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Abstract
In order to measure agriculture sustainability, the efficient use of inputs becomes a crucial issue. In this perspective, the
analysts concentrate their attention on the total factor productivity index (TFP). In this view, Lynam and Herdt (1989) proposed the
TFP as a suitable assessment of the sustainability of single crops, of cropping systems or of farming systems. Even if the TFP does
not take into account the non-market output (social and environmental aspects), it is possible to argue that a negative trend of TFP
represents a resources’ degradation if related to the generated outputs. On the other hand, the non-negative trend of TFP
represents a fitting measure of a sustainable agricultural system and of an efficient use of the resources. The aim of the paper is to
analyze the productivity in the use of external factors in different types of farming at the Emilia-Romagna Region level, i.e.
specialist field crops, specialist permanent crops and specialist milk production farms. A significant number of indexing procedures
is accessible to evaluate the efficiency in converting inputs into outputs. In this paper, the TFP is estimated through an indirect
evaluation of quantity index of outputs and inputs of each farming system taken into account in the analysis. Purposely, the amount
of the total sales is considered as a measure of the output, whereas labour, capital, external inputs and other intermediate
consumption are considered as a measure of the inputs. Data, referred to the period 2000 – 2009, are collected from the farm
accountancy data network of the Emilia Romagna Region DG Agriculture. The study highlights how the TFP is a convenient index
to evaluate the efficiency in the use of resources. In a broader view, the TFP index trend allows an estimation of economical and
social benefits or damages which in the end improves or worsens environmental quality.