Title: Investigation of the relative efficiency of LEADER+ in rural areas of Northern Greece

Authors: George Vlontzos; Garyfallos Arabatzis; Basil Manos

Addresses: Department of Agriculture, Crop Production and Rural Environment, University of Thessaly, Volos, Greece ' Department of Forestry and Management of the Environment and Natural Resources, Democritus University of Thrace, Orestiada, Greece ' Department of Agricultural Economics, School of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to investigate and measure the relative efficiency of LEADER+ action plans of seven rural areas in Northern Greece. To this end, a Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model is used, which is based on data from LEADER+ provided by the Ministry of Agriculture. In particular, the DEA method is used for measuring the relative efficiency of local actions and for the investigation of the inputs and outputs and to show how the maximisation of their relative efficiencies could be achieved through its use. The specific DEA model has the required characteristics for the empirical application of the input-oriented DEA method. The model shows that some Decision-Making Units could maximise their relative efficiency by proceeding to internal adjustments of the inputs being used, and it is these internal adjustments which are being taken into consideration for this paper.

Keywords: LEADER+; DEA; data envelopment analysis; rural development; Common Agricultural Policy; rural areas; Greece; decision making units; DMU efficiency; DMUs; EU CAP; European Union; local action groups.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGE.2014.064470

International Journal of Green Economics, 2014 Vol.8 No.1, pp.37 - 48

Published online: 25 Oct 2014 *

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