A EFICIÊNCIA TÉCNICA DOS COLONOS NOS PERÍMETROS IRRIGADOS EM PETROLINA E JUAZEIRO: UMA ANÁLISE DE MODELOS DE FRONTEIRAS DE PRODUÇÃO¹

Abstract

The region of irrigated agriculture in Petrolina-PE and Juazeiro-BA is currently considered a pole of development in the Northeast, attracting investments of national and foreign enterprise groups. The main objective of this paper is to measure the settlers technical efficiency in six perimeters irrigated in Petrolina-PE and two in Juazeiro-BA, using two different methods of the estimation production frontiers: parametric and non-parametric. In the parametric method the stochastic and deterministic frontier were estimated. In the non-parametric method three models were estimated: DEA-C and DEA-V (Data Envelopment Analysis), the first with constant returns to scale, the other one with variable returns to scale, and the model FDH (Free Disposal Hull). The results showed that, of all of them, Bebedouro, Tourão and Mandacaru were the perimeters that presented the greatest percentage of efficient settlers. Efficient settlers reached a bigger value of production and used a smaller amount of inputs then inefficient settlers. These results lead to the assumption that the perimeters which were emancipated longer managed for cooperative systems, where the system of the production of the settlers is linked with agricultural enterprise and agricultural industries were relatively more efficient than the perimeters under the management of the Districts.