LDC agriculture: Nonparametric Malmquist productivity indexes

This paper examines changes in agricultural productivity in 18 developing countries over the period 1961-1985. We use the nonparametric, output-based Malmquist index to examine whether the results from such an approach confirm results from other methods that have indicated declining agricultural productivity in less developed countries (LDCs). The results confirm previous findings, indicating that at least half of these countries have experienced productivity declines in agriculture. We also found that those countries that tax agriculture most heavily had the most negative rates of productivity change. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.