Agroforestry in the interior highlands

The USDA Agricultural Research Service, headquartered at the South Central Family Farm Research Center, Booneville, Arkansas, recently initiated an agroforestry research program for the interior highlands and the southeastern United States. The purpose of the agroforestry program is to develop a research and technology transfer program in agroforestry that will provide additional alternative income opportunities for family farms of this region. The objectives of the program are: 1) to develop new information on the establishment, maintenance, and utilization of conifer and hardwood tree stands in open pastures, 2) to develop new knowledge in multiple-use management and their environmental impacts, and 3) to facilitate multidisciplinary networks and partnerships of farmers, technical specialists, scientists, and managers for accomplishing agroforestry research and technology transfer.     

Impact of agroforestry intervention on farm income under the subsistence farming system of the middle hills, Nepal

Practices that minimize the rate of soil degradation, increase crop yields and raise farm income are key to sustaining agricultural productivity in the hills of Nepal. The use of farmland is undergoing rapid changes in response to increasing population pressure, deforestation and subsistence needs. Against this background, this study examined the impact of an agroforestry intervention project on farm income based on a sample of subsistence farm households in Dhadhing district. The project was implemented by Nepal Agroforestry Foundation in 1993/94 to increase fodder production through the promotion of agroforestry. A total of 223 households (82 with project and 141 without project) were interviewed during May–October 1998 to collect information on production and agroforestrys' impact on farm income. The benefit-cost analysis showed that the agricultural system including agroforestry was more profitable than the conventional one. The results also showed that the introduction of mulberry trees for sericulture could further enhance the profitability of an agroforestry-based system. Thus, agroforestry has great potential for enhancing food production and farmers' economic conditions in a sustainable manner through its positive contributions to household income.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

户用分布式光伏对农户收入的影响——以中部地区Y县为例

户用分布式光伏对农户收入影响具有长期性,如何发挥分布式光伏在乡村振兴战略中的作用需进一步探索。本文以户用分布式光伏为例,利用中部地区Y县2014—2019年农户追踪数据,运用双重差分法,分析户用分布式光伏对农户收入的影响,探讨户用分布式光伏对农户收入影响的作用机制。结果表明,2014—2019年农户收入大幅度提升,其中建光伏农户的人均收入增长幅度大于未建光伏农户,户用分布式光伏使农户人均收入提高25.4%,其中经营性收入、财产性收入分别提高74.4%和444.5%,而工资性收入降低45.3%。户用分布式光伏是通过减少非农劳动时间和缩短非农就业空间距离降低农户工资性收入,增加经营性收入,从而影响人均收入。进一步分析发现,户用分布式光伏对非中心村农户的工资性收入和经营性收入影响大于中心村农户,劳动力能力越强的农户经营性收入上升幅度越大,工资性收入下降幅度越小。因此,建议统一维护光伏设施,促进劳动力要素有效配置;并依据劳动能力差异分层分配股份,降低劳动能力强的农户对政府补贴的依赖;另外,创新光伏产业发展模式,拓宽光伏产业增收渠道。     

