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Agricultural Productivity Indices Data for Latin America and the Caribbean 1961-2021: Dataset

By Agriculture and Rural Development Division (VPS/PTI/ARD)

This dataset provides standardized, up-to-date agricultural productivity data across countries, offering annual statistics on agricultural output, input use, and total factor productivity (TFP).
It enables meaningful cross-country and time-series comparisons of the efficiency with which land, labor, and capital are used in agriculture.

Data Overview

The dataset compiles agricultural productivity and input-use statistics from multiple sources:

  • Primary source: USDA’s International Agricultural Productivity (IAP) dataset, developed by the Economic Research Service (ERS)
  • Computed indicators: Hicks-Moorsteen, Fare-Primont, and Lowe TFP indices, derived from the same USDA data
  • Baseline: All indices are normalized to 2015 = 100 for comparability

These harmonized measures help evaluate trends in agricultural productivity data over time and across economies.

Indicators Included

The dataset contains multiple Total Factor Productivity (TFP) indices and disaggregated input indices for:

  • Labor
  • Land
  • Capital
  • Materials
  • Machinery
  • Livestock
  • Fertilizers
  • Feed

Each variable is expressed in standardized units such as 1,000 hectares, 1,000 metric horsepower, or megacalories (Mcal) of metabolizable energy, all presented in constant 2015 prices or physical equivalents.

What Makes This Dataset Unique

  • Comprehensive coverage: Tracks agricultural inputs and outputs across multiple factors and regions
  • Comparability: Consistent methodologies allow valid cross-country benchmarking
  • Transparency: Each record includes an updated_at timestamp for traceability
  • Policy relevance: Designed for use by researchers, policymakers, and development practitioners to assess productivity growth, input efficiency, and structural changes in agriculture

Example Uses

  • Measuring productivity growth in Latin America’s agricultural sector
  • Comparing resource-use efficiency across regions and income groups
  • Identifying long-term shifts in input intensity and output composition
  • Supporting evidence-based agriculture productivity data analysis for sustainable policy design
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Metadata & use

Identifier https://doi.org/10.60966/tnztso0h
License Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
Related Knowledge Product
Citation

Salazar, Lina, et al. (2025). Agricultural Productivity Indices Data for Latin America and the Caribbean 1961-2021: Dataset. IDB Open Data. https://doi.org/10.60966/tnztso0h
Published date 2025-06-04
Modified date 2026-10-28
Tags/Keywords Agricultural Productivity · Total Factor Productivity · TFP · Index Numbers · Inputs · Outputs · Cross-Country Comparisons · Factor Shares
Language
  1. English
Temporal coverage 1961-2021
Country
Argentina
Bahamas
Paraguay
Peru
Belize
Honduras
Costa Rica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Jamaica
Mexico
Nicaragua
Panama
Bolivia
Brazil
Guatemala
El Salvador
Suriname
Trinidad & Tobago
Uruguay
Venezuela
Guyana
Haiti
Chile
Colombia
Publisher
Inter-American Development Bank
Author
Salazar, Lina
De Salvo, Carmine Paolo
Rondinone, Gonzalo
Schling, Maja
Tadeo, Diana
Nin Pratt, Alejandro
Data collection type Observational Data
Statistical type Panel Data
Data structure Structured Data
Dataset unit of observation

Country
Data notes

What is this dataset?

The Agricultural Productivity Indices Database compiles standardized, comparable agricultural productivity data across countries and over time.
It contains annual indicators of agricultural output, input use, and total factor productivity (TFP), enabling analysis of production efficiency and structural trends in the farming sector.

Who developed this dataset?

The dataset was compiled by Lina Salazar and Carmine Paolo De Salvo of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), drawing on official data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Economic Research Service (ERS).
All Total Factor Productivity (TFP) indices and input measures are harmonized in accordance with international statistical standards.

What are the primary data sources?

The primary source is the USDA International Agricultural Productivity (IAP) dataset, published by the Economic Research Service (ERS).
Additional indicators—such as the Hicks-Moorsteen, Fare-Primont, and Lowe TFP indices—were calculated using underlying USDA data to broaden analytical coverage.

What indicators are included?

The dataset provides multiple indicators to evaluate agricultural performance: - Total Factor Productivity (TFP) indices
- Input-use indices for labor, land, capital, fertilizers, machinery, livestock, feed, and materials
- Factor shares and output values, expressed in constant 2015 prices or standardized physical units

All indices are normalized to a 2015 baseline for comparability.

How can the data be used?

Researchers and policymakers can use this dataset to: - Compare agriculture productivity data across countries and years
- Assess input efficiency and output growth in farming systems
- Evaluate long-term productivity trends and resource use patterns
- Support evidence-based policy for agricultural innovation and investment

How are Total Factor Productivity (TFP) indices computed?

TFP indices are derived using both USDA IAP data and alternative methodologies such as Hicks-Moorsteen, Fare-Primont, and Lowe approaches.
These methods quantify the efficiency with which agricultural inputs (land, labor, capital, etc.) are transformed into output over time.

What regions are covered?

The dataset covers multiple countries across Latin America, the Caribbean, and other regions, providing a global context for agricultural productivity data.
All country-level indicators use consistent units and definitions to facilitate accurate cross-country comparisons.

What time period does the dataset cover?

The dataset includes annual observations from the earliest available year in the USDA IAP series through 2025, with all data standardized to 2015 constant prices.

Dataset files

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