Exclusions in inclusive programs: state-sponsored sustainable development initiatives amongst the Kurichya in Kerala,India

We critically discuss the impact of sustainable development initiatives in Kerala, India, on biodiversity and on women farmers in the matrilineal Adivasi community of the Kurichya-tribe in Wayanad. By contextualizing development programs regarding the specifically gendered access to land, division of labor, distribution of knowledge and decision-making power, we situate our analysis within the theoretical framework of feminist political ecology. We first outline women’s gaining of social and political space in local self-government institutions (Panchayath) and then critically discuss the impacts of women’s farming groups (Joint Liability Groups: JLGs). Decentralization and development programs have aimed at empowering women and reducing poverty through improved food security. However, little success has materialized, as patriarchal power structures concerning decision-making processes as well as control over the most valuable resources (land and rice) and traditional knowledge have been maintained. Whereas women’s self-help groups (Kudumbasree) in Kerala have enhanced their position, women’s farming groups (JLGs), by contrast, have brought little betterment. In some cases they have even downsized women’s management and knowledge of resources related to agriculture and do not integrate or enhance Kurichya women’s knowledge. As some women are now introducing high-yielding rice seeds and fertilizer and as it is impossible for them to control land and get access to traditional rice seeds—the domain of men—we contest the notion of women being considered the preservers of agrobiodiversity. We argue, rather, that the construction and transformation of ecological traditional knowledge is highly dependent on the gendered multi-scaled power structures of state and community.     

河池市农业资源及粮食综合生产能力评价

进入21世纪,人口与耕地、粮食的矛盾是农业资源优化配置的最大障碍,加强粮食综合生产能力建设,确保粮食安全已成为经济社会发展的重大战略目标。笔者通过综合分析评价河池市现实的农业资源和影响粮食生产能力的要素,进行了潜在的粮食综合生产能力分析。同时提出保护和提高河池市粮食综合生产能力,除国家在政策和财政上继续支持粮食生产外,应优化粮食生产的区域布局,保护好基本资源,优化耕地利用结构;要加强农田基本建设,大力改造中低产田;要实行科技兴农,推广应用粮食生产新技术,以实现农业可持续发展,促进农民增收,确保粮食安全。     

湖北省水稻生产经济效益评价研究与展望

基于连续3年对湖北省随州、武穴和孝感3地900户稻农的实地调查数据,建立了计量经济模型,对稻农生产的经济效益及其影响因素进行了实证检验。结果表明,对稻农生产经济效益影响最大的是稻米出售价格;国家政策对稻农生产经济效益具有显著作用;务农人口和人均收入对稻农经济效益同样有重要作用。结合实证分析结果,最后提出了相应的政策建议,并对未来湖北省水稻生产前景进行了展望。     

The contribution of cooperative irrigation scheme to poverty reduction in Tanzania

Irrigation system is a scare resource in most of drought-stricken Africa. How to manage and maintain the existing irrigation facilities in Africa is a debatable issue to both policy makers and beneficiaries. Irrigation facilities run by farmer cooperatives are considered ineffective, unsuccessful and dysfunctional in Tanzania by many researchers. A cooperative irrigation scheme is a mechanism that features the collective management of rural irrigation facilities by farmers' cooperative with some government intervention and external support. There is an increasing emphasis on the roles of cooperative irrigation scheme in the development of the agriculture sector and poverty reduction of smallholder farmers. In this study, the authors investigated the management and services of this scheme and analyzed its contribution to poverty reduction of smallholder rice farmers and community development in Tanzania through both quantitative and qualitative methods. The results showed that the scheme helped smallholder farmers increase the rice production and brought better market opportunities. The farmers' net income was also increased. Profit generated from rice farming not only improved the livelihoods of smallholder farmers but also created more employment opportunities in the rural communities. The research also revealed that the scheme was faced with a number of challenges due to resource and institutional constraints and low-level human capacity for both management and members. The research provides a feasible approach to effective management of small-scale agricultural infrastructure for poverty reduction in Africa.     

