In this paper, we analyze the factors that influence t he productivity of maize among smallholder farmers, given that unfavourable output and input market conditions throughout the 1990s have compelled smallholder farmers into unsustainable agricultural intensification. We use farm-household...

This paper presents an analysis of agricultural contracts using a transaction costs approach. We contend that in a context of modern agriculture, with well defined property rights, agricultural contracts must balance costs and benefits, aligning tenant and landlord incentives towards a similar...

It is widely believed that not only a Green Revolution in a crop sector but also a White Revolution in a dairy sector has generated the great momentum of agricultural development in India since the late 1960s. However, due to the dominance of sector-specific analyses, the importance of the...

Certified organic production by small-scale farmers in developing countries is increasingly promoted as an opportunity to access a growing and dynamic market, while at the same time, enhance productivity and improve incomes. Nevertheless, adoption has been limited. The economics literature...

The objective of this paper is to develop an analytical framework for estimation of the parameters of a structural model of an incentive contract under moral hazard, taking into account agents heterogeneity in preferences. We show that allowing the principal to strategically distribute the...

This paper analyzes the effect of intellectual property rights (IPR) regimes on the plant breeding sector in developing countries. Most of these countries have implemented a system of plant variety protection (PVP), or are in the process of doing so, generally as part of their obligations under...

This paper uses a stochastic frontier and inefficiency model to test the efficiency of grape production in the Western Cape. The data covers two panels of wine grape farms (34 in Robertson and 36 in Worcester) for 2003 and 2004 and 37 table grape farms in De Doorns for 2004 only. Tests show that...

This study employs a stochastic frontier approach to examine profit efficiency of small scale rice farmers in Nigeria using farm-level survey data collected from 200 farmers in the study area. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and standard profit function. The result shows that...