Premium
AN ANALYSIS OF PEASANT FARM PRODUCTION UNDER CONDITIONS OF UNCERTAINTY *
Author(s) -
Heyer J.
Publication year - 1972
Publication title -
journal of agricultural economics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.157
H-Index - 61
eISSN - 1477-9552
pISSN - 0021-857X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1477-9552.1972.tb01437.x
Subject(s) - production (economics) , peasant , minimax , range (aeronautics) , agricultural engineering , economic analysis , agriculture , simplicity , economics , agricultural economics , linear programming , agricultural science , sensitivity (control systems) , mathematics , econometrics , environmental science , microeconomics , mathematical optimization , geography , engineering , philosophy , archaeology , epistemology , aerospace engineering , electronic engineering
In this paper the impact of cotton on a traditional food crop system in a semi‐arid area of Kenya is analysed using a linear programming model and sensitivity analysis. Alternative criteria, maximax, maximin, and a standard average return maximand, are used in turn. The solutions are all evaluated as ‘best year’, ‘worst year’, and average values. This gives a range of results that cakes account of the uncertainty in the farming situation. Several policy conclusions follow from the analysis. It is argued that the approach used is more realistic than an approach in which a single maximand is used, and that the simplicity of the approach brings it within reach of many involved in farm production analysis.