IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/idb/brikps/11984.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Agricultural Productivity in El Salvador: A Preliminary Analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Bravo-Ureta, Boris E.
  • Njuki, Eric
  • Palacios, Ana Claudia
  • Salazar, Lina

Abstract

The need to enhance food security while reducing poverty along with the growing threat imposed by climate change clearly reveal that it is imperative to accelerate agricultural productivity growth. This paper estimates micro-level production models to identify the major factors that have contributed to productivity growth in El Salvador, including irrigation, purchased inputs, mechanization, technical assistance, and farm size, among others. The econometric framework adopted in this investigation is grounded on recent panel data stochastic production frontier methodologies. The results obtained from the estimation of these models are used to calculate Total Factor Productivity (TFP) change and to decompose such change into different factors, including technological progress, technical efficiency (TE), and economies of scale. The findings imply that efforts are needed to improve productivity in both technological progress and technical efficiency where the latter is a measurement of managerial performance. This in turn indicates that resources should be devoted to promoting the adoption and diffusion of improved technologies while enhancing managerial capabilities through agricultural extension.

Suggested Citation

  • Bravo-Ureta, Boris E. & Njuki, Eric & Palacios, Ana Claudia & Salazar, Lina, 2022. "Agricultural Productivity in El Salvador: A Preliminary Analysis," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 11984, Inter-American Development Bank.
  • Handle: RePEc:idb:brikps:11984
    DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18235/0004020
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://publications.iadb.org/publications/english/document/Agricultural-Productivity-in-El-Salvador-A-Preliminary-Analysis-.pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/http://dx.doi.org/10.18235/0004020?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
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Andrés J. Picazo‐Tadeo & Alan Wall, 2011. "Production risk, risk aversion and the determination of risk attitudes among Spanish rice producers," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 42(4), pages 451-464, July.
    2. Roberto Colombi & Subal Kumbhakar & Gianmaria Martini & Giorgio Vittadini, 2014. "Closed-skew normality in stochastic frontiers with individual effects and long/short-run efficiency," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 42(2), pages 123-136, October.
    3. Abdul-Rahaman, Awal & Abdulai, Awudu, 2018. "Do farmer groups impact on farm yield and efficiency of smallholder farmers? Evidence from rice farmers in northern Ghana," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 95-105.
    4. Salazar, Lina & Aramburu, Julián & González-Flores, Mario & Winters, Paul, 2016. "Sowing for food security: A case study of smallholder farmers in Bolivia," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 32-52.
    5. Efthymios G. Tsionas & Subal C. Kumbhakar, 2014. "FIRM HETEROGENEITY, PERSISTENT AND TRANSIENT TECHNICAL INEFFICIENCY: A GENERALIZED TRUE RANDOM‐EFFECTS model," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(1), pages 110-132, January.
    6. Massimo Filippini & William Greene, 2016. "Persistent and transient productive inefficiency: a maximum simulated likelihood approach," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 45(2), pages 187-196, April.
    7. Boris Bravo-Ureta & William Greene & Daniel Solís, 2012. "Technical efficiency analysis correcting for biases from observed and unobserved variables: an application to a natural resource management project," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 43(1), pages 55-72, August.
    8. Bravo-Ureta, Boris E. & Jara-Rojas, Roberto & Lachaud, Michee A. & Moreira, Victor H., 2017. "A Meta Analysis of Farm Efficiency: Evidence from the Production Frontier Literature," Research Reports 290067, University of Connecticut, Charles J. Zwick Center for Food and Resource Policy.
    9. Giannis Karagiannis & Magnus Kellermann, 2019. "Stochastic frontier models with correlated effects," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 51(2), pages 175-187, June.
    10. Subal Kumbhakar & Gudbrand Lien & J. Hardaker, 2014. "Technical efficiency in competing panel data models: a study of Norwegian grain farming," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 41(2), pages 321-337, April.
    11. D. S. Prasada Rao & T. J. Coelli, 2004. "Catch-up and Convergence in Global Agricultural Productivity," Indian Economic Review, Department of Economics, Delhi School of Economics, vol. 39(1), pages 123-148, January.
    12. González-Flores, Mario & Bravo-Ureta, Boris E. & Solís, Daniel & Winters, Paul, 2014. "The impact of high value markets on smallholder productivity in the Ecuadorean Sierra: A Stochastic Production Frontier approach correcting for selectivity bias," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 237-247.
    13. Michée A. Lachaud & Boris E. Bravo‐Ureta, 2021. "Agricultural productivity growth in Latin America and the Caribbean: an analysis of climatic effects, catch‐up and convergence," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 65(1), pages 143-170, January.
