Technical Efficiency of Maize Production and Its Influencing Factors in the World’s Largest Groundwater Drop Funnel Area, China
Improving the efficiency of maize production is of great significance for global food security and the effective supply of agricultural products. Based on the survey data of 381 rural households, this study uses a stochastic frontier analysis to estimate the efficiency value and empirically analyze...
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MDPI AG
2022-04-01
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author | Zhaohong Wu Wenyuan Hua Liangguo Luo Katsuya Tanaka |
author_facet | Zhaohong Wu Wenyuan Hua Liangguo Luo Katsuya Tanaka |
author_sort | Zhaohong Wu |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Improving the efficiency of maize production is of great significance for global food security and the effective supply of agricultural products. Based on the survey data of 381 rural households, this study uses a stochastic frontier analysis to estimate the efficiency value and empirically analyze the factors affecting the technology efficiency of maize production in the Hengshui area of the North China Plain. First, higher costs were found to be related to extensive production methods of fertilization, pesticide application, and irrigation. Second, the results showed that there was an inverted U-shaped relationship between the irrigation cost and maize output. Specifically, when the irrigation cost was about 938 yuan/hectare, the maize output per unit area was optimal. Third, there was also an inverted U-shaped relationship between the fertilizer cost and maize output, and the loss of technical efficiency of maize output was minimal when the fertilizer cost is 2547 yuan/hectare. In addition, the findings of the inefficiency influencing factor model suggested that temperature and humidity were all positively associated with the non-efficiency of maize production. These findings can provide empirical support for improving the efficiency of maize production in North China or arid and semi-arid regions around the world. |
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language | English |
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spelling | doaj.art-9d7a7876aa1743958f9eccb191788be82023-11-23T09:39:35ZengMDPI AGAgriculture2077-04722022-04-0112564910.3390/agriculture12050649Technical Efficiency of Maize Production and Its Influencing Factors in the World’s Largest Groundwater Drop Funnel Area, ChinaZhaohong Wu0Wenyuan Hua1Liangguo Luo2Katsuya Tanaka3Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100089, ChinaInstitute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100089, ChinaInstitute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100089, ChinaResearch Center for Sustainability and Environment Economics, Shiga University, 1-1-1 Bamba, Hikone 522-8522, JapanImproving the efficiency of maize production is of great significance for global food security and the effective supply of agricultural products. Based on the survey data of 381 rural households, this study uses a stochastic frontier analysis to estimate the efficiency value and empirically analyze the factors affecting the technology efficiency of maize production in the Hengshui area of the North China Plain. First, higher costs were found to be related to extensive production methods of fertilization, pesticide application, and irrigation. Second, the results showed that there was an inverted U-shaped relationship between the irrigation cost and maize output. Specifically, when the irrigation cost was about 938 yuan/hectare, the maize output per unit area was optimal. Third, there was also an inverted U-shaped relationship between the fertilizer cost and maize output, and the loss of technical efficiency of maize output was minimal when the fertilizer cost is 2547 yuan/hectare. In addition, the findings of the inefficiency influencing factor model suggested that temperature and humidity were all positively associated with the non-efficiency of maize production. These findings can provide empirical support for improving the efficiency of maize production in North China or arid and semi-arid regions around the world.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/12/5/649maize productiontechnical efficiencystochastic frontier analysisHebei province |
spellingShingle | Zhaohong Wu Wenyuan Hua Liangguo Luo Katsuya Tanaka Technical Efficiency of Maize Production and Its Influencing Factors in the World’s Largest Groundwater Drop Funnel Area, China Agriculture maize production technical efficiency stochastic frontier analysis Hebei province |
title | Technical Efficiency of Maize Production and Its Influencing Factors in the World’s Largest Groundwater Drop Funnel Area, China |
title_full | Technical Efficiency of Maize Production and Its Influencing Factors in the World’s Largest Groundwater Drop Funnel Area, China |
title_fullStr | Technical Efficiency of Maize Production and Its Influencing Factors in the World’s Largest Groundwater Drop Funnel Area, China |
title_full_unstemmed | Technical Efficiency of Maize Production and Its Influencing Factors in the World’s Largest Groundwater Drop Funnel Area, China |
title_short | Technical Efficiency of Maize Production and Its Influencing Factors in the World’s Largest Groundwater Drop Funnel Area, China |
title_sort | technical efficiency of maize production and its influencing factors in the world s largest groundwater drop funnel area china |
topic | maize production technical efficiency stochastic frontier analysis Hebei province |
url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/12/5/649 |
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