Regionalized sector model for estimating the agricultural structural change in the Austrian Alpine Region.

In the course of the research project RAALSA we tried to develop a concept for a sector model, which would be based on the individual decision process of single farm households, allow for simulation runs at regional level, and estimate structural change endogenously. The concept was then applied for the territory of the Austrian Alps. The model is based on typical farms and weight-vectors which create a virtual farm structure. It should give a good representation of the actual farm structure in the territory. By linear programs we calculated the incomes of the typical farms, and from this we derived changes in the weight-vector by implementing the results of an inquiry of 384 farmers. Changed weight-vectors finally allow us to make some statements on structural changes.