Planners or performers? Reflections on indigenous dryland farming in northern Burkina Faso

Indigenous agricultural practices in semiarid West Africa must be seen as dynamic operations that serve different ends. These ends are not only agricultural, but symbolic. By highlighting how farmers in the Central Plateau region of Burkina Faso organize their farming strategies, the “agriculture as performance” arguments developed by Richards (1987, 1993) can be both challenged and extended from the humid forest zone of West Africa. Farmers, it can be argued, are also keen “planners;” in order to meet their goals they invest considerable effort in overcoming ecological constraints, and also spend time forging links with various institutions working for agricultural development. Technologies and ideas from multiple sources—including those from some innovative development institutions — are incorporated in agricultural planning and practices in different ways, by different farmers, and for different reasons. The prospect of locally initiated and managed agricultural change emerging on the Central Plateau will be dependent upon this dialogue between farmer innovation, local organizations, and development projects. Agricultural systems are, in many cases, consciously “constructed” through sustained investment in the land and in natural resource management. Dryland management efforts need to recognize the strategic and planned nature of these activities, if they are to work with farmers who are actively building and improving their own livelihood systems.     

Sustainable agriculture in historical perspective

This paper is an evaluation of the sociological significance of the development and adoption of sustainable agricultural practices. The concept of “appropriationism” is introduced as a means of determining whether or not sustainable agriculture is an expression of class antagonisms in U. S. agriculture. “Appropriationism” is the process by which corporate agribusiness replaces natural processes with industrial products. A comparison of responses to farm crisis in the late 19th century and in the 1980s is employed as a heuristic device to determine the contemporary sociological significance of sustainable agriculture. Based on past experience and changes in key institutions over the past century, it is concluded that the development of sustainable agricultural practices will not significantly challenge the economic prerogatives of agribusiness and that the long-term process of the industrial appropriation of natural processes in agriculture will continue into the 21st century.     

Challenging the populist perspective: Rural people's knowledge,agricultural research,and extension practice

Recent trends in agricultural science have emphasized the need to make local people active participants in the research and development process. Working under the populist banner “Farmer First”, the focus has been on bridging gaps between development professionals and local people, pointing to the inadequate understanding of insiders' knowledge, practices, and processes by outsiders. The purpose of this paper is to expose the paradox of the prevailing populist conception of power and knowledge, and to challenge the simple notion that social processes follow straightforward and systemic patterns and can thus be manipulated with a transfer of power from outside to inside. The authors view “knowledge” as a social process and knowledge systems in terms of a multiplicity of actors and networks through which certain kinds of information are communicated and negotiated, and not as single, cohesive structures, stocks or stores. The guiding phrase is “the analysis of difference”, which suggests that knowledge is multilayered, fragmentary, and diffuse, not unitary and systematized. It emerges as a product of the interaction and dialogue between different actors and networks of actors with conflicting loyalties who negotiate over “truth” claims and battle over contrasting images and contesting interests. The paper challenges those promoting Farmer First approaches to reassess how people in different agroecological and sociocultural contexts make sense of and deal with constraining and enabling processes related to research and extension; how they attempt, through recourse to various discursive means, to enroll one another in their various endeavors; and how they use relations of power in their struggles to gain access to and control of social and political space.     

论农业结构调整

当前，我国各地都在进行农业结构战略性调整，如何搞好这次农业结构调整，将对新世纪我国农业及国民经济实现“跨越式”发展生产重要影响，因此，切实搞好当前的农业结构调整，具有重要的现实意义和长远的,战略意义，本在简述农业结构调整意义的基础上，回顾了改革开放以来我国进行的几次农业结构调整，提出了这次农业结构调整所依据的生态不理论和生态经济学原则，之后，较全面地分析了当前农业结构调整的主要途径和配套措施，最后，指出了进行农业结构调整应注意的问题，这些对指导目前我国各地正在进行的农业结构调整具有重要参考价值。     

农业农村科研协同创新基础设施总体框架与战略价值

党中央国务院高度重视农业科技创新，把解决农业“卡脖子”问题放在国家战略高度，协同创新是解决“卡脖子”问题行之有效的路径。从构建农业农村协同创新基础设施的政策背景和国内外研究现状出发，深度剖析我国农业科技创新面临的农业科研大数据、高性能计算、原创算法模型、数据应用创新和数据安全防护等瓶颈问题，基于人工智能、区块链、云计算、大数据等先进信息技术构建“数据”+“算法”+“算力”深度融合的新型基础设施，构建了服务多学科交叉融合的农业农村科研协同创新平台，简化并加速人工智能（AI）模型和数据的迭代和流动，实现大规模异构计算资源调度技术、多模态数据融合方法和友好的开发支撑环境。该平台致力于协助不同学科领域的科研工作者，将数据、模型、算法和算力等资源深度整合，打造即开即用的交互式云端开发环境，应用到教学、科学研究、科学数据集和算法研究等多个场景，形成人工智能融合多学科的生态闭环。     

