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Risk Management Through Enterprise Diversification: A Farm-Level Analysis

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  • Mishra, Ashok K.
  • El-Osta, Hisham S.

Abstract

Enterprise diversification is a self-insuring strategy used by farmers to protect against risk. This paper examines the impact of various farm, operator, and household characteristics on the level of on-farm diversification. Results provide evidence that larger farms are more specialized. Also, farmers who participate in off-farm income and farms located near urban areas are less likely to diversify. Additionally, results also show a significant positive relationship between diversification and farm/crop insurance and sole proprietorships. Finally, there is also evidence that farms that received government payments are more diversified than their counterparts.

Suggested Citation

  • Mishra, Ashok K. & El-Osta, Hisham S., 2002. "Risk Management Through Enterprise Diversification: A Farm-Level Analysis," 2002 Annual meeting, July 28-31, Long Beach, CA 19711, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:aaea02:19711
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.19711
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    Cited by:

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    2. Peterson, Hikaru Hanawa & Schurle, Bryan W. & Langemeier, Michael R., 2005. "Three-Dimensional Efficient Portfolio Frontier: Mean, Variance, and Farm Size," 2005 Annual meeting, July 24-27, Providence, RI 19298, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    3. Bernard Kiprono, Rotich, 2012. "Contribution of On-Farm Diversification to Incomes of Smallholder Farmers in Konoin District, Bomet County," Research Theses 243441, Collaborative Masters Program in Agricultural and Applied Economics.
    4. Luigi Biagini & Simone Severini, 2022. "How Does the Farmer Strike a Balance between Income and Risk across Inputs? An Application in Italian Field Crop Farms," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-15, December.
    5. Nicholas A. Lancaster & Ariana P. Torres, 2019. "Investigating the Drivers of Farm Diversification Among U.S. Fruit and Vegetable Operations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-20, June.
    6. Ani L. Katchova, 2005. "The Farm Diversification Discount," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 87(4), pages 984-994.
    7. O'Donoghue, Erik J. & Key, Nigel D. & Roberts, Michael J., 2005. "Does risk matter for farm businesses? The effect of crop insurance on production and diversification," 2005 Annual meeting, July 24-27, Providence, RI 19397, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    8. McNamara, Kevin T. & Weiss, Christoph, 2005. "Farm Household Income and On- and Off-Farm Diversification," Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 37(1), pages 37-48, April.
    9. Lighton Dube & Revaux Numbwa & Emmanuel Guveya, 2016. "Determinants of crop diversification amongst agricultural co-operators in Dundwa agricultural camp, Choma district, Zambia," Asian Journal of Agriculture and rural Development, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 6(1), pages 1-13, January.
    10. Larsen, Ryan A. & Mjelde, James W. & Klinefelter, Danny A. & Wolfley, Jared L., 2009. "Geographical Diversification in Agriculture: An Applied Case to Western U.S. Wheat Growers," 2009 Annual Meeting, January 31-February 3, 2009, Atlanta, Georgia 46819, Southern Agricultural Economics Association.
    11. K M Mehedi Adnan & Liu Ying & Zeraibi Ayoub & Swati Anindita Sarker & Rashid Menhas & Feiyu Chen & Man (Mark) Yu, 2020. "Risk Management Strategies to Cope Catastrophic Risks in Agriculture: The Case of Contract Farming, Diversification and Precautionary Savings," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-16, August.
    12. Erik J. O’Donoghue & Michael J. Roberts & Nigel Key, 2009. "Did the Federal Crop Insurance Reform Act Alter Farm Enterprise Diversification?," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(1), pages 80-104, February.
    13. Lehmann, Niklaus & Finger, Robert, 2012. "Optimizing whole-farm management considering price and climate risks," 123rd Seminar, February 23-24, 2012, Dublin, Ireland 122533, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    14. Dube, Lighton & Numbwa, Revaux & Guveya, Euveya, 2016. "Determinants of Crop Diversification amongst Agricultural Co-Operators in Dundwa Agricultural Camp, Choma District, Zambia," Asian Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development, Asian Economic and Social Society (AESS), vol. 6(01).
    15. Colleta Gandidzanwa & Aart Jan Verschoor & Thabo Sacolo, 2021. "Evaluating Factors Affecting Performance of Land Reform Beneficiaries in South Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-15, August.
    16. Wencong Lu & Abdul Latif & Raza Ullah, 2017. "Simultaneous adoption of contract farming and off-farm diversification for managing agricultural risks: the case of flue-cured Virginia tobacco in Pakistan," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 86(3), pages 1347-1361, April.
    17. Zhao, Xin & Brady, Michael P. & Tozer, Peter R., 2015. "Do Farmers Really Plant Apples for Their Income and Cherries for Their Retirement? The Effects of Risk, Scope and Scale on Orchard Land Allocation," 2015 AAEA & WAEA Joint Annual Meeting, July 26-28, San Francisco, California 205663, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    18. Stéphanie Barral, 2023. "Risk management in the Common Agricultural Policy: the promises of data and finance in the face of increasing hazards," Review of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Studies, Springer, vol. 104(1), pages 67-76, March.

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    Farm Management; Risk and Uncertainty;

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