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Examining the technical efficiency of rice producers in Bangladesh
Author(s) -
Balcombe Kelvin,
Fraser Iain,
Rahman Mizanur,
Smith Laurence
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of international development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.533
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1099-1328
pISSN - 0954-1748
DOI - 10.1002/jid.1284
Subject(s) - food security , agriculture , poverty , economics , sample (material) , agricultural economics , distribution (mathematics) , population , business , economic growth , geography , mathematics , mathematical analysis , chemistry , demography , archaeology , chromatography , sociology
Despite record national output in the early years of this decade there is widespread concern that rice yields in Bangladesh are below those attainable, and that given future population growth this may constrain achievement of food security and poverty reduction objectives. A frequent response to this problem is that farmers could close the gap between actual farm yields and potential yields identified in field trials if farmers who are technically inefficient could improve their current farming practices. This paper estimates and explains technical efficiency for a sample of rice farmers in Bangladesh employing Bayesian methods. The results provide insights into the distribution of technical efficiency and identify important influences on rice growing. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.