新一届领导人对邓小平重农思想的继承和发展

新一届领导人继承和发展了邓小平重视农业和农村工作的思想,并将“三农”问题作为全党工作的“重中之重”;继承和发展了邓小平城乡协调发展的思想,并将其作为科学发展观的重要内容;继承和发展了邓小平重视农民利益的思想,并将其作为破解“三农”难题的前提;继承和发展了邓小平尊重农民意愿,以改革促进农村发展的思想,并继续进行有利于农村经济发展的改革。     

Characteristics and conflicts in Norwegian agriculture

This article raises the issue of the extent to which a single nation can develop a “national agricultural policy,” pursuing internal goals in agrarian development, goals that vary significantly from those of other industrialized countries. What are the conflicts arising from such a policy and how do these conflicts interfere with the general agricultural crisis of these countries? The Norwegian case is explored as an example of a blend of social-democratic and center-populist agricultural policies. The decision in 1975 by the Norwegian Parliament to establish the income level of farmers at the same level as workers is seen as an experiment. As agricultural policy, this new departure represented a deviation from the earlier policies of rationalization. The Social Democrats developed their new position as a result of internal and external pressure. A series of reforms financed by the new state incomes from oil production were undertaken, of which income equalization and a farm relief service were the most important. Most Norwegian farmers speak of the reform years as “the good years of escalation.” Equity was reached in 1982, but nevertheless several problems emerged: 1) the escalation of subsidized incomes led to overproduction and decreasing incomes from the market (after 1982), 2) the large budgetary transfers to agriculture caused a legitimation crisis, fueling the constituency of the right-wing Progress Party, 3) the large subsidies to agriculture contributed to the fiscal crisis of the state, 4) the problems mentioned above, contributed to the general crisis of the Norwegian Social Democracy which finds itself with dwindling support. The likely outcome of the present Norwegian farm crisis is the implementation of an agricultural policy that will protect the most vulnerable sector and open the more competitive sector to market forces.     

Collaborations as an alternative to projects: Cornell experience with university-NGO-Government networking

Given the limitations of the “project” mode of development assistance, and the likelihood that funding will not be as available in the future for financing large development projects as it has in the past, it is appropriate to consider alternative mechanisms for American institutions and professionals to remain engaged in development efforts overseas. One hopes these will be more effective and cost-effective than previous channels of development aid. The “collaboration” is suggested here as such a mechanism. It involves a US university with overseas universities, government agencies, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in interdisciplinary problem solving, with sustainable agricultural and rural development as the goal, requiring relatively modest levels of funding. There are also benefits to the US institution as it becomes more current and knowledgeable about development problems and opportunities, and better able to provide relevant teaching and research. New partnerships supported by private funding can usefully complement larger-scale official efforts and can fill in gaps where flexible operations relying on the quality of ideas and strong personal relationships offer high returns.     

我国农地“三权分离”产权制度的剖析与建议

发展现代农业离不开土地规模经营,土地规模经营需要农地流转,农地流转呼唤"三权分离"。梳理了新中国成立以来的历次农地产权改革,对当前的农地"三权分离"进行了产权界定,强调"三权分离"的重要性;继而分析认为农地"三权分离"存在农地"非农化"与"非粮化"、工商资本挤压农民利益、信贷配给等风险,需要党和各级政府警惕,并提出相应的政策建议。     

国外农业清洁生产补偿政策模式及对我国的启示

农业清洁生产补偿已成为农业生态补偿政策研究的重要内容。发达国家通过农业补贴政策手段,鼓励农民采用环境友好型生产技术,形成有代表性的补偿政策模式,包括"美国以环保计划项目为带动的市场机制与政策调控结合型模式"、"欧盟以共同农业政策为引导的生态补偿与环境保护挂钩型模式"、"日本以环境保全型农业为特色的政府主导与公众配合互补型模式"等三种。我国重视农业清洁生产的发展,近十年来出台了一系列补偿政策措施,但针对广大农民及新型经营主体从事环境友好型生产行为的补偿政策仍不完善,补偿标准依然不高,难以调动生产者的积极性。本文梳理国外成熟的补偿政策模式,剖析我国农业清洁生产补偿政策实施的障碍因素,提出未来制定清洁生产补偿政策可借鉴的成功经验,主要包括充分尊重农民的意愿和利益,确定科学计量补偿标准的方法及健全补偿政策基础性支撑制度等。     

