The Effect of Land Fragmentation on Risk and Technical Efficiency of Austrian Crop Farms
利用2007-2014年奥地利作物农场面板数据，分析土地细碎化多个维度对生产效率（技术效率、规模效率等）和风险效率的影响，发现地块分散虽不影响技术效率但能提升风险效率，为土地整理项目提供权衡参考。
ABSTRACT Using a 2007–2014 panel of Austrian crop farms, we analyse the effect of multiple dimensions of land fragmentation on farms' production efficiency and risk performance. We use data envelopment analysis (DEA), a non‐parametric linear programming approach, to estimate efficiencies. Technical efficiency is decomposed into (i) scale efficiency, (ii) pure technical efficiency and (iii) input‐mix efficiency. Risk efficiency, a concept borrowed from modern portfolio theory, measures the performance of a farm relative to a mean–variance frontier. A second‐stage DEA analysis reveals that farms with fewer plots and a shorter average farmstead to plot distance tend to be more technically efficient. Larger plots allow for better exploitation of returns to scale. The scattering of plots has no statistically significant effect on technical efficiency but provides benefits in terms of higher risk efficiency. Land consolidation projects should carefully weigh the costs and benefits associated with different dimensions of land fragmentation.