农户兼业对土地利用行为及其效率的影响——基于苏州、南通、宿迁市的调研

基于江苏省233户实地调研数据,分组对比分析不同兼业类型农户资金投入、劳动投入、肥料投入、土地经营规模等变量各总体均值间的差异;模型估计农户兼业对土地利用效率的影响。发现农户兼业降低了土地利用强度、降低了土地生产率,但对资金和劳动投入产出率影响不大。建议加快推进农村体制改革,优化农村产业结构,推动二兼农户离农,大力发展农业规模化、专业化经营。     

我国双季稻全要素生产率的时空分析及对策建议

提高双季稻生产率对于当前我国粮食稳产保供具有重要意义。基于加总数量全要素生产率测算方法，利用2004—2018年全国9个双季稻主产省份数据，分析我国双季稻全要素生产率及其分解指数变动情况。结果表明：2004—2018年我国早籼稻、晚籼稻的全要素生产率分别为1.081、0.931；双季稻全要素生产率在2004—2008、2014—2018年小幅上升，在2009—2013年波动下降；全要素生产率的增长主要来自技术进步和规模扩张的贡献；在双季稻优势产区中，长江流域的全要素生产率指数高于东南沿海，其中规模的扩大起决定性作用。因此，建议发挥主产区优势，把适度恢复双季稻生产作为粮食稳面积、保产量的有效途径，进一步提高良种采用率及机械化水平，加大政策支持力度，保障种稻基本收益，激励农户重拾种植积极性。     

稻+鸭生物互作的综合经济效益研究

【目的】通过对水稻不同生产模式的差异比较,研究其在田间生物学性状,化学肥料施用量,化学农药使用情况,水稻产量构成因素,稻米感官质量以及综合经济效益的影响。【方法】采用多年田间试验研究的方法,试验设计为稻+鸭生物互作和水稻单作2个处理,随机排列,每个处理面积667m²,3次重复,分析水稻采用不同的生产模式对综合经济效益的影响。【结果】稻+鸭生物互作与水稻单作两个生产模式相比较,在水稻的株高、有效分蘖数、灌浆期叶面积指数和生育期差异不显著,在种植水稻的过程中放养鸭子不会显著影响水稻长发育;在结实率、千粒重、单位面积稻谷产量、出米率等方面差异不显著,在种植水稻的过程中放养鸭子不会显著影响水稻的产量构成因素;在米粒形状、米粒颜色、米饭香味、冷饭回生度等方面不同处理均表现一致,仅在适口性方面略更胜一筹;在生产过程中,可节约2倍化学氮肥的施用量,不使用化学农药;单位土地面积的综合经济产量增加,成本降低,综合经济效益差异显著。【结论】稻+鸭生物互作模式,不影响水稻田间生物学性状和产量构成,可适当延长水稻大田生育期,一定程度上提高稻米质量和使用品质,增强了生态稻米产业的市场竞争力;能有效降低农药和化肥的使用量,减少农残,提稻米高安全性,促进农业生态安全和绿色产业发展;提高了水稻产业的综合经济效益和单位土地面积的净收益,是稻区的农业产业发展、农村致富、农民增收的新途径和有效模式;可有效提高单位土地面积生产力和提高当量土地效率,为稻区农业产业发展,农业增产,农民增收,农村致富创造了有利条件,是一条有效解决“三农”问题的途径之一。     

新疆农民增收潜力研究

为了测算在一定的生产力水平、种养规模等条件下新疆农民的增收潜力,利用Lingo软件建立线性规划模型,对新疆种植业、林果业、畜牧业进行结构优化,分析预测农业生产经营产值;再通过回归分析测算未来农民生产经营收入,从而确定农民的增收空间。结果表明,新疆农民纯收入将达到12 550元,较2010年增加7 907元。其中,农民农业生产经营收入预计可达到8 056元,占农民纯收入的71.33%。农业生产经营收入增长4 744元,对农民收入增长的贡献为64.19%。通过农业结构调整,新疆农业内部还具有一定的增收空间,这将是今后挖潜农民增收潜力的重要途径之一。     

