Women’s empowerment in agriculture and productivity change: The case of Bangladesh rice farms

Using productivity change as a measure of farm economic performance, we analyze the relationship between women’s empowerment in agriculture and farm productivity change and its components, which include efficiency change, technological change, and scale efficiency change. A non-parametric Malmquist approach is used to measure farm specific productivity change and its decomposition. We use a bootstrap regression to analyze factors that cause differences in productivity change and its components, testing, in particular, the role women’s empowerment plays. The empirical application focuses on a sample of Bangladesh rice farms over the crop cultivation period 2011 and 2014. Results suggest that improvements in women’s empowerment in agriculture were associated with higher levels of productivity change, efficiency change, and technical change, while they had no impact on scale efficiency change. We find that empowering women, specifically, improving their ability to make independent choices regarding agricultural production had a statistically significant positive association with productivity change, efficiency change, and technical change. We also find that lowering the gender parity gap is positively related with improving productivity of the sample farms.

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Three essays on food security, agricultural productivity, and commodity basis

10.32469/10355/88135 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Mohammad Hasan Mobarok

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Security Policy ◽

Agricultural Productivity ◽

Women's Empowerment ◽

Growing Season ◽

Women’S Empowerment ◽

Scale Efficiency ◽

Productivity Change ◽

Efficiency Change ◽

Rice Market

The proposed research is constructed around the theme of food security, agricultural productivity, and commodity basis. The first paper analyzes the impacts of COVID-19 on the Bangladesh rice market within the framework of a partial equilibrium regime-switching model. We provide an initial estimate of the short- and long-run effects of COVID-19 on the Bangladesh rice market and food security sustainability by comparing baseline projections. We analyze the effect of shocks in policies related to trade, public stock, and productivity on rice supply, demand, and food security dimensions. Finally, we assess the effectiveness of these policies to smooth out shocks that may arise from a future pandemic like COVID-19. In the second essay, we analyze the relationship between women's empowerment in agriculture and Bangladesh rice farm productivity change and its components, which include efficiency change, technological change, and scale efficiency change. We employ the non-parametric Malmquist approach and bootstrap regression method. We find that improvements in women's empowerment in agriculture, specifically enhancing their ability to make independent choices regarding agricultural production, have a statistically significant positive association with productivity change, efficiency change, and technical change. We also find that lowering the gender parity gap is positively related to improving the productivity of the sample farms. In the third essay, we analyze the effect of precipitation variations, namely local, growing season, and regional precipitation, on Missouri corn and soybean basis. We document statistically significant linear and nonlinear basis responses in corn and soybean models for local and growing season precipitation variations. We also find a statistically significant moderating effect of port distance measure on the curvilinearity of the association between regional precipitation and soybean basis. Keywords: food security; policy analysis; women's empowerment; Malmquist; imate change; precipitation

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Determinants of Judicial Efficiency Change: Evidence from Brazil

Review of Law & Economics ◽

10.1515/rle-2017-0004 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Thiago A. Fauvrelle ◽

Alessio Tony C Almeida

Keyword(s):

Productivity Growth ◽

Technical Change ◽

State Courts ◽

Scale Efficiency ◽

Productivity Change ◽

Efficiency Change ◽

Second Stage ◽

Judicial Efficiency ◽

Shift Effect ◽

Using Data

AbstractJudicial efficiency matters for economic development. Nevertheless, the determinants of judicial productivity growth are not entirely understood. Using data of Brazil's state courts for the period of 2009 to 2014, this paper analyzes judicial productivity change and its possible determinants over time in a two stage approach. First, data envelopment analysis is used to calculate Malmquist productivity measures which are decomposed in: technical change (frontier-shift effect) and efficiency change (composed of pure efficiency change and scale efficiency change). In the second stage, fixed effect models are estimated to evaluate the associated factors with judicial productivity growth. The first stage results show a slight improvement in judicial productivity trend, which is defined mainly by efficiency change, since technical change deteriorated in the period. The second stage findings suggest the nonexistence of a trade-off between judicial quality and efficiency improvement. Moreover, judges’ remuneration, legal complexity and technological use are correlated with judicial productivity, however not always in the expected direction.

