Associate Professor Renato Andrin (Rene) Villano
Associate Professor, Faculty of The Professions, UNE Business School
Qualifications
BAgEc (Hons), PhD (NE)
Contact
| Email: | rvillan2@une.edu.au |
| Room: | Economic Studies 2 (W40) 808 |
| Phone: | 02 6773 2027 (or +61 2 6773 2027 overseas) |
| Fax: | 02 6773 3596 |
Areas of Teaching
Business statistics, introductory and applied econometrics; efficiency and productivity analysis; survey methods for business and economics; econometric analysis of financial markets; and finance and risk management.
Research interests
My principal research interests are in the area of agricultural economics, applied econometrics and development economics. Recent research undertakings include efficiency and productivity analysis, survey design and sampling, application of limited and discrete dependent variable models in agriculture, education, health services and local government.
At present, I am involved in various domestic and international projects including (i) assessment of the impact of Meat Standards Australia (MSA) grading scheme on the demand for meat in Australia, (ii) impact assessment and evaluation of technologies in Asian agriculture, (iii) efficiency and productivity analysis in various sectors and (iv) rural development (poverty analysis, community development and improving market access). I am currently working with a collaborator from University of Connecticut to measure the impact of modern rice technologies on farm productivity using econometric approach. In addition, beginning June 2012 I am member of the UNE team working in a 3-year project funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) entitled “An integrated approach for systematic change and sustained development of the Papua New Guinea sweet potato value chain”. Finally, I am an active supervisor of research students and have successfully supervised several PhD, Masters and Honours Students to completion.
Publications
Journal Articles
Mariano M, RA Villano and E Fleming E. (forthcoming) ‘Technical efficiency of rice farms in difference agro-climatic zones in the Philippines: an application of a stochastic metafrontier model’, Asian Economic Journal.
Mariano M, RA Villano and E Fleming (2010) ‘Are irrigated farming ecosystems more productive than rainfed farming systems in rice production in the Philippines?’ Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 139 (2010), 603-610.
Villano RA, MH Boshrabadi and E Fleming (2010) ‘When is metafrontier analysis appropriate?: an example of varietal differences in pistachio production in Iran’, Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology.
Ellahi M, E Fleming and RA Villano (2010) ‘Explaining inter-provincial inequality in productivity growth in crop production in Pakistan’, Spatial Economic Analysis, 5(4), 441-461.
Byrnes J, L Crase, B Dollery and RA Villano (2010) ‘The relative economic efficiency of urban water utilities in regional New South Wales and Victoria’, Resource and Energy Economics
Villano RA, E Fleming and P Fleming (2010) ‘Evidence of farm-level synergies in mixed-farming systems in the Australian Wheat-Sheep Zone’ Agricultural Systems, 103, pp. 146-152.
Wijeweera A, RA Villano and B Dollery (2010) ‘Economic Growth and FDI Inflows: A Stochastic Frontier Analysis’. The Journal of Developing Areas, 23(2), 143-158.
Villano RA, E Fleming and H Rodgers (2009) ‘Productivity returns to resources in the beef enterprises on Victorian Farms in the South-West Monitor Project’, Australian Farm Business Management Journal, 6 (2), 88-88.
Nonthakot P and RA Villano (2009) ‘Impact of labour migration on farm efficiency: evidence from maize farming in northern Thailand’, Asia-Pacific Journal of Rural Development, Vol. XIX, No.2, 1-16.
Byrnes J, L Crase, B Dollery and RA Villano (2009) ‘An analysis of the relative efficiency of wastewater utilities in Non-Metropolitan New South Wales and Victoria’, Australasian Journal of Regional Studies, 15 (2), 153-169.
Fleming, E, RA Villano and Fleming, P. (2009) ‘Do Synergies exist in Australian sheep production?’, International Journal of Wool and Sheep Science, 57 (1), 1-10.
Chang C, RA Villano, ML Velasco, NL De Castro, and AL Lambio (2008) ‘ Duck egg production in the Philippines: results from a farm Survey’, Philippine Journal of Veterinary Medicine, 45, 95-108.
Chang, C and RA Villano (2008) ‘Technical and socio-economic constraints to duck production in the Philippines: a productivity analysis’, International Journal of Poultry Science, 7 (10): 940-948.
Nonthakot P, RA Villano and E Fleming (2008). ‘Can strategic alliances in food processing increase the technical efficiency of housewives groups in Thailand?’ Journal of Chain Network Science 8, 83-92.
