Regional survey report on agricultural productivity measurement and analysis: agricultural growth and productivity in selected Asian countries
Yamada, S.
Productivity measurement and analysis Asian agriculture: 31-90
1987
Document Number: 352257
Three phases of agricultural growth and productivity performance are identified. In phase I, the land/labour ratio increases through a sustained expansion of cultivated land, and rises faster than the growth rate of the number of agricultural workers. This corresponds to Thailand's case between 1950-80. Phase II (observed in India, Indonesia, the Philippines and Pakistan), is where the land/labour ratio exhibits a declining trend due to an increasing trend in the number of agricultural workers with limited expansion in agricultural land. Finally, in phase III (observed in Japan, China and Korea), the number of agricultural workers begins to decline due to high economic growth, and the land/labour ratio begins to increase again. The paper identifies factors determining the phases and highlights trends in agricultural output, input, partial productivity, and in total input and productivity. The paper concludes that the path of agricultural growth differed by country, but a common path in a long run perspective may be identified as a schematic abstraction in S-shape. The implications of the findings for agricultural growth in the region and the need for further research are noted.