基于岭回归模型的台湾水稻科技进步贡献率的测算与分析

通过建立超越对数生产函数,建立2000-2014年期间台湾水稻生产模型,并运用岭回归(Riolge Regression)方法估计参数,得到台湾水稻生产各要素的产出弹性和科技进步贡献率。研究表明,科技进步是台湾水稻生产的主要驱动力,2000-2014年间台湾水稻科技进步贡献率为51.51%。在台湾水稻生产中,科技进步最主要以资本的形式促进水稻产量的提升,其次通过改良土地的方式,不断提升水稻生产力,还有一部分科技进步以提高稻农的综合素质水平达到促进水稻生产的目的。     

Commercial cash crop production and households’ economic welfare: Evidence from the pulse farmers in rural China

Whether promoting cash crop production can increase household welfare has long been the focus of the food policy debate. This study first investigated the determinants of household behavior in commercial pulse farming. It then examined how households’ commercial pulse production improves their economic welfare. We used a dataset of 848 households collected from 2018 to 2019 to estimate the determinants of household behavior in commercial pulse farming by the Heckman two-step model. The endogenous treatment regression (ETR) method was employed to examine the impact of commercial pulse farming on household economic welfare. The results showed that factors such as market purchase prices, agricultural technology services, farmers’ access to loans, and government subsidies promoted smallholders’ commercial pulse farming; production costs and perceptions of climate change risks constrained smallholders’ commercial pulse production. Overall, commercial pulse production has increased household farm income but there was a limited impact on household off-farm income. Our findings suggest that policies aiming to increase households’ cash crop production and market access could significantly improve the economic welfare of pulse farmers.     

Adoption of small-scale irrigation technologies and its impact on land productivity: Evidence from Rwanda

In an attempt to identify solutions to the effects of erratic rainfall patterns and droughts that limit agricultural production growth, the Rwandan government has recently increased investments in irrigation development. In this study, we analyze the adoption of small-scale irrigation technologies (SSITs) and its impact on land productivity using cross-sectional data from a sample of 360 farmers in Rwanda. The study uses the propensity score matching technique to address potential self-selection bias. Our results reveal that adoption decisions are significantly influenced by factors such as education, farm size, group membership, gender, extension services, access to credit, access to weather forecast information, risk perceptions, access to a reliable source of water for irrigation, awareness of rainwater harvesting techniques, and awareness of subsidy programs. In addition, the results show that the adoption of SSITs has a significantly positive impact on land productivity. The study concludes with policy implications that highlight the need to promote the adoption of SSITs among farmers as a strategy to improve agricultural productivity and food security in Rwanda.     

Conservation agriculture and gendered livelihoods in Northwestern Cambodia: decision-making,space and access

Smallholder farmers in Rattanakmondol District, Battambang Province, Cambodia face challenges related to soil erosion, declining yields, climate change, and unsustainable tillage-based farming practices in their efforts to increase food production within maize-based systems. In 2010, research for development programs began introducing agricultural production systems based on conservation agriculture (CA) to smallholder farmers located in four communities within Rattanakmondol District as a pathway for addressing these issues. Understanding gendered practices and perspectives is integral to adapting CA technologies to the needs of local communities. This research identifies how gender differences regarding farmers’ access to assets, practices, and engagement in intra-household negotiations could constrain or facilitate the dissemination of CA. Our mixed-methods approach includes focus group discussions, semi-structured interviews, famer field visits, and a household survey. Gender differences in access to key productive assets may affect men’s and women’s individual ability to adapt CA. Farmers perceive the practices and technologies of CA as labor-saving, with the potential to reduce men’s and women’s labor burden in land-preparation activities. However, when considered in relation to the full array of productive and reproductive livelihood activities, CA can disproportionately affect men’s and women’s labor. Decisions about agricultural livelihoods were not always made jointly, with socio-cultural norms and responsibilities structuring an individual’s ability to participate in intra-household negotiations. While gender differences in power relations affect intra-household decision-making, men and women household members collectively negotiate the transition to CA-based production systems.     