不同降雨年型黑膜垄作对土壤水肥环境及马铃薯产量和效益的影响

【目的】探索降水年型与垄型互作对黑膜垄作土壤水肥环境及马铃薯产量和效益的影响,解析水肥互作促进作物增产、高效用水机制,为深挖覆膜垄作技术增产潜力提供理论依据。【方法】2016—2018年布置大田试验,以当地推广应用的白膜覆盖双垄集雨耕作（WRF,垄高16 cm,垄宽60cm,沟宽40 cm）为对照,基于垄上微沟集雨耕作技术,设置由黑膜覆盖低垄（垄高16 cm,垄宽 60cm）、中垄（垄高24 cm,垄宽 60 cm）、高垄（垄高32 cm, 垄宽60 cm）+垄上微集水沟（宽20 cm,深10 cm）+垄间小集水沟（沟宽 40cm）组成的3种黑色地膜覆盖垄上微沟集雨土壤水肥调控耕作处理（BLRF,BMRF 和BHRF）,测定了马铃薯播种、出苗、现蕾、开花、结薯、成熟6个生育关键时期0—200 cm土层土壤含水量和研究期末0—30 cm土层土壤有机碳及氮磷钾养分含量,计算土壤贮水量、水分利用效率,分析土壤水、肥与马铃薯产量的相关关系。【结果】不同降水年型,黑、白地膜覆盖垄作都显著增加了马铃薯生长发育期对40—120 cm土层土壤水分的消耗。BHRF,BMRF和BLRF处理马铃薯6个生育关键时期0—200 cm土层土壤含水量和贮水量（SWS）都显著高于WRF处理（P<0.05）。较高的降水量以及黑膜覆盖集蓄增加的土壤水对120—200 cm土层的土壤水具有明显的补充作用。在干旱年（2016）和平水年（2017）,BLRF和BMRF处理的集水和保水效应较好,BHRF处理次之,都显著优于WRF处理;在丰水年（2018）三者无显著差异,也都显著优于WRF处理。研究期末（2018）黑膜垄作0—30 cm 土层的全氮全钾（TN 和TK）及速效氮磷钾（AN,AP和AK）含量均显著高于白膜垄作（P<0.05）,分别增加了4.5%—5.6%、3.6%—5.9%、8.4%—18.4%、15.3%—22.3% 和7.1%—13.3%。归因于显著增加了大薯结薯个数和结薯重,黑膜垄作马铃薯产量、WUE、纯收益和产投比均显著高于白膜垄作,3年平均分别提高了16.9%—19.0%、15.5%—19.2%、23.3%—27.3% 和12.1%—18.2%。这4个效益参数在干旱年和平水年以BLRF和BMRF处理较好、BHRF处理次之,丰水年三者都优于WRF处理,且无显著差异。相关分析表明,3年马铃薯平均产量与研究期末平均土壤氮磷钾养分含量呈显著正相关关系,与作物平均耗水量（ET）呈显著负相关关系（P<0.05）。通径分析表明,土壤AP、AK、AN含量,马铃薯生育期平均耗水量（ET）和平均降水量（GPR）解释了99.4%的产量变化。【结论】黑膜覆盖垄沟与垄上微沟的叠加集水效应显著改善土壤水分状况;水分条件的改善促进了马铃薯旺盛生长,使更多的根茎（茎叶、根等）类有机物归还土壤,其腐解释放的养分与施肥结合提高了土壤养分含量。良好的土壤水肥条件有效改善了土壤水肥互作关系,增加了作物水肥供应而显著提高马铃薯产量、WUE、纯收入和产投比。BLRF和BMRF处理在干旱年和平水年表现较好,BLRF、BMRF和BHRF处理在丰水年表现较好,BLRF和BMRF处理在各种年型都有良好的表现。因此,黑膜覆盖低、中垄垄上微沟集雨耕作（BLRF和BMRF）是继白膜覆盖双垄集雨耕作（WRF）之后最适用于半干旱区的马铃薯高产高效栽培模式。     

农村劳动价格、收入结构变化与柑橘种植布局变迁

在农村劳动力持续转移背景下,探讨农村劳动价格、农户收入结构变化对柑橘种植布局变迁的影响,对于促进柑橘产业发展和保障农民增收具有重要意义。在理论推导基础上,利用柑橘主产省的面板数据建立固定效应模型,从全局和分区两个视角实证研究农村劳动价格、农户收入结构对我国柑橘种植布局的影响。结果表明:农业用工价格和非农就业工资的提高对柑橘种植产生负向影响,我国柑橘种植布局正由农村劳动价格较高的浙-闽-粤地区向农村劳动价格较低、以农业经营为主要收入来源的赣南-湘南-桂北扩张;工资性收入提高对柑橘种植产生的收入效应和生产总成本上涨产生的抑制效应,共同作用致使长江中游和鄂西柑橘带种植面积缓慢增长,形成我国柑橘种植“西移内扩”趋势。故而以调控农村劳动力转移、农户收入结构为切入点,是优化柑橘种植布局的重要思路。     

Co-application of compost or inorganic NPK fertilizer with biochar influences soil quality,grain yield and net income of rice

Most agricultural soils in sub-Saharan Africa are degraded, compromising the grain yield of rice and farmers return on investment. A 3-year field study was undertaken to explore the effect of the application of compost or inorganic NPK fertilizer applied alone or in combination with biochar on soil quality, grain yield of rice and net income. The five treatments were laid out using a randomized complete block design with four replications. The treatments were applied to supply approximately 75 kg N ha^–1. The best fertilizer input was compost+biochar which resulted in the greatest improvement in soil physico-chemical properties by reducing bulk density and increasing porosity and moisture retention, organic matter content, percent nitrogen, available phosphorus and cation exchange capacity. Apart from treatment with inorganic fertilizer alone, treated soils showed a decrease in pH. Bacterial and fungal counts and basal respiration decreased in soils in the following order: compost+biochar>compost only>inorganic NPK fertilizer+biochar>inorganic NPK fertilizer>control. The increase in pooled grain yield and net income in response to treatment followed the order: compost+biochar>NPK+biochar>NPK>compost>control. The findings suggest that the use of compost or NPK alone might improve soil quality and increase grain yield and net income, but it is greatly recommended to co-apply these fertilisers with biochar.     

