Bridging Efficiency Gaps in ASEAN Agriculture: A Spatial SBM‑DEA Approach

Abstract

Southeast Asia plays a crucial role in global rice production but remains challenged by resource inefficiency and uneven technological diffusion. This study aims to evaluate sustainable agricultural efficiency and spatial spillover effects across five ASEAN rice basket countries Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, and the Philippines over the period 2010–2023. Using a Spatial Slacks-Based Measure Data Envelopment Analysis (S-SBM-DEA) model, the research integrates multiple sustainable inputs including land, labor, fertilizer, irrigation water, and energy with desirable outputs such as rice yield and food security index, while treating greenhouse gas emissions as undesirable output. The model combines spatial dependencies through geographic and trade-based weighting matrices to capture inter-country efficiency transmission. The results indicate high technical efficiency, averaging 0.977, but significantly lower spatial efficiency at 0.199, revealing a 77% efficiency gap between individual and regional performances. Irrigation inefficiency (35%) and excessive GHG emissions (18%) were identified as the most critical constraints. Spillover intensity of 0.387 demonstrates that approximately 39% of one country’s efficiency can influence its neighbors, underscoring the importance of cross-border collaboration. The study concludes that improving regional irrigation governance, promoting low-emission rice innovations, and strengthening technology-sharing networks are essential strategies to enhance spatial efficiency and ensure sustainable food security across ASEAN.