant les biais de sélection sur les observables et inobservables," Working Papers 187233, University of Laval, Center for Research on the Economics of the Environment, Agri-food, Transports and Energy (CREATE).
    15. Alessandro Manello & Matteo Ferraris, 2013. "Eco-Efficiency in the Italian Waste Management sector," CERIS Working Paper 201312, CNR-IRCrES Research Institute on Sustainable Economic Growth - Torino (TO) ITALY - former Institute for Economic Research on Firms and Growth - Moncalieri (TO) ITALY.
    16. José A. Gómez-Limón & Andrés J. Picazo-Tadeo & Ernest Reig-Martínez, 2011. "Eco-efficiency Assessment of Olive Farms in Andalusia," Working Papers 1105, Department of Applied Economics II, Universidad de Valencia.
    17. O. Carboni & Russu, 2014. "Measuring Environmental and Economic Efficiency in Italy: an Application of the Malmquist-DEA and Grey Forecasting Model," Working Paper CRENoS 201401, Centre for North South Economic Research, University of Cagliari and Sassari, Sardinia.
    18. Dakpo, Hervé K & Jeanneaux, Philippe & Latruffe, Laure, 2014. "Inclusion of undesirable outputs in production technology modeling: The case of greenhouse gas emissions in French meat sheep farming," Working Papers 207806, Institut National de la recherche Agronomique (INRA), Departement Sciences Sociales, Agriculture et Alimentation, Espace et Environnement (SAE2).
    19. Mercedes Beltrán-Esteve & José A. Gómez-Limón & Andrés J. Picazo-Tadeo, 2011. "Are Production Technologies Associated To Agri-Environmental Programs More Eco-Efficient? A Case Study For Rain-Fed Agriculture," Working Papers 1115, Department of Applied Economics II, Universidad de Valencia.

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    JEL classification:

    • C61 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Optimization Techniques; Programming Models; Dynamic Analysis
    • D21 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Theory
    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth

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