In this study we estimate yield gaps for mixed crop–livestock smallholder farmers in seven Sub-Saharan African sites covering six countries (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Senegal and Burkina Faso). We also assess their potential to increase food production and reduce the GHG emission intensity of their products, as a result of closing these yield gaps. We use stochastic frontier analysis to construct separate production frontiers for each site, based on 2012 survey data prepared by the International Livestock Research Institute for the Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security program. Instead of relying on theoretically optimal yields—a common approach in yield gap assessments—our yield gaps are based on observed differences in technical efficiency among farms within each site. Sizeable yield gaps were estimated to be present in all of the sites. Expressed as potential percentage increases in outputs, the average site-based yield gaps ranged from 28 to 167% for livestock products and from 16 to 209% for crop products. The emission intensities of both livestock and crop products registered substantial falls as a consequence of closing yield gaps. The relationships between farm attributes and technical efficiency were also assessed to help inform policy makers about where best to target capacity building efforts. We found a strong and statistically significant relationship between market participation and performance across most sites. We also identified an efficiency dividend associated with the closer integration of crop and livestock enterprises. Overall, this study reveals that there are large yield gaps and that substantial benefits for food production and environmental performance are possible through closing these gaps, without the need for new technology.

中文翻译：

---

缩小撒哈拉以南非洲地区作物-牲畜混合小农的全系统产量差距，以增加粮食产量并减少温室气体排放

在这项研究中，我们估算了覆盖六个国家（肯尼亚、坦桑尼亚、乌干达、埃塞俄比亚、塞内加尔和布基纳法索）的七个撒哈拉以南非洲地区混合作物-牲畜小农的产量差距。我们还评估了他们通过缩小这些产量差距来增加粮食产量和降低其产品的温室气体排放强度的潜力。我们根据国际畜牧研究所气候变化、农业和粮食安全项目准备的 2012 年调查数据，使用随机前沿分析为每个地点构建单独的生产前沿。我们的产量差距不是依赖于理论上的最佳产量（这是产量差距评估的常见方法），而是基于观察到的每个地点农场之间技术效率的差异。据估计，所有地点都存在相当大的产量差距。以产出的潜在增长百分比表示，畜产品的平均单产差距为 28% 至 167%，农作物产品的平均单产差距为 16% 至 209%。由于产量差距缩小，牲畜和农作物产品的排放强度均大幅下降。还评估了农场属性和技术效率之间的关系，以帮助决策者了解能力建设工作的最佳目标。我们发现大多数网站的市场参与度和绩效之间存在着紧密且具有统计显着性的关系。我们还发现了与作物和畜牧企业更紧密整合相关的效率红利。总体而言，这项研究表明，存在巨大的产量差距，通过缩小这些差距，无需新技术，就可以为粮食生产和环境绩效带来巨大好处。