Productivity effect and overuse of pesticide in crop production in China

Chinese farmers are often accused of overusing pesticides that play a crucial role in enhancing crop yield by reducing losses to crop pests. Pesticide overuse has caused a series of negative health and environmental externalities. This paper quantifies the productivity effect and the optimal amount of pesticides in rice, cotton and maize production in China from the economic perspective. Using survey data collected in 2012 and 2013, both Cobb-Douglas and Weibull damage control specifications are used to estimate the production function. Results show that pesticides have statistically significant productivity effect on crop yield. On the condition of Weibull damage control specifications, the marginal products of 1 kg of the active ingredients of pesticides for rice, cotton and maize are 71.06, 22.73 and 98.45 kg, respectively. However, 57, 64 and 17% of the actual amount of pesticides are overused for rice, cotton and maize, respectively. Moreover, the productivity effect of pesticides would be overestimated using Cobb-Douglas specification without incorporating a damage control agent.     

福建省农民农业经营收入趋势分析

总结了近年来福建省农民收入的变化趋势和变化原因,认为福建省农民的农业经营收入与工资性收入逐年提高;对福建省农民农业经营收入影响因素进行了回归分析、格兰杰因果关系检验和协整分析,认为城镇居民的食品支出是农业经营收入的格兰杰原因,且二者存在长期稳定的互动关系;最后对在以城镇带动农村、以工业反哺农业的新背景下,如何提高农民增收进行了思考。     

绿色生产行为对稻农产业组织模式选择的影响——兼论收入效应

为探究稻农绿色生产行为、产业组织模式选择及其收入之间的内在联系,以中国水稻主产区黑龙江、吉林、安徽和湖北4省1 487份农户调研数据为基础,采用带有工具变量的CMP模型分析绿色生产行为对稻农产业组织模式选择的影响,并进一步运用倾向得分匹配法研究不同产业组织模式的收入效应。结果表明:1)稻农产业组织模式选择以传统市场交易模式为主,纵向协作模式和横向合作模式较少;就纵向协作模式和横向合作模式占比来看,黑龙江比例最大,吉林和安徽次之,而湖北占比最小,存在一定的空间差异。2)进行绿色生产正向推动稻农选择纵向协作模式和横向合作模式,而对选择传统市场交易模式产生负向影响。3)相比传统市场交易模式,稻农选择纵向协作模式和横向合作模式分别提高15.9%和5.3%的水稻收入水平。因此,为了推动产业组织模式发展、保障农户持续增收,应加大绿色生产技术推广,多角度挖掘双方盈利空间,增加彼此紧密度以建立全面深入的合作关系。     

定西县唐家堡河流域农林牧生产结构及其合理配置

唐家堡河流域,地处甘肃省定西县,是西北黄土高原的一个综合治理试验区。本流域农业生产结构的特点:是农业以农为主,种植业以粮食为主。这种结构的形成是各种因素综合作用的结果,其中,土地利用的不合理是一个主要的原因。按照本地区的自然资源特点和社会经济条件,运用线性规划方法,我们可以得到五种不同的土地利用方案。从本地区的现有生产力水平出发,在现阶段以采用方案Ⅰ为宜。在本方案被按照本地区的土地土壤条件落实并实现以后,本地区的土地利用结构和产品构成将从总体上趋于合理,农民也将逐步地成为各种不同的专业化生产者,并很快地富裕起来。     

Growth,yield and water productivity of dry direct seeded rice and transplanted aromatic rice under different irrigation management regimes