    14. Mehdi Farsi & Massimo Filippini & Michael Kuenzle, 2005. "Unobserved heterogeneity in stochastic cost frontier models: an application to Swiss nursing homes," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(18), pages 2127-2141.
    15. Willam Greene, 2005. "Fixed and Random Effects in Stochastic Frontier Models," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 23(1), pages 7-32, January.
    16. Boris E. Bravo‐Ureta & Mario González‐Flores & William Greene & Daniel Solís, 2021. "Technology and Technical Efficiency Change: Evidence from a Difference in Differences Selectivity Corrected Stochastic Production Frontier Model," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 103(1), pages 362-385, January.
    17. Alessandro Maffioli & Diego Ubfal & Gonzalo Vázquez Baré & Pedro Cerdán‐Infantes, 2011. "Extension services, product quality and yields: the case of grapes in Argentina," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 42(6), pages 727-734, November.
    18. Tim J. Coelli & D. S. Prasada Rao, 2005. "Total factor productivity growth in agriculture: a Malmquist index analysis of 93 countries, 1980–2000," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 32(s1), pages 115-134, January.
    19. Halliday, Timothy J., 2012. "Intra-household labor supply, migration, and subsistence constraints in a risky environment: Evidence from rural El salvador," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 56(6), pages 1001-1019.
    20. Boris E. Bravo‐Ureta & Víctor H. Moreira & Javier L. Troncoso & Alan Wall, 2020. "Plot‐level technical efficiency accounting for farm‐level effects: Evidence from Chilean wine grape producers," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 51(6), pages 811-824, November.
    21. Jenifer Piesse & Beatrice Conradie & Colin Thirtle & Nick Vink, 2018. "Efficiency in wine grape production: comparing long†established and newly developed regions of South Africa," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 49(2), pages 203-212, March.
    22. Nishimizu, Mieko & Page, John M, Jr, 1982. "Total Factor Productivity Growth, Technological Progress and Technical Efficiency Change: Dimensions of Productivity Change in Yugoslavia, 1965-78," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 92(368), pages 920-936, December.
    23. Ogundari, Kolawole, 2014. "The Paradigm of Agricultural Efficiency and its Implication on Food Security in Africa: What Does Meta-analysis Reveal?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 690-702.
    24. Awudu Abdulai & Hendrik Tietje, 2007. "Estimating technical efficiency under unobserved heterogeneity with stochastic frontier models: application to northern German dairy farms," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 34(3), pages 393-416, September.
    25. Michee Arnold Lachaud & Boris E. Bravo-Ureta & Carlos E. Ludena, 2017. "Agricultural productivity in Latin America and the Caribbean in the presence of unobserved heterogeneity and climatic effects," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 143(3), pages 445-460, August.
    26. Jondrow, James & Knox Lovell, C. A. & Materov, Ivan S. & Schmidt, Peter, 1982. "On the estimation of technical inefficiency in the stochastic frontier production function model," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 19(2-3), pages 233-238, August.
    27. Boris E. Bravo‐Ureta & Alexandre Nunes Almeida & Daniel Solís & Aarón Inestroza, 2011. "The Economic Impact of Marena’s Investments on Sustainable Agricultural Systems in Honduras," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 62(2), pages 429-448, June.
    28. 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.
    29. P.J. Dawson & J. Lingard, 1982. "Management bias and returns to scale in a Cobb-Douglas production function for agriculture," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 9(1), pages 7-24.
    30. Channing Arndt & Thomas W. Hertel & Paul V. Preckel, 2003. "Bridging the Gap between Partial and Total Factor Productivity Measures Using Directional Distance Functions," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 85(4), pages 928-942.
    31. Eric Njuki & Boris E Bravo-Ureta & Víctor E Cabrera, 2020. "Climatic effects and total factor productivity: econometric evidence for Wisconsin dairy farms," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 47(3), pages 1276-1301.
    32. repec:zwi:journl:v:43:y:2012:i:1:p:55-72 is not listed on IDEAS
    33. Eric Njuki & Boris E Bravo-Ureta & Víctor E Cabrera, 2020. "Corrigendum: Climatic effects and total factor productivity: econometric evidence for Wisconsin dairy farms," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 47(2), pages 848-848.
    34. Aigner, Dennis & Lovell, C. A. Knox & Schmidt, Peter, 1977. "Formulation and estimation of stochastic frontier production function models," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 6(1), pages 21-37, July.
    35. Ximena V. Del Carpio & Norman Loayza & Gayatri Datar, 2011. "Is Irrigation Rehabilitation Good for Poor Farmers? An Impact Evaluation of a Non‐Experimental Irrigation Project in Peru," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 62(2), pages 449-473, June.
    36. Greene, William, 2005. "Reconsidering heterogeneity in panel data estimators of the stochastic frontier model," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 126(2), pages 269-303, June.
    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. Boris E. Bravo‐Ureta & Víctor H. Moreira & Javier L. Troncoso & Alan Wall, 2020. "Plot‐level technical efficiency accounting for farm‐level effects: Evidence from Chilean wine grape producers," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 51(6), pages 811-824, November.
