{ "title": "Crop Selection and International Differences in Aggregate Agricultural Productivity", "publication": "IMF Working Papers, August 16, 2019", "sourceUrl": "https://www.imf.org/en/publications/wp/issues/2019/08/16/crop-selection-and-international-differences-in-aggregate-agricultural-productivity-47118", "canonical": "https://www.imf.org/en/publications/wp/issues/2019/08/16/crop-selection-and-international-differences-in-aggregate-agricultural-productivity-47118", "overlayPath": "/en/publications/wp/issues/2019/08/16/crop-selection-and-international-differences-in-aggregate-agricultural-productivity-47118/index.md", "summary": "A large share of cross-country differences in productivity is explained by differences in agricultural productivity. Using a combination of sub-national agricultural statistics and geospatial datasets on crop-specific potential yields, we study the main drivers of this variation from a macroeconomic", "sections": [ { "heading": "Summary and main findings", "content": "- A large share of cross-country differences in productivity is explained by differences in agricultural productivity.\n- Using a combination of sub-national agricultural statistics and geospatial datasets on crop-specific potential yields, the authors study the main drivers of this variation from a macroeconomic perspective.\n- Differences in geographically-induced crop-specific comparative advantages can explain a substantial share of the variation in yields across the world.\n- Data reveal substantial gaps between potential and observed yields in most countries.\n- When decomposing these within-country gaps, crop selection gaps are on average larger than those induced by input usage alone.\n- The results highlight the importance of understanding the interaction of geography and crop selection drivers in assessing aggregate agricultural productivity differences." }, { "heading": "Methods and data", "content": "- Data sources: sub-national agricultural statistics and geospatial datasets on crop-specific potential yields.\n- Analytical perspective: macroeconomic decomposition of yield variation into geographically-induced comparative advantages, crop selection, and input usage." }, { "heading": "Policy implications and interpretation", "content": "- Assessments of aggregate agricultural productivity differences should account for both geography-induced crop-specific comparative advantages and domestic crop selection decisions.\n- Narrowing gaps between potential and observed yields requires addressing both crop selection choices and input usage; crop selection gaps are on average larger than input-usage-induced gaps." }, { "heading": "Publication and metadata", "content": "- Title: Crop Selection and International Differences in Aggregate Agricultural Productivity\n- Authors: Jorge A Alvarez, Claudia Berg\n- Date: August 16, 2019\n- Series: Working Paper No. 2019/179\n- Issue: 179\n- Volume: 2019\n- Pages: 35\n- DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9781498326636.001\n- Stock No: WPIEA2019179\n- ISBN: 9781498326636\n- ISSN: 1018-5941\n- Subject keywords: Agricultural commodities; Agricultural sector; Agroindustries; Commodities; Economic sectors; Income; Labor; National accounts; Personal income\n- Topic keywords: Agricultural commodities; Agricultural sector; Agriculture; Agroindustries; Asia and Pacific; Central Asia; crop selection; crop selection gap; East Asia; fertilizer use; Geography; Income; North Africa; observed yield; potential yield; Productivity; productivity gap; Sub-Saharan Africa; WP; yield potential; yield variation\n\nIMF Working Papers — Crop Selection and International Differences in Aggregate Agricultural Productivity, Jorge A Alvarez and Claudia Berg, August 16, 2019.\n\n---\n\n Content in this bundle\n\n- Working Paper\n - Working Paper (Markdown version){rel=\"alternate\" type=\"text/markdown\"}\n - Working Paper (PDF){rel=\"external\" type=\"application/pdf\"}\n\n---\n\nSource: https://www.imf.org/en/publications/wp/issues/2019/08/16/crop-selection-and-international-differences-in-aggregate-agricultural-productivity-47118" } ], "bullets": [ "[Markdown version](/en/publications/wp/issues/2019/08/16/crop-selection-and-international-differences-in-aggregate-agricultural-productivity-47118/index.md)", "[Structured JSON version](/en/publications/wp/issues/2019/08/16/crop-selection-and-international-differences-in-aggregate-agricultural-productivity-47118/index.json)", "[Bundle manifest](/en/publications/wp/issues/2019/08/16/crop-selection-and-international-differences-in-aggregate-agricultural-productivity-47118/bundle-manifest.json)", "Authors: Jorge A Alvarez, Claudia Berg", "Published: August 16, 2019", "Series: IMF Working Papers", "DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9781498326636.001", "A large share of cross-country differences in productivity is explained by differences in agricultural productivity.", "Using a combination of sub-national agricultural statistics and geospatial datasets on crop-specific potential yields, the authors study the main drivers of this variation from a macroeconomic perspective.", "Differences in geographically-induced crop-specific comparative advantages can explain a substantial share of the variation in yields across the world.", "Data reveal substantial gaps between potential and observed yields in most countries.", "When decomposing these within-country gaps, crop selection gaps are on average larger than those induced by input usage alone.", "The results highlight the importance of understanding the interaction of geography and crop selection drivers in assessing aggregate agricultural productivity differences.", "Data sources: sub-national agricultural statistics and geospatial datasets on crop-specific potential yields.", "Analytical perspective: macroeconomic decomposition of yield variation into geographically-induced comparative advantages, crop selection, and input usage.", "Assessments of aggregate agricultural productivity differences should account for both geography-induced crop-specific comparative advantages and domestic crop selection decisions.", "Narrowing gaps between potential and observed yields requires addressing both crop selection choices and input usage; crop selection gaps are on average larger than input-usage-induced gaps.", "Title: Crop Selection and International Differences in Aggregate Agricultural Productivity", "Authors: Jorge A Alvarez, Claudia Berg", "Date: August 16, 2019", "Series: Working Paper No. 2019/179", "Issue: 179", "Volume: 2019", "Pages: 35", "DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9781498326636.001", "Stock No: WPIEA2019179", "ISBN: 9781498326636", "ISSN: 1018-5941", "Subject keywords: Agricultural commodities; Agricultural sector; Agroindustries; Commodities; Economic sectors; Income; Labor; National accounts; Personal income", "Topic keywords: Agricultural commodities; Agricultural sector; Agriculture; Agroindustries; Asia and Pacific; Central Asia; crop selection; crop selection gap; East Asia; fertilizer use; Geography; Income; North Africa; observed yield; potential yield; Productivity; productivity gap; Sub-Saharan Africa; WP; yield potential; yield variation", "**Working Paper**" ], "related": [ { "title": "Working Paper", "role": "paper", "sourceUrl": "https://www.imf.org/-/media/files/publications/wp/2019/wpiea2019179-print-pdf.pdf", "summary": { "path": "/-/media/files/publications/wp/2019/wpiea2019179-print-pdf.pdf.md", "mime": "text/markdown" }, "binary": { "path": "/-/media/files/publications/wp/2019/wpiea2019179-print-pdf.pdf", "mime": "application/pdf" } } ], "alternates": { "markdown": "/en/publications/wp/issues/2019/08/16/crop-selection-and-international-differences-in-aggregate-agricultural-productivity-47118/index.md", "json": "/en/publications/wp/issues/2019/08/16/crop-selection-and-international-differences-in-aggregate-agricultural-productivity-47118/index.json", "bundleManifest": "/en/publications/wp/issues/2019/08/16/crop-selection-and-international-differences-in-aggregate-agricultural-productivity-47118/bundle-manifest.json" }, "generatedAtUtc": "2026-09-18T15:39:16.264Z" }