Resource information
This paper revisits the role of land
measurement error in the inverse farm size and productivity
relationship. By making use of data from a nationally
representative household survey from Uganda, in which
self-reported land size information is complemented by plot
measurements collected using Global Position System devices,
the authors reject the hypothesis that the inverse
relationship may just be a statistical artifact linked to
problems with land measurement error. In particular, the
paper explores: (i) the determinants of the bias in land
measurement, (ii) how this bias varies systematically with
plot size and landholding, and (iii) the extent to which
land measurement error affects the relative advantage of
smallholders implied by the inverse relationship. The
findings indicate that using an improved measure of land
size strengthens the evidence in support of the existence of
the inverse relationship.