Boshrabadi HM, RA Villano and E Fleming (2008) ‘Technical efficiency and environmental technology gaps in wheat production in Kerman Province of Iran: a meta-frontier analysis’, Agricultural Economics 38, pp. 67-76.
Boshrabadi HM, RA Villano and E Fleming (2007) ‘Production relations and technical inefficiency in pistachio farming systems in Kerman Province of Iran’, Forests, Trees and Livelihoods, Vol. 17, No.2, pp. 141-155.
Villano RA, MP Lucas and S Pandey (2006) ‘Technical efficiency in intensive rainfed cropping systems in northwest Luzon, The Philippines: a stochastic distance function approach’, The ICFAI Journal of Agricultural Economics, Vol. III, No.4, pp. 18-33.
Villano RA and E Fleming (2006) ‘Technical inefficiency and production risk in rice farming: evidence from Central Luzon Philippines”, Asian Economic Journal, Vol. 20, No.1, pp. 29-46.
Fleming E, T Farrell, RA Villano and P Fleming (2006) ‘Is farm benchmarking the new acceptable face of comparative analysis?’ Australasian Agribusiness Review, Vol.14. No. 12.
Lucas MP, S Pandey, RA Villano, D Culanay and S Obien (1999) ‘Site characterization and economic evaluation of cropping systems in rainfed lowlands of Ilocos Norte, Philippines’, Experimental Agriculture, Vol. 35, pp.211-224.
Pandey SP, P Masicat, L Velasco and RA Villano (1999) ‘Risk Analysis of Rainfed Rice Production Systems in Tarlac Central Luzon’, Experimental Agriculture Vol. 35, pp. 225-237.
Villano RA, ML Drilon and AB Davidson (1996) ‘Spatial Equilibrium Model of the Corn Trade in the Philippines’ Australasian Journal of Regional Studies Vol.2 No.2, pp. 189-208.
Edited Book Chapters
Singh, H., Pandey, S. and Villano, R.A. (2000) ‘Rainfed rice, risk and technology adoption: micro-economic evidence from Eastern India’ in Toung, T.P. et al. (eds), Characterizing and Understanding Rainfed Environments, IRRI, Los Baños, Philippines, pp. 323-338.
Lucas, M.F., Pandey, S., Villano, R.A., Culanay, D. and Marcos, T.F. (2000) ‘Economics of intensive rainfed lowland rice-based cropping systems in northwest Luzon, Philippines’ in Toung, T.P. et al. (eds), Characterizing and Understanding Rainfed Environments, IRRI, Los Baños, Philippines, pp. 391-406.
Pandey, S., Naik, D., Behura, D.D. and Villano, R.A. (2000) ‘Drought risk, farmer’s coping mechanisms and poverty: A study of rainfed rice system in eastern India’ in S. Peng and B. Hardy (eds.), Rice Research for Food Security and Poverty Alleviation, IRRI, Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines.
Pandey, S. Pal, S. and Villano, R. (2001) ‘Growth and variability of rice production in eastern India’ in Program Report for 2000 International Rice Research Institute ‘, IRRI, Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines, pp. 26-28.
Monographs and Major Reports
Fleming, E., Villano, R., Farrell, T. and Fleming, P. (2005), Efficiency and Productivity Analysis: Report on a Benchmarking Sub-Project, Australian Sheep Industry Cooperative Research Centre, Armidale.
Pandey, S., Barah, BC., Villano, RA. and Pal, S. (2000) Risk Analysis and Management in Rainfed Rice Systems, Limited Proceedings of the IRRI/NCAP Workshop on Risk Analysis and Management in Rainfed Rice Systems, 21-23 September, 1998. National Center for Agricultural Economics and Policy Research, New Delhi India, Los Baños, Philippines (International Rice Research Institute).
Pandey, S., Naik, D., Behura, D.D. and Villano, R.A. (2000) ‘Economic Cost of Drought and Farmers’ Coping Mechanisms: A Study of Rainfed Rice Systems in Eastern India’. Discussion Paper Series No. 39, International Rice Research Institute, Los Baños, Laguna.
Working Papers
Byrnes, J., Crase, L., Dollery, B. and Villano, R. (2008) ‘An Examination of the ‘Skills Shortage’ in Australian Local Government: The Case of Wastewater Service Provision in Regional New South Wales and Victoria’, Working Paper No. 01-2008, Centre for Local Government, University of New England, Armidale.
Byrnes, J., Crase, L., Dollery, B. and Villano, R. (2007) ‘Putting Water to Work – Urban Water Utilities in Regional New South Wales and Victoria’ Working Paper No. 19-2007, Centre for Local Government, University of New England, Armidale.
