A conceptual model for analysing input-output coefficients in arable farming systems: from diagnosis towards design

Environmental legislation is forcing a rethink about desirable crop production systems. The development of new production systems that meet economic and environmental objectives demands knowledge about which input-output combinations are feasible and optimal in practice. A review of concepts in agronomy and in farm and behavioural economics leads to a conceptual model with a division into production levels and accompanying production restricting factors. The highest production level can be defined by merely agronomic growth factors; the next production level is restricted by a mixture of economic and other agronomic factors. The two lowest levels are further restricted by taking into account the socio-psychological factors. With the production restricting factors of the conceptual model the differences in agronomic efficiency of actual and theoretical input-output combinations will be analysed in order to find out which input-output combinations will be feasible and optimal in practice. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.