SYNTHESIS

March 1, 2008
 What we have discussed
• Overview of methods on TFP measurement
and explanation
• Presentations and discussions:
– Commodity studies (livestock and poultry;
traditional exports; high value crops;
aquaculture; grains)
– Cross-cutting themes (R&D, Extension;
environment; Human capital; Social capital)
Commodity Measuring TFP Explaining TFP Data source
Livestock and Stochastic Multivariate Panel data
poultry frontier regression, enterprise (2000); Recent panel to
level be surveyed
Traditional Translog cost Embedded in translog? Panel data
export crops (1997); recent panel to
be surveyed
Yield Yield function National (regional?)
equation secondary data
High value Translog (with Embedded in translog? Panel data
crops age of tree stock) (1994?); recent panel to
be surveyed
Yield Yield function
equation
Aquaculture Decomposition Qualitative assesment Available survey data
(WorldFish, BFAR)
Shrimp recent data to be
surveyed (pseudo-panel)
Yield Yield function National (regional?)
equation secondary data
Grains Malmquist (via Multivariate Available survey data
DEA) regression, enterprise (To be examined)
level
 Cross-cutting themes
• R&D
– Construct measures; institutional evaluation
– Case study of R&D impact of TFP in rice
• Environment and Natural Resources
– Upland: two stage, switching regression (1st
determine adoption; 2nd use in yield regression)
– Lowland: collect data, possibly run an impact
regression?
 Cross-cutting themes
• Human capital
– Explain farm output (?), by years of schooling
(distinguished by level) and other factors
– Using Bicol farms panel data
• Social capital
– Measure institutions according to intermediate
outcomes (property rights, transaction costs)
– Use available data from various sources
 Common issues
• Need to start from behavioral model (e.g.
Lanzona)
– Define decision-maker’s motivation,
constraints, derive actions
– Adoption decision (ENR study)
– Industry structure (commodities)
– Endogenous technology choice (commodities)
 Common issues
• Definition of TFP – include technical efficiency?
How about institutional constraints?
• Short panels
– Very little technical change
– Resort to enterprise level differences (few policy
handles)
• Resort to partial productivity measures for policy
variables (trad, HVC, aqua)
 Future steps
• Agriculture sector as a whole
• Pilot studies (link to commodity studies?)
• Synthesis – how to ensure that the various studies
converge
– Are TFP results comparable across commodities?
– Achieving consistency between agri as a whole, and
individual commodity results
– How would results from the cross-cutting issues results
be incorporated, if at all, in other studies?
• Future scenarios (based on multi-market models)