Economic analyses at plot, farm enterprise, regional and sectoral levels
The adoption of novel and innovative production methods, adjusted production intensities and cropping and production systems requires comparative economic advantages. Besides ecological and social compatibility, economic performance is also an essential condition for meeting sustainability standards, and is an important aspect that is frequently requested by stakeholder groups. The focus on phosphate is of particular interest from an economic point of view, as this variable production factor is likely to become absolutely limited with a high risk for complete inaccessibility and even exhaustion in the long term. Furthermore, ecological concerns call for an immediate drastic reduction of phosphate supply to agricultural land. Within RS 4.1, it will be investigated whether an increased phosphate-use efficiency in food-feed-energy systems has the potential to increase or at least maintain the economic performance of such systems.
Against this background, the subordinate objective of the RS 4.1 is the analysis and assessment of current and innovative agricultural production systems at farmers, farm, supply chain, regional and sector levels, and to develop policy recommendations and extension service tools for implementation and adoption of such innovations. Special emphasis is given to phosphate-cycles in maize-based production systems. Indicators of concern in the research subject include partial and total factor productivity, gross margins, profits and production functions. In particular phosphate fertilizer use efficiency will be a central variable.