Boshrabadi, H.M., Villano, RA., and Fleming, E. A. (2006) Technical Efficiency and Environmental-Technological Gaps in Wheat Production in Kerman Province of Iran: A Meta-Frontier Analysis, Working Paper Series in Agricultural Economics No. 2006-6, School of Economics, University of New England, Armidale.
Villano, R.A., Fleming, E.M., Farrell, T. and P. Fleming (2005) Changes in Technical Efficiency and Total Factor Productivity on Farms in the Farm Monitor Project in South West Victoria, 1994/1995 to 2003/2004. Working Paper Series in Agricultural and Resource Economics No. 2005-13, School of Economics, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia.
Villano, R.A., O’Donnell, C.J and Battese, G.E. (2005) ‘An Investigation of Production Risk, Risk Preferences and Technical Efficiency: Evidence from Rainfed Lowland Rice Farms in the Philippines’, Working Paper Series in Agricultural and Resource Economics No. 2005-1, School of Economics, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia.
Kekha, A., Soltani, G.S. and Villano, R.A. (2005) ‘Agricultural Risk Analysis in the Fars Province of Iran: A Risk-Programming Approach’, Working Paper Series in Agricultural and Resource Economics No. 2005-2, School of Economics, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia.
Villano, R.A. and Fleming, E. (2004) ‘Analysis of Technical Efficiency in a Rainfed Lowland Rice Environment in Central Luzon Philippines Using a Stochastic Frontier Production Function with a Heteroskedastic Error Structure’. Working Paper Series in Agricultural and Resource Economics 2004-15, School of Economics, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia.
Refereed Conference Proceedings
Villano, R.A., Fleming, E., Farrell, T. and Fleming, P. (2006), Productivity change in the Australian sheep industry revisited, Paper presented at the 26th International Conference of International Association of Agricultural Economists, Brisbane, August (in CD).
Villano, R. A and Pandey, S. (2000) ‘Technology adoption in the rainfed lowlands of Lao PDR: Implications for poverty alleviation ‘ Abstracts of paper presented at the 16th International Farming Systems Association Symposium at Santiago, Chile, November 27-30, 2000.
Conference Papers/Presentations
Villano R, Fleming E and Mariano M (2011) ‘Decomposition of productivity and efficiency indicators in Philippine rice farming: evidence from farm-household level data’. Accepted paper for presentation at the XII European Workshop on Efficiency and Productivity Analysis, Verona, June 21-24.
Villano R, Fleming E and Mariano M (2011) ‘Decomposing Productivity Change in Philippine Rice Farming: A Non-Parametric Approach. Invited paper for presentation at the Western Economic Association International Pacific Rim Conference, Brisbane, 26-29 April.
Villano R, Mariano,M and Fleming E. (2011) ‘Determinants of adoption of modern rice technologies and good management practices in the Philippines’. Paper presented at the 55th Annual Conference of Australian Agricultural and Resources Economics Society, Melbourne, 8-11 February 2011.
Tozer P and Villano R (2011) ‘Decomposing productivity and efficiency in Western Australian grain producers’. Paper presented at the 55th Annual Conference of Australian Agricultural and Resources Economics Society, Melbourne, 8-11 February 2011.
Sefriadi H, Fleming E, Villano R and Patrick I (2011) ‘The potential of cacao agribusiness for poverty alleviation in West Sumatra’, Paper presented at the 55th Annual Conference of Australian Agricultural and Resources Economics Society, Melbourne, 8-11 February 2011.
Teerakul N, Villano R, Wood F and Mounter S. (2011) ‘Use of principal component analysis in determining the poverty status of households in rural upper northern Thailand’. Paper presented at the 55th Annual Conference of Australian Agricultural and Resources Economics Society, Melbourne, 8-11 February 2011.
Kramol P, Villano R, Fleming E, Kristiansen P. (2010) ‘Production efficiency and technology differences in ‘clean and safe’ vegetable farming systems in northern Thailand’. Paper presented at the Asia-Pacific Productivity Conference, Taiwan, July 2010.
Mariano M, Villano R and Fleming E. (2010) ‘ Spatial and temporal differences in Philippine rice productivity: a stochastic metafrontier approach’. Paper presented at the Asia-Pacific Productivity Conference, Taiwan, July 2010.
Nonthakot P, Fleming E and Villano R (2010) ‘Impact of strategic alliances on the productivity of housewives groups in northern Thailand’. Paper presented at the Asia-Pacific Productivity Conference, Taiwan, July 2010.
