Abstract
This study employed the Variable Return to Scale model of Data Envelopment Analysis method in an input orientation and two-stage approach to estimate the technical efficiency of typical aquaculture models and determine its affecting factors. Data necessary for the study was collected through a survey of 153 aquacultural farmers in the low-tide zone of Tam Giang – Cau Hai lagoon. The mean technical efficiency indices of shrimp-crab-fish, shrimp-fish polyculture and shrimp mono-culture were 0.87, 0.92 and 0.7, respectively. The regression analysis showed that technical efficiency is significantly affected by a farmer’s access to extension services, pond maintenance cost and the type of aquacultural models. The findings of the study suggests that improvement in efficiency would be attained though enhancing farmer’s access to extension services and the expansion of aquacultural intercropping models.
Keywords: Technical efficiency, aquaculture.