2012年中国农产品贸易形势分析及2013年趋势展望

在世界经济低迷、全球主要农产品供给相对宽松,国内需求不断增长以及政策调控等因素的综合作用下,2012年中国粮棉油糖等大宗农产品进口量激增,全面净进口态势得到强化;果蔬水产等优势农产品出口增长乏力,部分产品甚至出现明显下滑;农产品贸易逆差大幅增加。综合考虑国内外经济走势、农产品供求状况等因素,预计未来粮棉油糖等大宗农产品全面净进口局面将持续,但进口激增态势将得到缓解,农产品出口形势将有所好转。针对新形势、新问题,必须加强对农产品贸易形势的研究和判断,及时采取对策措施,努力确保中国农产品贸易和农业产业平稳健康发展。     

基于数据分析的农业农村系统国有单位人事人才发展趋势研究

农业农村系统国有单位作为"三农"工作的国家队,肩负推动乡村振兴战略实施的重要使命.掌握农业农村系统国有单位人事人才发展现状,分析了解国有单位机构、人员、工资变化趋势,对当前摸清"三农"工作队伍家底,研究编制"十四五"农业农村人才队伍建设发展规划提供指导和遵循.笔者通过对比2009—2019年农业农村系统国有单位人事劳动...     

基于绿色发展理念的浙江“26县”政策对城乡收入差距的影响

为探求缩小城乡收入差距的新动能与新路径,本文关注并分析了基于绿色发展理念的浙江“26县”政策,介绍了“26县”政策出台的现实背景,总结了“26县”政策的主要内容,阐述了“26县”政策影响城乡收入差距的作用机理,并利用2013—2019年浙江省83个县级行政区的面板数据,通过双重差分模型实证检验了“26县”政策对城乡收入差距的影响效果。研究发现：“26县”政策显著缩小了城乡收入差距;同时,“26县”政策显著缩小了经营净收入和转移净收入的城乡差距,但在缩小工资性收入和财产净收入城乡差距上的作用不显著。上述发现既可为迈向共同富裕的绿色发展之路提供现实依据,也可为激发乡村生态要素优势的政策制定提供有益参考。     

河南省“空心村”现状、形态及成因分析

河南省“空心村”分布广,数量大,占地多,并呈现出同心圆、多核心、扇形、带（条）状等多种形态。造成这种现象的原因主要有经济、制度、观念、环境等诸多方面。这种现象的存在和发展,不仅蚕食大量农田直接危及农业发展的物质基础,而且诱发许多矛盾严重妨碍农村经济社会的协调发展。因此,深入分析这种现象的成因,对科学制定村镇建设规划,节约集约利用土地资源,改善农村居住环境,保障农业可持续发展与粮食安全,都是至关重要的。     

China agricultural outlook for 2015–2024 based on China Agricultural Monitoring and Early-warning System(CAMES)

The primary goal of Chinese agricultural development is to guarantee national food security and supply of major agricultural products. Hence, the scientific work on agricultural monitoring and early warning as well as agricultural outlook must be strengthened. In this study, we develop the China Agricultural Monitoring and Early-warning System(CAMES) on the basis of a comparative study of domestic and international agricultural outlook models. The system is a dynamic and multi-market partial equilibrium model that integrates biological mechanisms with economic mechanisms. This system, which includes 11 categories of 953 kinds of agricultural products, could dynamically project agricultural market supply and demand, assess food security, and conduct scenario analysis at different spatial levels, time scale levels, and macro-micro levels. Based on the CAMES, the production, consumption, and trade of the major agricultural products in China over the next decade are projected. The following conclusions are drawn: i) The production of major agricultural products will continue to grow steadily, mainly because of the increase in yield. ii) The growth of agricultural consumption will be slightly higher than that of agricultural production. Meanwhile, a high self-sufficiency rate is expected for cereals such as rice, wheat, and maize, with the rate being stable at around 97%. iii) Agricultural trade will continue to thrive. The growth of soybean and milk imports will slow down, but the growth of traditional agricultural exports such as vegetables and fruits is expected to continue.     

A “curious blend”: The successful farmer in American farm magazines, 1984–1991

Mass media images offer audiences models for how to perform the social roles they depict. Opinions and other attributes of credible media models may likewise be embraced by audience members seeking to identify with those models. Thus farm magazine narratives about “successful” farmers may encourage readers to model or aspire to featured farmers' production and management techniques and ascribe legitimacy to models' responses to current agricultural issues. However, production of agrarian images in the mass media — including images of farms, farmers, and farmers' values — are inevitably biased such that media representations of successful farmers selectively present objective characteristics in terms of the media's own ideological frameworks, which in turn reflect the dominant ideology of the social relations in which the media are engaged. As a first step in identifying farm magazines' role in creating social models for farmers, this study analyzes articles featuring “successful,” “leading,” or “innovative” farmers in leading agricultural magazines. The featured farmers are categorized according to enterprise characteristics and characterizations of them and their management philosophies. Findings show that farmers in farm magazines have larger than average operations and are portrayed in a way that blends a “farming as business” orientation with more conventional agrarian values but that generally omits non-business aspects of farm life.     

