Mismeasurement and efficiency estimates: Evidence from smallholder survey data in Africa
Smallholder agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa is commonly characterized by high levels of technical inefficiency. However, much of this characterization relies on self-reported input and production data, which are prone to systematic measurement error. We theoretically show that non-classical measur...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Artículo preliminar |
| Language: | Inglés |
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International Food Policy Research Institute
2022
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/140834 |
| _version_ | 1855518397377282048 |
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| author | Abay, Kibrom A. Wossen, Tesfamichael Chamberlin, Jordan |
| author_browse | Abay, Kibrom A. Chamberlin, Jordan Wossen, Tesfamichael |
| author_facet | Abay, Kibrom A. Wossen, Tesfamichael Chamberlin, Jordan |
| author_sort | Abay, Kibrom A. |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | Smallholder agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa is commonly characterized by high levels of technical inefficiency. However, much of this characterization relies on self-reported input and production data, which are prone to systematic measurement error. We theoretically show that non-classical measurement error introduces multiple identification challenges and sources of bias in estimating smallholders’ technical inefficiency. We then empirically examine the implications of measurement error for the estimation of technical inefficiency using smallholder farm survey data from Ethiopia, Malawi, Nigeria, and Tanzania. We find that measurement error in agricultural input and production data leads to a substantial upward bias in technical inefficiency estimates (by up to 85 percent for some farmers). Our results suggest that existing estimates of technical efficiency in sub-Saharan Africa may be severe underestimates of smallholders’ actual efficiency and what is commonly attributed to farmer inefficiency may be an artifact of mismeasurement in agricultural data. Our results raise questions about the received wisdom on African smallholders’ production efficiency and prior estimates of the productivity of agricultural inputs. Improving the measurement of agricultural data can improve our understanding of smallholders’ production efficiencies and improve the targeting of productivity-enhancing technologies. |
| format | Artículo preliminar |
| id | CGSpace140834 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2022 |
| publishDateRange | 2022 |
| publishDateSort | 2022 |
| publisher | International Food Policy Research Institute |
| publisherStr | International Food Policy Research Institute |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace1408342025-12-02T21:03:13Z Mismeasurement and efficiency estimates: Evidence from smallholder survey data in Africa Abay, Kibrom A. Wossen, Tesfamichael Chamberlin, Jordan efficiency data surveys dna fingerprinting agricultural products measurement field size smallholders errors Smallholder agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa is commonly characterized by high levels of technical inefficiency. However, much of this characterization relies on self-reported input and production data, which are prone to systematic measurement error. We theoretically show that non-classical measurement error introduces multiple identification challenges and sources of bias in estimating smallholders’ technical inefficiency. We then empirically examine the implications of measurement error for the estimation of technical inefficiency using smallholder farm survey data from Ethiopia, Malawi, Nigeria, and Tanzania. We find that measurement error in agricultural input and production data leads to a substantial upward bias in technical inefficiency estimates (by up to 85 percent for some farmers). Our results suggest that existing estimates of technical efficiency in sub-Saharan Africa may be severe underestimates of smallholders’ actual efficiency and what is commonly attributed to farmer inefficiency may be an artifact of mismeasurement in agricultural data. Our results raise questions about the received wisdom on African smallholders’ production efficiency and prior estimates of the productivity of agricultural inputs. Improving the measurement of agricultural data can improve our understanding of smallholders’ production efficiencies and improve the targeting of productivity-enhancing technologies. 2022-02-09 2024-04-12T13:36:43Z 2024-04-12T13:36:43Z Working Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/140834 en Open Access application/pdf International Food Policy Research Institute Abay, Kibrom A.; Wossen, Tesfamicheal; and Chamberlin, Jordan. 2022. Mismeasurement and efficiency estimates: Evidence from smallholder survey data in Africa. IFPRI Discussion Paper 2105. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.134983. |
| spellingShingle | efficiency data surveys dna fingerprinting agricultural products measurement field size smallholders errors Abay, Kibrom A. Wossen, Tesfamichael Chamberlin, Jordan Mismeasurement and efficiency estimates: Evidence from smallholder survey data in Africa |
| title | Mismeasurement and efficiency estimates: Evidence from smallholder survey data in Africa |
| title_full | Mismeasurement and efficiency estimates: Evidence from smallholder survey data in Africa |
| title_fullStr | Mismeasurement and efficiency estimates: Evidence from smallholder survey data in Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mismeasurement and efficiency estimates: Evidence from smallholder survey data in Africa |
| title_short | Mismeasurement and efficiency estimates: Evidence from smallholder survey data in Africa |
| title_sort | mismeasurement and efficiency estimates evidence from smallholder survey data in africa |
| topic | efficiency data surveys dna fingerprinting agricultural products measurement field size smallholders errors |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/140834 |
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