The Effect of Agricultural Extension Access on The Performance of Smallholder Sugarcane Farmers in Indonesia

Agricultural extension plays a crucial role in the Indonesian Agricultural Revitalization Program for the 2005-2025 periods, where sugarcane is one of the fourteen priority crops. The provision of an agricultural extension was aimed to increase the income and productivity of sugarcane farmers. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of agricultural extension access on smallholder sugarcane farmers' performance in Indonesia. This study used data from the 2014 Indonesian Sugarcane Farm Household Survey, consisting of 8,831 farmers. This study employed propensity score matching to estimate the effect of access to an agricultural extension on several outcome variables. These variables were gross value-added (GVA), net value added (NVA), labor productivity (LP), land productivity (LDP), net income (NI), and remuneration of family labor (ROFL). The result shows that having access to an agricultural extension increases GVA by 40.5%, NVA by 40.3%, labor productivity by 42.8%, and NI by 40.2%. However, access to agricultural extension insignificantly affects ROFL due to the differences in family working units. Also, farmers with Agricultural Extension access have 13.7% lower land productivity than non-Agricultural Extension farmers since the former has lower input use intensity than the latter. These results suggest that providing agricultural extension service is adequate to improve sugarcane farmers' economic performance.

Production Profile of Farms and Methane and Nitrous Oxide Emissions

The negative impact of agricultural production on the environment is manifested, above all, in the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG). The goals of this study were to estimate methane and nitrous oxide emissions at the level of individual farms and indicate differences in emissions depending on the type of production, and to investigate dependencies between greenhouse gas emissions and economic indicators. Methane and nitrous oxide emissions were estimated at three types of farms in Poland, based on FADN data: field crops, milk, and mixed. Data were from 2004–2018. Statistical analysis confirmed the relationship between greenhouse gas emissions and economic performance. On milk farms, the value of methane and nitrous oxide emissions increased with increased net value added and farm income. Milk farms reached the highest land productivity and the highest level of income per 1 ha of farmland. On field crops farms, the relationship between net value added and farm income and methane and nitrous oxide emissions was negative. Animals remain a strong determinant of methane and nitrous oxide emissions, and the emissions at milk farms were the highest. On mixed farms, emissions result from intensive livestock and crop production. In farms of the field crops type, emissions were the lowest and mainly concerned crops.

Digitalization of processes in livestock farming: software solutions in the case of Bulgaria

Digitalization has already been largely seen as a key competitive advantage for all enterprises regardless of their economic sector or field of activity. Traditional economic activities such as agricultural and livestock farming have not been left out from those innovative approaches. The article focuses on some unorthodox economic performances shown by Bulgarian livestock farms in the recent years, including Farm Net Value Added by Annual Work Unit and VAT on investments. The article draws the general framework in terms of available products targeting medium and large enterprises in livestock farming addressing their needs for digitalization and automation of processes. The authors include an overview of existing software solutions for the Bulgarian market. Additional comparative analysis of available products, developed for livestock farming companies, will be drawn, emphasizing on the tools and different options they provide.

Theoretical aspects of the category "value added planning" on the example of enterprises of the grain product subcomplex of the AIC of Ukraine

In market conditions, the production of products with higher value added creates competitive advantages for agricultural producers and grain processing enterprises. Improving the process of value added planning in the grain product subcomplex in this sense is one of the key factors. The purpose of the article is to study the theoretical aspects of the category "value added planning" and the peculiarities of its application in the planning process at the enterprises of the grain products subcomplex of the AIC of Ukraine. The research used dialectical, monographic methods and a systematic approach (to determine the role of value added planning as a systemic and complex phenomenon), as well as statistical methods, analysis and synthesis - to substantiate the calculated data. Gross value added includes the following main elements: wages with accruals; depreciation deductions; profit; rent; interest paid for the use of loan capital. Gross value added is greater than net value added at the cost of consumption in the production of fixed assets (depreciation). Net value added is essentially newly created value in the production process. Value added planning in the grain product subcomplex of the AIC is of great importance to ensure the timeliness of technological operations and the rational use of production resources. In this process, it is important to calculate the planned value of each element of value added, matching their values with the maximum growth of profits. In our opinion, in solving the problem of improving the efficiency of grain production an important role is given to the planning of such an element of added value as wages. This issue needs to be handled in such a way that labor productivity grows faster than wages. Here it is necessary to pay attention to the fact that the involvement in the production of highly qualified employees and their proper motivation, along with an increase in wages, the company will receive more profit. Since rent is an element of value added that is included in the cost of production, its planned growth should be accompanied by a proportional increase in production efficiency. Thus, in the course of our research it became clear that the increase in the value added is one of the main factors increasing the efficiency of production at the enterprises of the grain product subcomplex of the AIC of Ukraine. Therefore, it is very important to consider the process of planning value added comprehensively, looking for reserves to increase it. We define the category of "value added planning" as a systemic and complex phenomenon, where profit planning is the final link in the plans of all the components of added value, which takes into account the optimization of production, as well as the rational ratio of remuneration to employees and owners of the enterprise.

