Technical efficiency for Colombian small crop and livestock farmers: A stochastic metafrontier approach for different production systems

Ligia Alba Melo-Becerra () and Antonio José Orozco-Gallo
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Ligia Alba Melo-Becerra: Banco de la República
Antonio José Orozco-Gallo: Banco de la República
Authors registered in the RePEc Author Service: Antonio José Orozco Gallo () and Ligia Melo

Journal of Productivity Analysis, 2017, vol. 47, issue 1, No 1, 16 pages

Abstract: Abstract This paper assesses the efficiency of crop and livestock production in Colombia by using a sample of 1565 households. The study considers households located in different production systems which differ in geography, climate and soil types. These conditions affect technical efficiency and thus render analysis under the same production frontier as inadequate. For this reason, stochastic metafrontier techniques are preferred, allowing the estimation of technical efficiency within each production system and between production systems in relation to the sector as a whole. Results suggest that households in some production systems could be benefiting from better production conditions due to advantages in the availability of natural resources and climate as well as to more favorable socio-economic conditions. Additionally, we found that, in all systems, households with higher production have higher measures of technical efficiency. Thus, significant gains could be achieved in the sector through measures that contribute to improve the efficiency of households within their production systems and by policies that help reduce the technology gap in relation to the meta-frontier. These policies would bring positive impacts on the quality of life of small farmers and on the productivity of the sector.

Keywords: Stochastic frontier analysis; Technical efficiency; Metafrontier production function; Colombia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C14 D24 Q12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (17)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Technical efficiency for Colombian small crop and livestock farmers: A stochastic metafrontier approach for different production systems (2015)
Working Paper: Technical efficiency for Colombian small crop and livestock farmers: A stochastic metafrontier approach for different production systems (2015)
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DOI: 10.1007/s11123-016-0487-x

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