Labour Time Requirement for Agricultural Work: Grain Maize Production

This dataset contains labour time key figures for grain maize production. Each language version (German (DE), French (FR), English (ENG)) consists of three files: (1)  labour time requirements for all work processes within grain maize production applying the mechanization that is used most frequently in Switzerland referred to as “standard mechanization”; (2) labour time requirements for alternative work processes; (3) exemplary work budgets for four mechanization levels (low, medium, high, standard). The file "Readme" gives further information on the key figures and the interpretation. The file ‘PREVIEW_Grain_maize_2_ENG’ is an extract from (2) to illustrate the data set (see "Files" below). 

The working time required is specified for each work process in manpower hours per hectare [MPh/ha] and tractor or machine hours per hectare [Th/ha]. The descriptions of the work processes contain information on the assumptions made, such as working widths, tank sizes, or loading capacities. To take into account the effect of farm size, the key figures are given for nine plot sizes between 0.5 and 50 ha.

The dataset is supplemented by a codebook that describes in detail the assumptions made in the calculation model.

The key figures are also available in the online application LabourScope (see related works). LabourScope is a tool for calculating the current working time requirements for individual activities on the farm and in rural households. In addition to the labour budget calculation tool, the platform also includes an interactive table of key figures for comparing different working methods. LabourScope is available free of charge in German, French and English (labourscope.ch).