Premium
Productivity Growth and its Components in Chinese Agriculture after Reforms
Author(s) -
Wu Shunxiang,
Walker David,
Devadoss Stephen,
Lu Yaochi
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
review of development economics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.531
H-Index - 50
eISSN - 1467-9361
pISSN - 1363-6669
DOI - 10.1111/1467-9361.00130
Subject(s) - productivity , total factor productivity , economics , agriculture , technical change , investment (military) , agricultural economics , agricultural productivity , technical progress , technological change , capital deepening , human capital , macroeconomics , capital formation , economic growth , geography , archaeology , politics , political science , law , financial capital
This study uses nonparametric Malmquist procedures to investigate the temporal and spatial nature of productivity growth and its components in Chinese agriculture over the period 1980–1995. The results of this study indicate that total factor productivity grew at 2.4% annually with technical change augmenting the growth by 3.8% while efficiency change reduced productivity growth by 1.3%. For all provinces, 288 out of a total of 442 cases experienced productivity growth while the rest showed productivity regression during this post‐reform period. Coexistence of improvement in technical change and retardation in efficiency change indicates the lack of success in diffusing the existing agricultural technology. Continuing innovation and efficiency improvement through capital investment, modern input use, and greater competitive market pressures are important for augmenting productivity growth in Chinese agriculture.