农业机械化与农民增收关系的交互动态响应分析——基于吉林省统计核算数据

为探究农业机械化发展与农民增收之间的关系,以吉林省1998—2018年的时间序列数据为例,通过灰色关联分析和构建VAR模型,利用脉冲响应函数和方差分解分别探讨农业机械化与农民增收之间的关系。结果表明:农业机械化发展与农民人均纯收入之间的灰色关联度为0.8345,关系比较密切;吉林省农业机械化发展与农民人均纯收入之间存在长期均衡关系。从长期来看,农业机械总动力每增加1%,农民人均纯收入会上涨1.4561%;吉林省农业机械化发展与农民人均纯收入之间存在双向因果关系,两者之间相互影响,而且农业机械化发展对农民人均纯收入增长的影响程度更大。最后,为更好地促进吉林省农业机械化发展提出相关建议。     

The use of antibiotics on small dairy farms in rural Peru

Very little is known about the use of antibiotics on small dairy farms in lower/middle-income countries. The use of these drugs can have profound impacts on animal health, farmer income and public health. A survey of 156 farmers was conducted in Cajamarca, a major dairy-producing center in the highlands of Peru characterized by small farms (<15 cows) to assess patterns and determinants of antibiotic use and farmers’ knowledge of antibiotics. The reported incidence of disease on these farms was relatively low (0.571 episodes of disease per cow-year), but more than 83% of the reported episodes were treated with antibiotics. The most commonly used antibiotics were oxytetracycline, penicillin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole drugs; antiparasitic drugs were also used to treat what were likely bacterial infections. An increased incidence of treated disease was significantly associated with smaller farm size, lower farmer income, the previous use of the Californian Mastitis test on the farm and antibiotic knowledge. Farmers’ knowledge of antibiotics was assessed with a series of questions on antibiotics, resulting in a “knowledge score”. Increased knowledge was significantly associated with the use of antibiotics for preventative reasons, the purchase of antibiotics from feed-stores, the experience of complications in animals after having administered antibiotics, the number of workers on the farm and the educational level of the farmer. Overall, antibiotics appeared to be used infrequently, most likely because therapeutic interventions were sought only when the animal had reached an advanced stage of clinical disease. Few farmers were able to define an antibiotic, but many farmers understood that the use of antibiotics carried inherent risks to their animals and potentially to the consumers of dairy products from treated animals. The results of this study are useful for understanding the patterns of antibiotic use and associated management, demographic and knowledge factors of farmers on small dairy farms in rural Peru.     

Non-timber forest products and household incomes in Bonga forest area,southwestern Ethiopia

We identified the major non-timber forest products （NTFPs）, their contributions to household incomes, and the determinants influenc-ing engagement of households in using NTFPs in the Bonga forest area of Gimbo and Decha Districts of Kaffa Zone, southwest Ethiopia. Six Kebeles （the lowest administrative unit in Ethiopia） were sampled from two Districts and 150 households were randomly sampled using propor-tional-to-size techniques based on the number of farm households in each Kebele. Secondary data were collected from and focus group discussions were conducted with selected individuals. The farmers diversified liveli-hood activities such as crop and livestock production, collection of NTFPs and off-farm activities. NTFPs played a significant role in household incomes. The contribution from the major NTFPs （forest coffee, honey and spices） accounted for 47% of annual household in-come. The role of NTFPs was influenced by a number of factors. Vari-ables including being native to the area （＋）, total land holding （＋）, pos-session of livestock （＋） and access to extension （＋） significantly affected forest coffee production. Age of household head （-）, land holding （＋） and distance of the market from the residence （-） significantly affected honey production. Size of landholding （＋）, distance to market （-） and distance of the forest from the residence （-） were significant variables determining the NTFP incomes derived by the households. Attention is needed in the design of policies and strategies for the well-being of households to the contribution of NTFPs to local incomes and the variables that affect the collection of NTFPs must be considered.     

家庭收入对农民从事农业生产积极性影响的实证研究

采用实证分析探讨了家庭收对农民从事农业生产积极性的影响,结果表明:家庭收入与农民从事农业生产的积极性存在正相关性,收入对于农民从事农业积极性的影响非常大,要真正调动农民从事农业的积极性,必须增加农民收入;提出要加大直补惠农政策的实施和监督力度等措施,调动农民从事农业生产的积极性,以提高我国粮食产量、提高粮食自给率,维护国家粮食安全。