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Women empowerment and minimum daily meal frequency among infants and young children in Ghana: analysis of Ghana demographic and health survey

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-021-11753-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Louis Kobina Dadzie ◽

Joshua Amo-Adjei ◽

Kobina Esia-Donkoh

Keyword(s):

Health Survey ◽

Positive Association ◽

Women's Empowerment ◽

Well Being ◽

Women’S Empowerment ◽

Women Empowerment ◽

Meal Frequency ◽

Significant Positive Association ◽

Large Household ◽

Health And Well Being

Abstract Background The nutritional quality of food has an important impact on the health and well-being of families, especially children whose bodies need to grow, develop and reach their full physical and mental potential. Traditionally, women in Ghana provide care and nourishment for their children and families if they have the means to do so or if they are financially, legally and socially empowered. Women’s empowerment is not only important for women’s human rights, but also improves nutrition and health outcomes of both mothers and their children. Women’s empowerment is concerned with increasing ability to make strategic life choices in situations where the ability was hitherto denied. This study sought to investigate the association between women’s empowerment and minimum daily meal frequency (minimum number of meals to be consumed in a day) in Ghana. Methods The study used data from the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS). A sample of 1640 mother-child dyad was used. Mothers ages ranged from 15 to 49 while children’s ages ranged from 6 to 23 months. Univariate and multiple linear regression techniques were applied to identify women empowerment (economic, socio-familial and legal) and sociodemographic factors associated with minimum daily meal frequency scores. Data was analyzed by the STATA statistical package software version 13.0. Statistical significance level was set at P < 0.10. Results Data from decisions on large household purchases (β = 0.351, p < 0.01) family visits (β = 0.743, p < 0.01), home ownership (β = − 0.245, p < 0.10), age of child (β = 1.387, p < 0.01), mother’s educational attainment (β = 0.496, p < 0.10) and place of residence (β = − 0.298, p < 0.10) showed significant positive association with minimum daily meal frequency in Ghana. Conclusion Minimum daily meal frequency was largely influenced by economic and socio-familial factors that contribute to empowerment of women. as decisions on large household purchases and family visits showed significant positive association with minimum daily meal frequency. Interventional programs should target households and mothers with lower socio-demographic characteristics such as lower educational levels and low economic status to improve minimal daily meal frequency in their children thereby ensuring better child health and well-being.

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The effect of cow longevity on dynamic productivity growth of dairy farming

10.21203/rs.3.rs-110276/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Beshir Melkaw Ali

Keyword(s):

Panel Data ◽

Productivity Growth ◽

Technical Change ◽

Positive Association ◽

Dairy Farms ◽

Dynamic Panel Data ◽

Productivity Change ◽

Significant Positive Association ◽

Technical Inefficiency ◽

Explanatory Variables

Abstract Cow longevity is recognized as an important trait to improve farm economic performance while concurrently reducing environmental and societal impacts. However, there is an economic trade-off between longevity and herd genetic improvement, which may influence the evolution of dairy farms’ efficiency and productivity over time. This study used a panel data of 723 Dutch specialized dairy farms over 2007-2013 to empirically measure the effect of longevity on dynamic productivity change and its components. First, the productivity growth estimates were obtained using the Luenberger dynamic productivity indicator. Then, the estimates were regressed on longevity and other explanatory variables using dynamic panel data model. Results show that the average dynamic productivity growth was 1.1% per year, comprising of technical change (0.5%), scale inefficiency change (0.4%) and technical inefficiency change (0.2%). Longevity is found to have a statistically significant positive association with productivity growth and technical change, implying that farms with more matured cows were also those farms that recorded increased productivity through technical progress. However, it has a negative association with technical inefficiency change, which might follow from the reduced milk productivity of old cows. Dutch dairy farms have a potential to raise productivity growth by reducing technical inefficiency.

