CHANGES IN THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF CROP PRODUCTION IN EU COUNTRIES

Abstract

The aim of the paper is to evaluate the change in the energy efficiency of crop production in the EU during the period 2002–2012. The energy efficiency is an important indicator of sustainability of agricultural processes. The energy-saving agriculture is a priority of the new Rural Development Programme in 2014–2020. Even though the analysis counts with main direct energy inputs into the crop production (fertilizers, fuels and pesticides), the methodology of the energy efficiency for commodities and farms uses all indirect non-renewable energy inputs spent on production of buildings and machinery. The analysis covered 24 EU countries. The change in the energy efficiency in time was calculated through the Malmquist index. Clustering using medoids revealed groups of countries with similar energy efficiency. The Malmquist index identified the United Kingdom, Portugal and Sweden as countries with the most dynamic positive change in energy efficiency of the crop production in time. On the contrary, Baltic States and Poland experienced the most dynamic decline of energy efficiency. However, Lithuania, Latvia and Poland significantly increased the Malmquist index in recent years, partly as a consequence of effective investments from the Rural Development Programme (RDP). The energy efficiency indicator that includes direct and indirect energy inputs is supposed as suitable indicator for RDP’s ex-post evaluation.