Abstract

This paper examined the influence of agricultural technologies on the growth of agricultural value-added based on time series data (1990-2016) and Cobb-Douglas production function. The results indicated that there are significant and certain benefits to draw economically from the utilization of a system of technological innovations including mechanization, renewed capital stocks, as well as temporary annual cropping and permanent cropping practices. Farming practices involving crop rotation, multi-cropping, and agroforestry are recommended for sustaining agricultural sustainability since they seem to be economically viable and environmentally friendly. It is found that technological innovations pertaining to both soil irrigation system and chemical fertilizers might be beneficial to agricultural production growth when they are managed in accordance with soil characteristics and in a balanced way, respectively. The results also showed that the labor force, the forest area, the amount of credits to agriculture, and the amount of energy consumed to power irrigation are likely to be insignificant to boost directly the growth of agricultural value-added. Thus, the various issues raised in the process of using all agricultural technologies must be addressed either by policy or by appropriating the knowledge relating to their good management so as to make them more profitable to agricultural economic growth.

Key words: Sustainable economic growth, agricultural technology, Cobb-Douglas production function.