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Global Malmquist indices of productivity change in Egyptian wheat production

Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research ◽

10.5424/sjar/2017152-10548 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 15 (2) ◽

pp. e0111

Author(s):

Yahia H. Elasraag ◽

Silverio Alarcón

Keyword(s):

Total Factor Productivity ◽

Technical Change ◽

Scale Efficiency ◽

Productivity Change ◽

Parametric Approach ◽

Factor Productivity ◽

Efficiency Change ◽

Wheat Production ◽

Time Period ◽

Malmquist Indices

This study aims to measure the total factor productivity of the main governorates of wheat production in Egypt during the time period 1990-2012 and decompose it into technical change, efficiency change and scale change. We used Global Malmquist TFP index as a non-parametric approach. The results indicated that the contribution of technical change component is more important than the efficiency change component. In fact technical change rose, 25.7%, while efficiency change presented a little decline, 3.7%. The decomposition of efficiency change indicated that the main problem of wheat production in Egypt was scale efficiency that worsened by 5.5%.

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Empowering Women Through Micro-Financing/ Micro- Credit Loans: A Survey Based Study In Balochistan

Pakistan Journal of Applied Social Sciences ◽

10.46568/pjass.v5i1.304 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 33-44

Author(s):

Mohammad Alam Tareen ◽

Syed Hussain Shah ◽

Mirwais Kasi

Keyword(s):

Primary Source ◽

Positive Association ◽

Women's Empowerment ◽

Civil Society Organizations ◽

Women’S Empowerment ◽

Research Approach ◽

Significant Positive Association ◽

Household Level ◽

The Impact ◽

Micro Credit

Women empowerment has been considered as a major challenge to meet the prime objective of economic development in most underdeveloped countries of the world. Various initiatives have been taken at both policy and program levels by both government and civil society organizations to improve the status of women. In the recent past, microcredit schemes have been the dominant tool to improve women; socioeconomic status. This study, therefore, aims to examine the impact of microcredit on women’s empowerment. Data is collected through Primary source using questionnaire survey research approach. A sample of hundred and fifty female respondents was taken from Quetta city involved in home made goods. Cross tabulation analysis was used to show whether there is a difference in opinion responses and chi-square test analysis was applied to examine the association between microcredit and women’s empowerment as measured by decision-making at the household level. The results of this study found that the microcredit program has a significant positive association with women’s empowerment. The study further shows that microcredit improves women’s access to household level assets. Thus, this paper concludes that empowered women through micro-credit scheme are successful in attaining employment, improvement in social status, owning of assets and contribute to the economy.

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Into the Civic life: The Nexus of Urbanization, Education and Women’s Empowerment in Pakistan

iRASD Journal of Economics ◽

10.52131/joe.2021.0302.0038 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 3 (2) ◽

pp. 212-222

Author(s):

Muhammad Abdullah ◽

Ayza Shoukat ◽

Muhammad Gulzaib Chaudhary

Keyword(s):

Rural Areas ◽

Unit Root ◽

Time Series Data ◽

Unit Root Test ◽

Positive Association ◽

Women's Empowerment ◽

Women’S Empowerment ◽

Series Data ◽

Special Focus ◽

Depth Analysis

Women comprise nearly 50 percent of the population of Pakistan which is enriched with a variety of regional, cultural, and ethnic values. These values are traditionally responsible for limiting opportunities for women and keeping them less empowered. This study examines the link between education and urbanization that is empowering women in Pakistan. Time series data for the period of 1980 to 2019 has been used for empirical analysis. The stationarity of data has been checked by using the ADF unit root test. All the variables used in the study have a unit root at the level and become stationary at first difference. Johansen's co-integration technique is utilized to check the long-run relationship between the variables used in the study. Instead of using any single variable, we have constructed the Women Empowerment Index (WEI) by using multiple women-related indicators for in-depth analysis. Empirical findings indicate that women's empowerment is positively associated with education and urbanization in Pakistan. Other controlled variables include domestic credit with a positive association and inflation with a negative association. The study shows that empowering women is sensitive to urbanization and education. There must be women-specific educational and training institutions across the country with a special focus on rural areas for equal availability of opportunities for women of all cultures. Urbanization provides greater social, economic and political opportunities for women. Same opportunities should be provided for women in rural areas to make them more empowered. Moreover, control of inflation and the provision of credit on easy terms will also help to enhance women's contribution to economic activity in Pakistan.