    2. Skevas, Ioannis & Skevas, Theodoros, 2021. "A generalized true random-effects model with spatially autocorrelated persistent and transient inefficiency," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 293(3), pages 1131-1142.
    3. Bravo-Ureta, Boris E. & Jara-Rojas, Roberto & Lachaud, Michee A. & Moreira L., Victor H. & Scheierling, Susanne M., 2015. "Water and Farm Efficiency: Insights from the Frontier Literature," 2015 AAEA & WAEA Joint Annual Meeting, July 26-28, San Francisco, California 206076, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    4. Rawat, Pankaj S. & Sharma, Seema, 2021. "TFP growth, technical efficiency and catch-up dynamics: Evidence from Indian manufacturing," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    5. Pontus Mattsson & Jonas Mansson & William H. Greene, 2018. "TFP Change and its Components for Swedish Manufacturing Firms During the 2008-2009 Financial Crisis," Working Papers 18-27, New York University, Leonard N. Stern School of Business, Department of Economics.
    6. Raushan Bokusheva & Lukáš Čechura & Subal C. Kumbhakar, 2023. "Estimating persistent and transient technical efficiency and their determinants in the presence of heterogeneity and endogeneity," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 74(2), pages 450-472, June.
    7. Lachaud, Michee Arnold & Bravo-Ureta, Boris E. & Ludena, Carlos E., 2015. "Agricultural productivity growth in Latin America and the Caribbean and other world regions: An analysis of climatic effects, convergence and catch-up," Working Papers 40, University of Connecticut, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Charles J. Zwick Center for Food and Resource Policy.
    8. Subal C. Kumbhakar & Gudbrand Lien, 2017. "Yardstick Regulation of Electricity Distribution Disentangling Short-run and Long-run Inefficiencies," The Energy Journal, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 0(Number 5).
    9. Bernstein, David H., 2020. "An updated assessment of technical efficiency and returns to scale for U.S. electric power plants," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).
    10. Lachaud, Michee & Bravo-Ureta, Boris & Ludena, Carlos, 2015. "Agricultural Productivity Growth in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC): An analysis of Climatic Effects, Convergence, and Catch-up," 2015 Conference, August 9-14, 2015, Milan, Italy 211721, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    11. Julien, Jacques C. & Bravo-Ureta, Boris E. & Rada, Nicholas E., 2023. "Gender and agricultural Productivity: Econometric evidence from Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    12. Bopp, Carlos & Jara-Rojas, Roberto & Bravo-Ureta, Boris & Engler, Alejandra, 2022. "Irrigation water use, shadow values and productivity: Evidence from stochastic production frontiers in vineyards," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 271(C).
    13. García-Suarez, Federico, 2021. "Productivity and Efficiency in Uruguay: A Stochastic Approach," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 313805, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    14. Gralka, Sabine, 2018. "Stochastic frontier analysis in higher education: A systematic review," CEPIE Working Papers 05/18, Technische Universität Dresden, Center of Public and International Economics (CEPIE).
    15. Martini, Gianmaria & Scotti, Davide & Viola, Domenico & Vittadini, Giorgio, 2020. "Persistent and temporary inefficiency in airport cost function: An application to Italy," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 999-1019.
    16. Roberto Colombi & Gianmaria Martini & Giorgio Vittadini, 2017. "Determinants of transient and persistent hospital efficiency: The case of Italy," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(S2), pages 5-22, September.
    17. Daniel Albalate & Jordi Rosell, 2016. "Persistent and transient efficiency on the stochastic production and cost frontiers – an application to the motorway sector," Working Papers XREAP2016-04, Xarxa de Referència en Economia Aplicada (XREAP), revised Oct 2016.
    18. Albalate, Daniel & Rosell, Jordi, 2019. "On the efficiency of toll motorway companies in Spain," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    19. Owusu, Eric S. & Bravo-Ureta, Boris E., 2022. "Reap when you sow? The productivity impacts of early sowing in Malawi," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    20. Michée A. Lachaud & Boris E. Bravo‐Ureta & Carlos E. Ludena, 2022. "Economic effects of climate change on agricultural production and productivity in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 53(2), pages 321-332, March.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    agriculrure; agriculture productivity; El Salvador; Agriculture policy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q10 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - General
    • Q18 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Agricultural Policy; Food Policy; Animal Welfare Policy
    • Q12 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Micro Analysis of Farm Firms, Farm Households, and Farm Input Markets

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    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:idb:brikps:11984. 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: Felipe Herrera Library (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/iadbbus.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.