Agroscope Reckenholz-Tänikon Research Station ART, CH-8356 Ettenhausen

Vegetable growing – Modelling heterogeneity and intensity

The agent-based agricultural sector model, SWISSland, simulates the processes of structural change and income trends in Swiss agriculture. The objective is to provide a portrayal of the behavioural patterns of farms that is as close to reality as possible. This article describes a method of best possible deduction from cost and work requirement coefficients, which are not explicitly available in the form of accounting data, for production activities in the heterogeneous branch of farming that is vegetable growing. The amount of direct costs and work requirement is estimated using farm-specific gross yield per hectare. Forecasts for the agricultural sector with SWISSland show a positive trend for the future, provided the agricultural policy’s considerations on reforming the direct payment system for the years 2014 to 2017 are implemented

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