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Efficiency, productivity and Islamic banks: an application of DEA and Malmquist index

Humanomics ◽

10.1108/h-03-2013-0022 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 31 (1) ◽

pp. 118-131 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Muhammad Abbas ◽

Rayan S Hammad ◽

Mohamed Fathy Elshahat ◽

Toseef Azid

Keyword(s):

Malmquist Index ◽

Productivity Index ◽

Scale Efficiency ◽

Productivity Change ◽

Islamic Banks ◽

Efficiency Change ◽

Lower Growth ◽

Content Type ◽

Future Policy ◽

Conventional Banks

Purpose – This paper aims to compute the Malmquist Index of Islamic and conventional banks to compare their performance in the sample period of 2005-2009. Islamic banks have been showing tremendous growth throughout the world in recent past. Their progress is exceptional in Islamic countries on account of patronization for religious reasons. There existed vacuum in research of their productivity change over the years. Design/methodology/approach – This study tries to apply the Malmquist Index. The Malmquist Total Factor Productivity Index has been further divided into Efficiency Change Index, Technological Change Index, Pure Efficiency Change Index and Scale Efficiency Change Index to obtain an insight about the reasons for the change in productivity. Findings – Results indicate that the productivity of Islamic banks decreased in 2007 but it increased in 2008 to 2009. Islamic banks had higher productivity growth from 2005 to 2006, but they experienced lower growth in subsequent years as compared to their conventional counterparts. Research limitations/implications – Data were not available before 2005 in Pakistan. Practical implications – This study is helpful for the investors and bankers for formulating the future policy. Social implications – This study also provides a guideline for establishing the ethical financial institutions. Originality/value – This is an original attempt.

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Total Factor Energy Efficiency of China’s Industrial Sector: A Stochastic Frontier Analysis

10.20944/preprints201704.0068.v1 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Xiaobo Shen ◽

Boqiang Lin

Keyword(s):

Energy Efficiency ◽

Technical Efficiency ◽

Technical Change ◽

Stochastic Frontier Analysis ◽

Stochastic Frontier ◽

Industrial Sector ◽

Scale Efficiency ◽

Efficiency Change ◽

Output Data ◽

Frontier Analysis

Based on stochastic frontier analysis and translog input distance function, this paper examines the total factor energy efficiency of China’s industry using input-output data of 30 sub-industries from 2002 to 2014, and decomposes the changes in estimated total factor energy efficiency into the effects of technical change, technical efficiency change, scale efficiency change and input-mix effect. The results show that during this period the total factor energy efficiency in China’s industry grows annually at a rate of 3.63%, technical change, technical efficiency change and input-mix effect contribute positively to the change in total factor energy efficiency, while scale efficiency change contributes negatively to it.

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Productivity Analysis of Coal-fired Thermal Power Plants in India Using Malmquist Index Approach

Global Business Review ◽

10.1177/0972150919856956 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 21 (6) ◽

pp. 1338-1353

Author(s):

Amritpal Singh Dhillon ◽

Hardik Vachharajani

Keyword(s):

Total Factor Productivity ◽

Power Plants ◽

Thermal Power ◽

Malmquist Productivity Index ◽

Productivity Index ◽

Scale Efficiency ◽

Productivity Change ◽

Factor Productivity ◽

Efficiency Change ◽

Tfp Growth

The sustainable socio-economic growth of any country depends on the availability of adequate and reliable power at reasonable rates. This is even true in case of a rapidly developing country like India where coal-based power plants account for the majority of electricity generation. Making use of data envelopment analysis (DEA) and Malmquist productivity index (MPI), this study analyses the productivity change of coal-fired power plants during 2002–2012. Productivity change is further decomposed into technical efficiency change (EFFCH), technological change (TECHCH), scale efficiency change (SECH), pure technical change (PECH) and total factor productivity change (TFPCH). The study revealed that 0.70 per cent of average annual total factor productivity (TFP) growth was witnessed from 2002–2003 to 2011–2012 indicating overall progress. The contribution of TECHCH in TFP growth is positive, that is, 1.3 per cent per annum. It demonstrates that expansion of the efficient frontier. However, there was a decrease in technical EFFCH of −0.6 per cent per year, indicating the adverse sign of progress. Plants in the central sector achieved maximum growth of 4.6 per cent annually. A total of 54.05 per cent of plants have recorded negative TFP growth. Power plants between 500 and 999 MW achieved the highest operational performances in all indices except SECH.

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