Kramol P, Villano R, Fleming E, Kristiansen P. (2010) ‘Technical efficiency and technology gaps on ‘clean and safe’ vegetable farms in northern Thailand: a comparison of different technologies’ Paper presented at the 54th Annual Conference of Australian Agricultural and Resources Economics Society, Adelaide 10-12 February 2010.
Mariano M, Villano R, Fleming E and Acda R (2010) ‘Metafrontier Analysis of Farm-level Efficiencies and Environmental-Technology Gaps in Philippine Rice Farming’ Paper presented at the 54th Annual Conference of Australian Agricultural and Resources Economics Society, Adelaide 10-12 February 2010.
Teerakul N. Villano R, Wood F and Mounter S. (2010) ‘A framework for assessing impacts of community-based enterprises on poverty reduction: a case study in northern Thailand’ Paper presented at the 54th Annual Conference of Australian Agricultural and Resources Economics Society, Adelaide 10-12 February 2010.
Kramol, P., Villano, R.A., Kristiansen, P. (2009) 'Clean and Safe' agriculture in northern Thailand: driving forces, current situation and’ Paper presented at the International Society for Southeast Asian Agricultural Sciences (ISSAAS) Bangkok,
Nonthakot, P., Fleming, E. and Villano, R. (2008) ‘An Assessment of the Impact of Strategic Alliances in Food Processing on the Technical Efficiency of Housewives Groups in Thailand’ Accepted paper for presentation at XIIth Congress of the European Association of Agricultural Economists., 26-29 August, Gent-Belgium.
Chang, H.S., and Villano, R. (2008) ‘Technical and socio-economic constraints to duck production in the Philippines: A Productivity Analysis’, Paper presented at the Asia-Pacific Productivity Conference, 16-20 July, Taiwan.
Nonthakot, P., Villano, R. and Fleming, E. (2008) ‘ An analysis of Technical Efficiency and Strategic Alliances in Community-based Enterprises in Northern Thailand – A Stochastic Input Distance Function Approach’, Paper presented at the Asia-Pacific Productivity Conference, 16-20 July, Taiwan.
Nonthakot, P., Villano, R. and Fleming, A. (2008). ‘Can strategic alliances in food processing increase the technical efficiency of housewives groups in Thailand?’. Best paper presented at the 8th International Conference on Management in AgriFood Chains and Networks, 28-30 May, Netherlands.
Fleming, E., Villano, R. and Fleming, P. (2008) ‘ Evidence of scope economies in the Australian Wheat-Sheep Zone’, Paper presented at the 82nd Annual Conference of the Agricultural Economics Society, 31 March to 2 April, Cirencester, UK.
Villano, R., Fleming, E. and Fleming, P. (2008) ‘Measuring Regional Productivity Differences in the Australian Wool Industry: A Metafrontier Approach’ Paper presented at the 52nd Annual Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Conference, 5-9 February, Canberra, ACT.
Villano, R., Fleming P, and Fleming, E. (2008),‘Evidence of Scope Economies in Australian Agriculture’. Paper presented at the 52nd Annual Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Conference, 5-9 February, Canberra, ACT.
Williamson, B., Villano, R. and Fleming, E.(2008), ‘Structuring Exotic Options Contracts on Water to Improve the Efficiency of Resource Allocation in the Water Spot Market’, Paper presented at the 52nd Annual Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Conference, 5-9 February, Canberra, ACT.
Nonthakot., P. and Villano, R.A. (2008) ‘Migration and Farm Efficiency: Evidence from Northern Thailand’, Paper presented at the 52nd Annual Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Conference, 5-9 February, Canberra, ACT.
Wijeweera, A., Villano, RA., and Dollery, B. (2007), ‘An Econometric Analysis of Economic Growth and FDI Inflows’. Paper presented at the Singapore Economic Review Conference, 2-4 August, Singapore.
Villano, RA., Fleming, E., and Fleming, P. (2007) ‘Accounting for Environmental Differences in Efficiency Measurement in the Australian Wool Industry. Paper presented at the 10th European Workshop on Efficiency and Productivity Analysis, 26-30 June, Lille, France.
Villano, RA., Dollery, B., and Wijeweera, A. (2007) ‘Economic Growth and Foreign Direct Investment’. Paper presented at the 10th European Workshop on Efficiency and Productivity Analysis, 26-30 June, Lille, France.
Villano, RA., Boshrabadi, H. and Fleming, E. (2007)’ Analysis of Technical Efficiency and Varietal Differences in Pistachio Production in Iran: A Meta-Frontier Approach’, Paper presented at the the 51st Annual Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, 13-16, February, Queenstown, New Zealand.
