The Valuation of Romania Agriculture in the European Context of Sustainable Development through Data Envelopment Analysis

  • Camelia BURJA Faculty of Sciences, University “1 Decembrie 1918 Alba Iulia
  • Vasile BURJA Faculty of Sciences, University “1 Decembrie 1918 Alba Iulia
Keywords: Data Envelopment Analysis, sustainable agriculture, economic efficiency, productivity, performance valuation.

Abstract

Romanian agriculture has a high productive potential owned to the existent agricultural area and to the employed population. The sustainable development of agriculture implies protecting the environment, improving quality of life in the rural area, manufacturing agricultural products based on green principles, but also practicing an efficient and competitive agriculture, based on high economic efficiency. Improving performance and competitiveness targets the efficient use of production factors in accordance with the principles of sustainable development. Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) represents an opportunity to assess the performance of socio-economic systems, necessary to justify decisions to allot resources and to rationally establish the objectives in this sector. This method is used by the paper to show the current sustainable development stage of Romanian agriculture compared to the average level recorded by EU agriculture, which represents a goal for Romania for a medium-term time horizon. DEA confirms the information originated from the analysis of statistical indicators regarding the considerable gap between the performances of Romanian agriculture and the ones of the EU concerning the efficient use of land and labour force. The results of the analysis may serve to justify decisions regarding organizational, technical and economic changes that must be done through the agricultural policy of Romania to increase efficiency and competitiveness in this important sector of the national economy.
Published
2010-10-29