Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Truc Linh Le Author-Workplace-Name: School of Agriculture and Aquaculture, Tra Vinh University, Tra Vinh, Vietnam Author-Name: Pai-Po Lee Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Tropical Agriculture and International Cooperation, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung, Taiwan Author-Name: Ke Chung Peng Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agribusiness Management, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung, Taiwan Author-Name: Rebecca H. Chung Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Tropical Agriculture and International Cooperation, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung, Taiwan Title: Evaluation of total factor productivity and environmental efficiency of agriculture in nine East Asian countries Abstract: This study assessed the change in productivity and environmental efficiency of agriculture for nine East Asian countries for the time period from 2002 to 2010. Data were collected and then analysed by data envelopment analysis (DEA) approaches, including Malmquist total factor productivity (TFP) index and slacks-based measure (SBM) with the consideration of undesirable outputs. The results showed that there existed relatively large differences in productivity growth and environmental performance in the agricultural sector between countries in the sample. Overall, the countries examined in the present study experienced a decline in TFP due to decreases in technical efficiency. Taiwan, Japan, and Korea were found to show growths in productivity and fully efficient environmental performances throughout the study period, while Thailand was identified as having the lowest environmental efficiency score. Therefore, agriculture production and operation models in Taiwan, Japan, and Korea could serve as good references for the other six countries. Keywords: environmental efficiency, Malmquist total factor productivity index, slacks-based measure DEA (data envelopment analysis), total factor productivity growth Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 249-258 Volume: 65 Issue: 6 Year: 2019 DOI: 10.17221/50/2018-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/50/2018-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-201906-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:65:y:2019:i:6:id:50-2018-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Stefano Corsi Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agricultural and Environmental Science, University of Milan, Milan, Italy Author-Name: Chiara Mazzocchi Title: Alternative Food Networks (AFNs): Determinants for consumer and farmer participation in Lombardy, Italy Abstract: Scaling up supply chains in the interest of cost-effectiveness has led to an increasing disconnection between producers and consumers in today's globalised food system. This paper assesses the agricultural and territorial drivers that influence the development of Alternative Food Networks (AFNs), where consumers and producers act together, by implementing an Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression. The analysis was carried out at a municipal scale in Lombardy, in northern Italy. The territorial characteristics of the local areas were less important in explaining the level of consumer and producer participation in the alternative food networks, rather than the specific factors related to the agricultural sector. Keywords: direct sale, short supply chain, participation approach Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 259-269 Volume: 65 Issue: 6 Year: 2019 DOI: 10.17221/230/2018-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/230/2018-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-201906-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:65:y:2019:i:6:id:230-2018-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Benedikt Kramer Author-Workplace-Name: Agroscope, Ettenhausen, Switzerland Author-Workplace-Name: University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany Author-Name: Anke Schorr Author-Workplace-Name: Agroscope, Ettenhausen, Switzerland Author-Name: Reiner Doluschitz Author-Workplace-Name: University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany Author-Name: Markus Lips Author-Workplace-Name: Agroscope, Ettenhausen, Switzerland Title: Short and medium-term impact of dairy barn investment on profitability and herd size in Switzerland Abstract: Investing in larger barns and increasing herd size are crucial milestones in dairy production. Based on the Swiss Farm Accountancy Data Network and data on government-supported investments, we investigate the development of two key variables over the first eight years after investment: change in herd size and calculated profit, that is, farm income minus opportunity costs for family labour and capital. We apply a fixed-effects panel regression and test for autocorrelation present in the time series. Compared to the year before the investment, calculated profit decreases in the first three years, while in the remaining years no significant difference compared to the year before investment can be seen. Herd size increases slowly, predominantly in the second and third years after investment, to some extent explaining the less favourable development of profitability in these years. We conclude that investment in a dairy barn does not lead to improved profitability in the short and medium term, pointing to the question of whether this picture changes in the long term. Keywords: farm growth, fixed-effects, investment support, opportunity cost quota abolishment Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 270-277 Volume: 65 Issue: 6 Year: 2019 DOI: 10.17221/170/2018-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/170/2018-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-201906-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:65:y:2019:i:6:id:170-2018-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Hafiz Asim Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Economics and Business Administration, University of Education, Lower Mall Campus, Lahore, Pakistan Author-Name: Muhammad Akbar Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Mathematics and Statistics, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan Title: Sectoral growth linkages of agricultural sector: Implications for food security in Pakistan Abstract: Does the growth in non-agricultural sectors spill over to the agricultural sector of an economy? There is limited evidence available on the issue for the developing world, especially for Pakistan which has undergone large structural changes since its independence. This study examined the impact of sectoral growth linkages on agricultural output of Pakistan for the period of 1960-2016. We have estimated an econometric model which incorporates inter-sectoral linkages of Pakistan economy using a Vector Error Correction Model (VECM). Our analysis revealed that the economy of Pakistan has shifted from an agricultural dominant economy to services-based economy during the past six decades. Results of VECM show that the industrial sector has a negative impact on the performance of agricultural output whereas services sector is influencing the output of agriculture sector positively in the long run. Short run results show that industrial sector is affecting the performance of agricultural output positively whereas services sector is influencing the output of agriculture sector negatively. Negative impacts of industry in the long run and services in the short run imply that agricultural sector should be given its due share in public investment and the role of middle man should be minimised at the time of sale of agricultural production in the markets. Keywords: growth linkages, public investment, Pakistan, spillover, structural changes, vector error correction model (VECM) Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 278-288 Volume: 65 Issue: 6 Year: 2019 DOI: 10.17221/314/2017-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/314/2017-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-201906-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:65:y:2019:i:6:id:314-2017-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jindrich Spicka Author-Name: Tomas Hlavsa Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Agricultural Economics and Information, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Katerina Soukupova Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Agricultural Economics and Information, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Marie Stolbova Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Agricultural Economics and Information, Prague, Czech Republic Title: Approaches to estimation the farm-level economic viability and sustainability in agriculture: A literature review Abstract: Estimation of farm economic sustainability and viability became more topical when redesigning the Common Agricultural Policy which should stabilise farm income and make agribusiness more viable and sustainable (typically in Czech areas facing natural constraints). The key question is how to calculate the income of farms or farm households not only to survive but also to grow sustainably. The article summarises and compares knowledge from 51 studies to provide a comprehensive discussion on different ways how to measure economic viability and sustainability to set income support for farms in the areas with natural constraints optimally. The authors found family farms and off-farm income as important limitations of FADN database (Farm Accountancy Data Network) for evaluation of the economic sustainability of farm household. Moreover, some financial ratios (Return on Assets - ROA and assets turnover) are not suitable viability indicators for farms with a high share of hired land (typically large legal entities). Joining family farms and legal entities, the authors recommend using modified Farm Net Value Added (MFNVA) allowing for opportunity costs of own land and non-land assets. The average wage in the economy or region is a better proxy for opportunity labour costs of unpaid work rather than average agricultural wage. Keywords: agriculture, autonomy, economic sustainability, economic viability, Farm Net Value Added, household income Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 289-297 Volume: 65 Issue: 6 Year: 2019 DOI: 10.17221/269/2018-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/269/2018-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-201906-0005.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:65:y:2019:i:6:id:269-2018-AGRICECON