Rodgers, H., Griffith, G., Villano, RA., and Fleming, E. (2007) ‘Market Differentials for Meat Quality Improvement: Meat Standards Australia’, Paper presented at the the 51st Annual Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, 13-16, February, Queenstown, New Zealand.
Fleming E. and Villano, R.A. (2006) ‘Accounting for Spatial Differences in Environmental Factors in Estimating Productivity Change’, Paper presented at the 37th Annual Conference of Regional Science Association International, 15-17th August, Bangor Northern Ireland.
Fleming, E.M., Farrell, T., Villano, R.A. and P. Fleming (2006) ‘Productivity Change in the Australian Sheep Industry – Revisited’, Paper presented at the Annual Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, 6-10 February, Manly, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Rodgers, T., Fleming, E.M. and R.A. Villano (2006) ‘Analysis of Price and Product Competition from Imports in the Preserved Mushrooms Market in Australia’, Paper presented at the Annual Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, 6-10 February, Manly, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Villano, R.A. (2005) ‘Estimating Risk and Efficiency in Agriculture’, Poster paper presented at the International Society of Southeast Asian Agricultural Scientists Annual Convention, Tagaytay City, Philippines. October 26-29.
Villano, R.A., Lucas, M. and S. Pandey (2005) ‘An Analysis of Scope Economies and Technical Efficiency in Intensive Rainfed Lowland Rice-based Cropping Systems in Northwest Luzon, Philippines’ Paper presented at the Annual Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, 9-11 February, Coffs Harbour, NSW, Australia.
Kekha, A., Soltani, G.S. and Villano, R.A. (2005) ‘Agricultural Risk Analysis in the Fars Province of Iran: A Risk-Programming Approach’, Paper presented at the Annual Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, 9-11 February, Coffs Harbour, NSW, Australia.
Villano, R.A. (2003) ‘Estimation of production risk, risk preferences and technical efficiency: An empirical application to the rainfed lowland rice environment in the Philippines’, Paper presented at the 2003 PhD Conference in Economics and Business, Perth, Western Australia, 5-7 November 2003.
Villano, R.A., Battese, G.B, Fleming. E.M. and O’Donnell, C. (2003) ‘An Investigation of Production Risk, Risk Preferences and Technical Efficiency in the Philippines’, Paper presented at the Eight Workshop on Efficiency and Productivity Analysis, Oviedo Spain, 24-27 September 2003.
Villano, R. A and Pandey, S. (2000) ‘Technology adoption in the rainfed lowlands of Lao PDR: Implications for poverty alleviation Paper presented at the 16th International Farming Systems Association Symposium at Santiago, Chile, November 27-30, 2000.
Pandey, S., Singh, H.N. and Villano, R.A. (1999) ‘ Rainfed Rice and Risk Coping Strategies: Some- Microeconomic Evidences from Eastern India’ Selected paper for presentation at the Annual Meeting of the American Agricultural Economics Association, 8-11 August 1999, Nashville Tennessee.
Naik, D., Pandey, S., Behura, D. and Villano, R.A. (1998) Risk and rice production of Orissa, eastern India, Paper presented at the IRRI/NCAP Workshop on ‘Risk Analysis and Management in Rainfed Rice Systems’, 21-23 September, 1998, New Delhi.
Bhomwick, B.C., Pandey, S., Villano, R.A. and Gogoi, J.K. (1998) ‘Characterization of risk and strategies for management of risk in rice cultivation under flood prone situation of Assam’, Paper presented at the IRRI/NCAP Workshop on ‘Risk Analysis and Management in Rainfed Rice Systems’, 21-23 September 1998, New Delhi.
Pandey, S., Singh, H. and Villano, R.A. (1998) ‘Rainfed Rice and Risk Coping Strategies: Some Micro-economic Evidences from Eastern Uttar Pradesh’, Paper presented at the IRRI/NCAP Workshop on ‘Risk Analysis and Management in Rainfed Rice Systems’, 21-23 September, 1998, New Delhi.
Villano, R.A. and S. Pandey (1998) ‘Farmers perceptions and varietal adoption in the rainfed lowlands of Lao PDR’, Paper presented at the 14th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Crop Science Society of the Philippines, 20-24 April, 1998 Cebu City.
Masicat, P., Pandey, S., Villano, R.A. and Lagasca, F. (1996) ‘The economics of crop establishment methods in Iloilo’, Paper presented at the 13th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Crop Science Society of the Philippines, May 1996, Davao City.