ABSTRACT The paper investigates if two groups of smallholder sheep farmers who farm using communal grazing land in the N8 development corridor of South Africa can be treated in a homogenous manner. Heterogeneous production environments should result in different production responses, which are unique to the production region. A better understanding of these unique responses could guide the development of improved strategies to increase smallholder livestock production in South Africa. A stochastic production frontier approach was used to evaluate two production districts before grouping the data and estimating the metafrontier. The metafrontier represents a homogenous benchmark for all producers. Results indicate that the two districts cannot be treated the same. Therefore a single production function and strategy cannot be used to improve productivity and efficiency of livestock production in both the districts. The conclusion is that the development of strategies to increase smallholder sheep producers, productivity and efficiency requires an understanding of the production, environmental and institutional factors that the farmers experience within that particular district. Considering the study areas used in the paper, attention to the more technical aspects of production and management can improve the farmers' productivity and efficiency.

中文翻译：

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通过区域特定战略改善小农的生计：南非绵羊生产的案例研究

摘要 本文调查了在南非 N8 开发走廊使用公共放牧地耕作的两组小规模养羊户是否可以以同质化的方式进行处理。异构的生产环境应该导致不同的生产响应，这是生产区域所独有的。更好地了解这些独特的反应可以指导制定改进的战略，以增加南非的小农畜牧生产。在对数据进行分组和估计元前沿之前，使用随机生产前沿方法来评估两个生产区。元前沿代表所有生产者的同质基准。结果表明，这两个地区不能一视同仁。因此，不能使用单一的生产功能和策略来提高两个地区的畜牧生产的生产力和效率。结论是，制定增加小规模绵羊生产者、生产力和效率的战略需要了解农民在该特定地区所经历的生产、环境和制度因素。考虑到论文中使用的研究领域，关注生产和管理的更多技术方面可以提高农民的生产力和效率。农民在该特定地区所经历的环境和制度因素。考虑到论文中使用的研究领域，关注生产和管理的更多技术方面可以提高农民的生产力和效率。农民在该特定地区所经历的环境和制度因素。考虑到论文中使用的研究领域，关注生产和管理的更多技术方面可以提高农民的生产力和效率。