Publication

This paper examines the Chhotanagpur Plateau in India, a region characterized by high poverty,tribal households, low agricultural productivity and environmental degradation. The authors discuss investment options to improve agricultural productivity and living standards in the region. They estimate the technical efficiency of small-scale farms, and find that small farms may be considerably more technically efficient than they appear. The paper highlights methodological issues of controlling for the effect of environmental conditions on farm efficiency, including its effects on estimation results and policy conclusions.