Eco-Efficiency and Economic Viability of Regenerative Maize in Brazil: An Input-Use Efficiency Analysis

Eco-efficiency is the delivery of competitively priced goods and services that satisfy human needs while progressively reducing ecological impacts. RA is an alternative food production system with lower or even net-positive environmental and/or social impacts. This paper examined the eco-efficiency of seven maize farms in Southwestern Goiás, Brazil, that employ regenerative and conventional systems. We collected input data from the farms during the second cropping seasons of 2023 and 2024, yielding 18 observations, and performed an input-use efficiency analysis. Data referring to chemical inputs were used as a proxy for Eco-efficiency impact. After collecting the data, we performed a super efficiency Slack-Based Measure Data Envelopment Analysis (super SBM-DEA) to evaluate the fields’ efficiency. A second-stage bootstrap regression analysis was performed to explore how contextual factors influence technical efficiency. A production cost comparison was also performed. Super SBM-DEA analysis indicates that only 10 fields presented efficient results (7 regenerative and 3 conventional). The regression analysis indicates that RA did not have a significant impact on maize efficiency. The economic analysis showed that regenerative fields had a higher cost per hectare compared with conventional fields for both cropping years, leading to financial loss in the first year. Nevertheless, returns per hectare were higher for regenerative fields in both years. Results indicate that regenerative fields were more efficient, producing more with less chemical inputs and reducing environmental impact, and are thus more Eco-efficient. Economic analysis indicated that returns per hectare were higher for regenerative fields, providing better financial results for farmers in the second year, and consequently a better social impact, once analyzed farms belong to small farmers of the Southern Goiás.