Fact or Artefact : The Impact of Measurement Errors on the Farm Size - Productivity Relationship

Carletto, Calogero ; Savastano, Sara ; Zezza, Alberto

关键词: ACCESS TO MARKETS;    ACREAGE;    AGRARIAN STRUCTURE;    AGRICULTURAL AREAS;    AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT;   

DOI  :  10.1596/1813-9450-5908
RP-ID  :  WPS5908

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

This paper revisits the role of landmeasurement error in the inverse farm size and productivityrelationship. By making use of data from a nationallyrepresentative household survey from Uganda, in whichself-reported land size information is complemented by plotmeasurements collected using Global Position System devices,the authors reject the hypothesis that the inverserelationship may just be a statistical artifact linked toproblems with land measurement error. In particular, thepaper explores: (i) the determinants of the bias in landmeasurement, (ii) how this bias varies systematically withplot size and landholding, and (iii) the extent to whichland measurement error affects the relative advantage ofsmallholders implied by the inverse relationship. Thefindings indicate that using an improved measure of landsize strengthens the evidence in support of the existence ofthe inverse relationship.