Statistical analysis of economic viability of farms operating in Czech areas facing natural constraints

The redesign of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) allows for more room to address issues related to stabilising farmers’ income and developing their viability in areas facing natural constraints (ANC). Maintaining income levels, developing farm economies in rural areas, and encouraging competitive agricultural practises are the challenges facing the new CAP. ANCs in the Czech Republic are characterised by a lower level of income compared to areas outside ANCs and their generally prevailing specialisation in livestock production, which has been facing a relatively turbulent development in the last decade. The main aim of this paper is to evaluate the economic viability with regard to the level of natural disadvantage and with regard to farm specialisation. The database of Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) was used for assessment; the authors built the Farm Economic Viability indicator, which is based on modified Farm Net Value Added. The differences between the farm groups were tested through analysis of variance. Significantly lower viability was found in ANCs compared to farms outside ANCs. Field crops achieved significantly higher levels, both in and outside ANCs. The most threatened group of farms are grazing livestock in ANCs.

Economic outcomes in relation to farmers’ age in the Czech Republic

The current paper aims to assess farming enterprise outcomes in the Czech Republic from a socio-economic perspective. The relationship between the age of a farms’ managers and its economic results has been analysed for 1 351 farms using the FADN (Farm Accountancy Data Network) database in order to determine whether farms’ economic results differ on the basis of the age of their managers. Our analysis confirms that there is indeed a correlation between manager age and a farming enterprise’s economic results. The results have been analysed in detail according to the age groups of managers and farm owners, farm specialization, and farm size. The farm net value added per annual work unit reached the best values in businesses managed by young farmers in crop production (EUR 34 445) and young farmers in large enterprises (EUR 43 400). The oldest farmers, specializing in milk production, had the highest level of indebtedness (0.39). The data reveal that the age of farmers is inversely proportional to the level of indebtedness, with level of debt decreasing with increasing farmer age. A Mann-Whitney U test (with Bonferroni correction) confirms a statistically significant difference between young farmers and the remaining three age groups in the ratio of production to cost.

Common Agriculture Police in the EU, direct payments, solvency and income

PurposeCommon Agriculture Police in the EU, direct payments, solvency and incomeDesign/methodology/approachWe employ agriculture data for all twenty-eight EU Member States. The data comes from the public Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) of the EU. In terms of methodology we employ panel regression and panel Vector Autoregression analysis (panel VAR) to take into account possible endogeneity issues.FindingsThe reported panel regressions, impulse response functions (IRFs) and variance decompositions (VDCs) show that agriculture income has been subdued due to negative shocks in direct payments and solvency. Our results do not support the hypothesis that higher direct payments would increase agriculture income. In addition, whilst solvency subdues agriculture income, investment asserts a positive impact on agriculture income.Research limitations/implicationsFurther research on the impact of direct payments of CAP on EU agriculture is warranted at a disaggregate level so as to examine whether there is variability in the underlying interlinkages at regional levelPractical implicationsAs a policy implication, and in light of the ongoing reform of the EU's CAP, we would propose to raise net value added in agriculture using targeted income support to small and medium-sized farms. The European Economic Recovery Plan (EERP) would be also supportive. In addition, further enhancing financial integration across the EU would provide funds for investment in agriculture.Social implicationsAs social implication, one would propose to raise investment in agriculture, that is through the European Economic Recovery Plan (EERP). The EERP is designed as a stimulus package set up to mitigate the consequences of the global financial crisis in the EU. Also, a way to boost agriculture income is through the credit channel of the on-going quantitative easing of the ECB, where unconventional monetary policy is aiming to support the growth prospect of the Euro area.Originality/valueThis study examines the impact of direct payments, which include all subsidies, of the EU's Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) on agriculture income as measured by the net value added. We also control for solvency. Despite the magnitude of CAP on the EU budget, few studies investigate the impact of direct payments on income in the aftermath of the financial crisis. This is surprising given the importance of agriculture for the economic recovery of the EU that remains anaemic more than a decade after the crisis.

METHODOLOGICAL PROVISIONS ON THE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF AGRARIAN PRODUCERS AND THEIR COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATIONS IN THE PRODUCTION AND SUPPLY CHAIN

The purpose of the article is to develop methodological provisions on performance evaluation of agrarian producers and their cooperative associations in production and supply chain on the basis of updated reproduction approach that is based on the use of net value added indicator. The research methodology is to conduct a critical analysis of existing scientific approaches to the assessment of value added; substantiate components of net value added; develop a structural scheme of methodological provisions in the duality of conceptual and methodological bases; substantiate a four-level system of estimating indicators using the net value added indicator; determine the possibilities and advantages of author’s methodological provisions. Results. The authors prove the expediency of using the net value added indicator to assess the efficiency of both production and supply chains, as well as producers and their cooperative formations that are non-profit organizations. The components of net value added, which include wages, profit, and specific expenses of business entities in terms of the parts of the production and supply chain, are substantiated. The authors proposed a structural scheme of methodological provisions that united the conceptual and methodological bases, defined the main principles of evaluation: objectivity and accuracy, systemacity and complexity, efficiency, purposefulness, the priority of economic interests of the state (macrolevel). A four-level system of indicators is developed for estimating volumes and dynamics of net value added, reproductive product profitability, the structure of net value added, the efficiency of material and labour resources use. Practical implications. Methodological provisions can be used by commodity producers and their associations to assess the efficiency of operation in the production and supply chain, justifying the feasibility of establishing a cooperative in the region. Also, the results of the analysis can be used by the state authorities during the definition of “gaps” in the chain and the justification of methods of selective regulation for its balanced development. Value/originality. Methodological provisions developed by the authors form the analytical foundation for making managerial decisions both at the micro level (producers, cooperatives) and meso and macro levels (regional and state authorities).