Sustainability of traditionally cultivated rice in the rice-wheat cropping zone (RWCZ) of Pakistan is dwindling due to the high cost of production, declining water resources and escalating labour availability. Thus, farmers and researchers are compelled to find promising alternatives to traditional transplanted rice (TPR). A field study was conducted in Punjab, Pakistan, in 2017 and 2018 to explore the trade-offs between water saving and paddy yield, water productivity and economics of two aromatic rice varieties under dry direct seeded rice (DDSR) and TPR. The experiment was comprised of three irrigation regimes on the basis of soil moisture tension (SMT) viz., continuous flooded (>−10 kPa SMT), alternate wetting and drying (AWD) (−20 kPa SMT) and aerobic rice (−40 kPa SMT), maintained under TPR and DDSR systems. Two aromatic rice verities: Basmati-515 and Chenab Basmati-2016 were used during both years of study. In both years, DDSR produced higher yields (13–18%) and reduced the total water inputs (8–12%) in comparison to TPR. In comparison to traditional continuous flooded (CF), AWD under DDSR reduced total water input by 27–29% and improved the leaf area index (LAI), tillering, yield (7–9%), and water productivity (44–50%). The performance of AWD with regard to water savings and increased productivity was much higher in DDSR system as compared to AWD in TPR system. Cultivation of DDSR with aerobic irrigation improved water savings (49–55%) and water productivity (22–30%) at the expense of paddy yield reduction (36–39%) and spikelet sterility. With regard to variety, the highest paddy yield (6.6 and 6.7 t ha⁻¹) was recorded in DDSR using Chenab Basmati-2016 under AWD irrigation threshold that attributed to high tiller density and LAI. The economic analysis showed DDSR as more beneficial rice establishment method than TPR with a high benefit-cost ratio (BCR) when the crop was irrigated with AWD irrigation threshold. Our results highlighted that with the use of short duration varieties, DDSR cultivation in conjunction with AWD irrigation can be more beneficial for higher productivity and crop yield.     

互联网信息技术使用对农业生产率的影响分析——以江西省水稻种植户为例

利用江西省549份水稻种植户数据,采用普通最小二乘法(OLS)、倾向得分匹配法(PSM),从微观层面分析互联网信息技术使用对水稻农业生产率的影响。研究结果表明,使用互联网信息技术可以显著提高水稻的土地生产率和全要素生产率,但是增产效应大于增效的效应。使用倾向得分匹配方法对比基准回归结果后,仍然得到了一致结论。异质性结果表明,考虑农户教育水平差异,互联网信息技术使用仅对较低教育水平农户土地生产率的促进作用显著,对全要素生产率的提升效应仅对较高教育水平农户显著;考虑农业经营规模差异,互联网信息技术使用仅对规模较大户的土地生产率和全要素生产率提升作用显著,在适度扩大土地经营规模的条件下,互联网信息技术的增产效应大于效率提升效应。因此需要持续推进农村互联网及配套基础设施建设,同时提高农民文化素养、鼓励规模经营,提升农民从互联网获取农业信息、技术的能力与需求。     

农户风险规避行为对农业生产经营决策影响的实证分析

农户在追求收入最大化的同时,还要避免收入风险的冲击。本文采用Logistic回归方法,对四川省1 063户农户的问卷调查数据进行了计量分析,检验了在收入风险冲击下,农户可选的风险应对机制及这些机制对农户生产经营的影响。结果表明:在正规收入风险应对机制缺失的背景下,农户会选择一些非正规的机制应对风险。由于事后的风险处理机制受到限制,农户不得不在很大程度上依靠事前机制来处理收入风险。目前,生产经营中的保守行为是农民规避风险的主要方式,但这种事前机制将同时在效率和公平方面带来负面影响。     

河北省不同收入水平农户收入状况分析

在介绍河北省农民收入现状的基础上,通过从农户家庭纯收入构成、农户平均受教育年限、农户资源占有状况和农户农业生产技术应用情况4个方面分析了影响农户收入差距扩大的因素,提出应鼓励中低收入户大力发展二、三产业,采取多方面的政策扶持中低收入户,提高中低收入户农民素质和完善农村的收入再分配政策,以缩小农户的收入差距。