Extending the horizons of agricultural research and extension: Methodological challenges

The recent enthusiasm for “participation” in agricultural development has fueled the development of new approaches to research and extension. The rhetoric of “participation” extends the horizons of agricultural research and extension beyond technical problem-solving. Yet in practice few of the personal, political, and experiential aspects of this process are addressed. This paper aims to draw attention to these elements of practice and to locate research and extension within wider social processes. Through a critique of conventional methodological strategies, this paper considers the possibilities offered by “participatory” alternatives. Considering the scope and objectives of agricultural development raises a series of methodological questions: What counts as knowledge? Who defines and represents this knowledge? Whose knowledge counts? Knowledge for what? Knowledge for whom? The paper goes on to assess a number of these “new” methodologies, within and beyond agricultural development. Through a consideration of their strengths and weaknesses, a series of further issues are highlighted for future methodological development. It is argued that for agricultural research and extension to acknowledge process, closer attention needs to be paid to context. The activities of research and extension need to be set in time. Strategies are needed to explore and address diversity and difference in communities. Situating the actors and agencies involved in development within relations of power involves addressing—and redressing—the nature of interactions between these actors. These changes require not an ever increasing array of methods, it is argued, but new approaches to learning.     

农业可持续发展的研究与实践

农业是国民经济的基础。农业发展如何,农业可持续发展与否,不仅关系着农业本身的发展状况,而且直接影响到整个国民经济和其他相关产业的发展。因此,世界各国,无论是发达国家,还是发展中国家,都十分重视农业和农业的可持续发展问题。西方发达国家是在上世纪80年代中期提出“农业可持续发展”的理念,中国是在上世纪90年代初、中期正式提出“农业可持续发展”的概念。文章从研究历程、研究内容、研究成果和研究特点等4个方面论述了国内外农业可持续发展研究进展,从制定规划、开展示范和取得实际成效等3个方面讨论了国内外农业可持续发展实践进展,并从研究和实践两个层面指出了当前国内外农业可持续发展存在的问题,最后提出了农业可持续发展未来趋势是：研究更加深入、实践更加广泛。全文层次清晰、观点新颖,对推进当前及未来国内外农业可持续发展具有一定参考价值。     

“收入保险+期货+银行”模式下保单贷款的风险控制策略研究

“收入保险+期货+银行”模式开启了“资金输入”和“收入保障”相结合的创新支农惠农模式，但是该模式下风险管理的闭环还未真正形成.探讨了如何利用在险值自回归条件异方差(Value at risk-autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity, VaR-ARCH)模型对该模式下可能存在的信贷风险进行有效的度量；然后基于我国大连商品交易所2013-2020年豆粕期货的日度数据对该度量方法进行了实证检验.检验结果表明，在不同分布下ARCH族模型得到的VaR失败率存在着较大的差异，其中GARCH(1，1)模型结果精确度相对较高，能够很好的捕捉样本数据波动的风险特性.本研究可以为我国“收入保险+期货+银行”模式的可持续性发展以及其他形式的农业保单质押贷款模式的发展提供理论上的借鉴作用.     

数字赋能助推农村公共服务高质量发展:思路与进路

以数字化、信息化为代表的数字技术赋能助推农村公共服务高质量发展,是优先发展农业农村、逐步推进国家治理体系与治理能力现代化应有的题中之义。作为高质量发展视域下的命题,以数字赋能助推农村公共服务高质量发展聚焦"高品质民生观"和"整体智治观"的价值追求、遵循"城乡共同繁荣"及"均衡充分发展"的目标导向、回应"数字乡村建设"及"农业农村现代化"的实践探索,并最终指向促进"智"与"治"的高效融合、推动"质"与"量"的城乡均衡和实现"供"与"需"的精准匹配三大核心目标。因此"十四五"时期,要以数字赋能为手段,树立以人民为中心的数字化公共服务供给理念、营造以多元共治为核心的数字服务生态共同体、打造以公民参与为重心的数字公共服务包容体、形成以开放共享为准心的数字公共服务监管体,从而推动构成以数字化为重点的"一心三体"的农村公共服务高质量发展的现实进路。