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The environmental efficiency of non-certified organic farming in China: A case study of paddy rice production

Author

Listed:
  • Huanxiu Guo

    (CERDI - Centre d'Études et de Recherches sur le Développement International - UdA - Université d'Auvergne - Clermont-Ferrand I - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Sébastien Marchand

    (CERDI - Centre d'Études et de Recherches sur le Développement International - UdA - Université d'Auvergne - Clermont-Ferrand I - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

Abstract

This case study compares the environmental efficiency of non-certified organic and conventional rice production in southern China. Using plot-season level survey data, we test the existence of a "technology gap" between the two types of production, and calculate their environmental efficiency scores based on the level of pure nitrogen use, which is considered as an environmentally detrimental input within the framework of the stochastic frontier analysis. Our analysis reveals that organic farming loses its environmental performance at high nitrogen levels and that during the initial conversion period to organic farming newly converted organic farmers increase the use of external nutrients such as nitrogen to compensate for potential yield losses. These results highlight the uncertainty with which conventional farmers initially tend to view organic farming. However, we find that the experience gained by organic farmers over time helps them increase and maintain the environmental efficiency. Wewarn against the rapid expansion of organic farming and recommend more technical support and strict nutrient regulation to foster the environmental efficiency of organic farming.

Suggested Citation

  • Huanxiu Guo & Sébastien Marchand, 2014. "The environmental efficiency of non-certified organic farming in China: A case study of paddy rice production," Post-Print halshs-01073137, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:halshs-01073137
    DOI: 10.1016/j.chieco.2014.09.006
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    2. Qiubo Zhu & Mariska van der Voort & Guangcheng Ren & Junfei Bai, 2023. "Impact of information and communication technologies on fertilizer and pesticide use efficiency of China's grain production," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(4), pages 2331-2356, November.
    3. Régina D.C. Bonou-zin & Khalil Allali & Aziz Fadlaoui, 2019. "Environmental Efficiency of Organic and Conventional Cotton in Benin," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-17, May.
    4. Lifen Huang & Jie Yang & Xiaoyi Cui & Huozhong Yang & Shouhong Wang & Hengyang Zhuang, 2016. "Synergy and Transition of Recovery Efficiency of Nitrogen Fertilizer in Various Rice Genotypes under Organic Farming," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(9), pages 1-14, August.
    5. Diop, Thierno Bocar & Védrine, Lionel, 2025. "Did crop diversity criterion from CAP green payments affect both economic and environmental farm performances? Quasi-experimental evidence from France," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 227(C).
    6. Zhang, Qian & Sun, Zhongxiao & Huang, Wei, 2018. "Does land perform well for corn planting? An empirical study on land use efficiency in China," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 273-280.
    7. Mingqing Liu & Yuncheng Wu & Sijie Huang & Yuwen Yang & Yan Li & Lei Wang & Yunguan Xi & Jibing Zhang & Qiuhui Chen, 2022. "Effects of Organic Fertilization Rates on Surface Water Nitrogen and Phosphorus Concentrations in Paddy Fields," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-12, September.
    8. Mei-Yin Kuan & Szu-Yung Wang & Jiun-Hao Wang, 2021. "Investigating the Association between Farmers’ Organizational Participation and Types of Agricultural Product Certifications: Empirical Evidence from a National Farm Households Survey in Taiwan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-18, August.
    9. Truc Linh Le & Pai-Po Lee & Ke Chung Peng & Rebecca H. Chung, 2019. "Evaluation of total factor productivity and environmental efficiency of agriculture in nine East Asian countries," Agricultural Economics, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 65(6), pages 249-258.
    10. Yi-Xuan Lu & Si-Ting Wang & Guan-Xin Yao & Jing Xu, 2023. "Green Total Factor Efficiency in Vegetable Production: A Comprehensive Ecological Analysis of China’s Practices," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-25, October.
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    12. Thierno Bocar Diop & Lionel Védrine, 2024. "Did crop diversity criterion from CAP green payments affect both economic and environmental farm performances? Quasi-experimental evidence from France," Post-Print hal-04739921, HAL.
    13. Luo Muchen & Rosita Hamdan & Rossazana Ab-Rahim, 2022. "Data-Driven Evaluation and Optimization of Agricultural Environmental Efficiency with Carbon Emission Constraints," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-22, September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Organic farming; Environmental efficiency; Stochastic frontier analysis; China;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q12 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Micro Analysis of Farm Firms, Farm Households, and Farm Input Markets
    • Q57 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Ecological Economics
    • R15 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Econometric and Input-Output Models; Other Methods
    • O53 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Asia including Middle East
    • D71 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Social Choice; Clubs; Committees; Associations

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