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Allocative Efficiency Of Agricultural Water Production Based On The Theory Of The Frontier Research

Posted on:2009-07-27Degree:DoctorType:Dissertation
Country:ChinaCandidate:X Y WangFull Text:PDF
GTID:1119360242486222Subject:Agricultural Economics and Management
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Water is the lifeblood of agricultural production and an important strategic resource to ensure national food security. Abundant water resource facilitates agricultural production. On the other hand, limited water resource will hold back agricultural development. Whether in provincial or national level, the shortage of water will restrict the increase of grain yield per unit area, which is particularly prominent in major grain-producing areas. Therefore, it is urgent to improve the production efficiency of agricultural water in order to maintain sustainable growth and ensure national food security. However, up to now, the problem still lacks a clear understanding both in theory and practice.In this thesis, the author firstly reviews overall domestic and foreign related researches as well as production frontier theory. Then, from the perspective of "production resource allocation", the author adopts currently widely-used calculation methods of SFA and DEA systematically, together with convergence test, regression analysis, comparative analysis and other research methods, attempting to measure the gap accurately between actual and effective water resource allocation of different agricultural producers from macro- and micro-perspective respectively. In addition, the author also makes decomposition and in-depth analysis of the efficiency measurement results, measures efficiency difference among various subjects, explores the main reasons of inefficient or ineffective allocation and investigates emphatically the impact of market-oriented reform of water allocation on production allocative efficiency of agricultural water, based on which some further related policy implications were proposed. Specifically, research contents include the following three aspects:The first part studies production allocative efficiency of agricultural water resources at the level of provinces. Considering regional differences of agricultural production and water distribution, the author, according to the panel data set from 1997 to 2006, chooses China's 31 provinces as macro decision-making units and uses the methods of SFA and DEA to evaluate production allocative efficiency of agricultural water resource at the macro level. Then, after making cluster zoning of efficiency, the author probes into efficiency differences among regions by the means of convergence test. In addition, efficiency is further decomposed into scale efficiency, disposal efficiency and technical efficiency in this section. Moreover, the author analyzes the reasons and key factors giving rise to low production allocative efficiency of agricultural water at macro level with Tobit regression model.The second part explores production allocative efficiency of agricultural water resource at the level of farm. According to the survey data of 432 farmers from northwest regions, the author uses the methods of SFA and DEA to reckon water production allocative efficiency of farm households, and decompose results into scale efficiency, disposal efficiency and technical efficiency. Finally, the author estimates cost efficiency and studies the specific factors affecting inefficient productive allocation of agricultural water under the shortage of water resources with Tobit regression model.The third part analyzes the impact of water allocation market-oriented reform on production allocative efficiency of agricultural water. Based on property rights and price theory, the author analyzes the relationship among water property system, price mechanism and water production allocative efficiency. In the light of calculation and decomposition results, the author makes further empirical test on research hypotheses in order to investigate specifically the impact of water allocation market-oriented reform on efficiency.The results show that agricultural water use of sample farm households and provinces are both in a state of inefficient productive allocation, and water is squandered. If estimated according to sown areas of crops, China's agricultural production can save water of 112.375 billion m~3 to the greatest extent assuming unchanged output and other inputs. Taken together, the average production allocative efficiency of agricultural water resources is less than 0.6 at the level of provinces, and for 432 farmers, about 0.3. Efficiency differences among regions first climb up and then decline. After the turning point of 2002, it will eventually reach a stable state, but not unconditionally narrow. Regional specific conditions are important factors to affect the trend of efficiency convergence. Compared with the progress of production technology, improving agricultural production scale and enhancing the free disposal of water inputs can save a great deal of limited water resources. In addition, other factors such as natural and geographical conditions, the endowment of water resources, the structure of farming, the facilities of irrigation and water supply, water price and the income of farmers, will affect the efficiency level of productive allocation significantly. The arrangements of exclusive property rights can boost the development of water markets and make water price gradually change from administrative control to the market. Moreover, competitive water price mechanism can encourage effectively the farms' water-saving behavior through cost reduction. As a result, the market-oriented reforms of agricultural water allocation are to promote efficiency level.Therefore, in the strategic context of a water-saving society, the government must step up co-ordination and regulation, strengthen water conservation systems and financial support, entice fanners to participate in irrigation management, optimize the management system of agricultural water resources, and expand the role of market in agricultural water allocation. In a word, the overall purposes are to enhance the production efficiency of water resources at the macro and micro levels.The innovation points in this thesis are: (1) Presents a clear definition of water resource efficiency in production field and adopts the indicators of "production allocative efficiency" which are obviously better in describing systematically production efficiency of water resource. (2) Explores comprehensively the production allocative efficiency of agricultural water resource from the two levels of regions and farm households, and makes empirical tests on the relationship between market reforms of water allocation and efficiency. Based on the above views, the thesis can provide theoretical and practical supports for government's macroeconomic management, motivating water-saving measures and smoothing operation of water markets. (3) Adopts two complementary methods: SFA and DEA, and compare their findings by paired samples t-test and Spearman correlation analysis. Thus, the final conclusions are more close to actual situation.
Keywords/Search Tags:Agricultural Water, Production Allocative Efficiency, Production Frontier, Stochastic Frontier Analysis, Data Envelopment Analysis
PDF Full Text Request
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