@article{Ghelfi:109322,
      recid = {109322},
      author = {Ghelfi, Rino and Bertazzoli, Aldo and Marchi, Alan and  Rivaroli, Sergio and Samoggia, Antonella},
      title = {Inputs use in the agriculture of Emilia-Romagna: farm  comparison through the Total Factor Productivity (TFP)  index},
      address = {2010},
      number = {704-2016-48231},
      pages = {12},
      year = {2010},
      abstract = {In order to measure agriculture sustainability, the  efficient use of inputs becomes a crucial issue. In this  perspective, the
analysts concentrate their attention on  the total factor productivity index (TFP). In this view,  Lynam and Herdt (1989) proposed the
TFP as a suitable  assessment of the sustainability of single crops, of  cropping systems or of farming systems. Even if the TFP  does
not take into account the non-market output (social  and environmental aspects), it is possible to argue that a  negative trend of TFP
represents a resources’ degradation  if related to the generated outputs. On the other hand, the  non-negative trend of TFP
represents a fitting measure of a  sustainable agricultural system and of an efficient use of  the resources. The aim of the paper is to
analyze the  productivity in the use of external factors in different  types of farming at the Emilia-Romagna Region level,  i.e.
specialist field crops, specialist permanent crops and  specialist milk production farms. A significant number of  indexing procedures
is accessible to evaluate the  efficiency in converting inputs into outputs. In this  paper, the TFP is estimated through an indirect
evaluation  of quantity index of outputs and inputs of each farming  system taken into account in the analysis. Purposely, the  amount
of the total sales is considered as a measure of the  output, whereas labour, capital, external inputs and other  intermediate
consumption are considered as a measure of the  inputs. Data, referred to the period 2000 – 2009, are  collected from the farm
accountancy data network of the  Emilia Romagna Region DG Agriculture. The study highlights  how the TFP is a convenient index
to evaluate the  efficiency in the use of resources. In a broader view, the  TFP index trend allows an estimation of economical  and
social benefits or damages which in the end improves or  worsens environmental quality.},
      url = {http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/109322},
      doi = {https://doi.org/10.22004/ag.econ.109322},
}