Determinants of urban bushmeat consumption in Río Muni, Equatorial Guinea

Understanding the factors driving demand for wild meat and its substitutes is crucial for predicting the effects of changing socio-economic conditions on consumption, and managing supplies sustainably. However urban demand for wild meat remains relatively understudied, particularly in West/Central Africa. We use interviews with consumers in households, markets and restaurants and a market survey to examine patterns of consumption of bushmeat, domestic meat and fish in Bata, Equatorial Guinea, a country currently undergoing a period of strong economic and population growth. Consumers make a much clearer distinction between fresh and frozen foods than between bushmeat, domestic meat and fish. Fresh foods are greatly preferred over frozen but are more expensive and less consumed. Consumption of all fresh foods increases with income. Controlling for income, native Equatoguineans consume more bushmeat than other nationalities, while of the two dominant Equatoguinean tribes, the continental Fang consume more bushmeat than the coastal Ndowe. Our findings indicate that increasing wealth of a growing urban population will greatly increase future demand for all fresh foods, including bushmeat. There is no evidence of a luxury bushmeat market based on rare species, thus controlled demand for bushmeat could be met from common, highly productive species that are relatively robust to exploitation. Improving the supply of under-developed commodities, particularly domestic livestock, could also offset demand for bushmeat.     

Why do local households harvest forest products? A case study from the southern Western Ghats, India

Deforestation in tropical countries has been partly attributed to the non-sustainable harvesting of forest biomass by local communities. We conducted a survey among 786 households in 31 agricultural villages adjoining the eastern boundary of the Kalakad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, in the southern Western Ghats to see whether household wealth, social status, literacy and distance to the forest boundary influenced resource harvesting. Fuel-wood, fodder and green leaves were the major products harvested in this agricultural region. The effect of distance from the reserve boundary differed with the product harvested and its use value. Distance was a constraint for households that harvested for domestic consumption, whereas it was not significant for households that harvested for earnings. Wealth was independent of resource interest in the forest, except for the poorer lower caste households with lower levels of literacy that sold fuel-wood to earn a living. Wealthier households harvested green leaves for fertilizing their fields, and fodder harvest was related to livestock ownership. The lower cost of forest products compared to commercially available substitutes probably fuelled extraction. Forest products contributed disproportionately to household consumption as compared with household earnings. Discouraging the harvest of forest products within protected areas might be the only viable conservation strategy.     

信息素养、绿色防控技术采用行为对农户收入的影响

为帮助农户有效利用信息,顺应生态经济、绿色农业发展的趋势,持续稳定增收,本文基于山东寿光786户蔬菜种植户的调研数据,采用因子分析法,构建"认知、获取、分析、应用"4维农户信息素养测度指标体系,采用层次回归模型,实证检验信息素养、绿色防控技术采用行为对农户收入的影响及其路径,并采用工具变量法解决内生性问题。结果表明:1)信息素养正向显著影响绿色防控技术采用行为和农户收入;2)绿色防控技术采用行为在信息素养影响农户收入路径中具有部分中介效应,其中,是否采用和采用数量的中介效应占总效应的比重分别为73.09%和62.72%;3)蔬菜种植年限和是否参加技术培训正向显著影响绿色防控技术采用行为; 4)受教育年限、家庭规模、蔬菜种植年限和蔬菜收入占比正向显著影响农户收入,蔬菜销售市场距离负向显著影响农户收入。因此,信息素养不仅对农户收入具有直接影响,还通过绿色防控技术采用行为的中介效应对农户收入具有间接影响。据此,提出通过开展农户信息素养专题培训和加强绿色防控技术宣传推广力度等途径,以增加农户收入的政策建议。     

不同生计方式农户生活能源消费行为及其影响因素

[目的]分析不同生计方式下农户生活能源消费行为及其影响因素,为区域制定能源利用与环境保护规划及政策提供参考。[方法]基于西安市城郊地区381份调查问卷,采用优势能源系数法与Tobit模型开展研究。[结果](1)纯农户主要使用秸秆、玉米芯、薪柴等生物质能源,经济性、可获性优先;兼业户生物质能、液化气和太阳能使用突出,可获性与便捷性兼顾,呈现互补性消费;非农户优势能源为煤及其制品、电能、太阳能等商品能源,便捷性、清洁性与高效性优先。(2)可获得性是影响纯农户生物质能消费的关键因素,主要体现在作物种植面积的多少,人均收入提高会减少其消耗;非农户生物质资源缺乏,煤及其制品、电能为主要生活用能,常住人口越多,煤炭、电能消费量越大,人均收入、家庭有效最高受教育程度对电能消费正向影响;兼业户液化气、太阳能消费受家庭规模与人均收入影响明显。[结论]农户生活能源消费行为受家庭特征、人均收入、能源可获得性等方面影响,纯农、兼业、非农3种生计方式伴随收入水平提高以及商品化、高质化用能的演替过程,呈现了生活用能的阶梯提高。城郊农户大量使用排放系数较高的煤及其制品,不利于城市地区环境改善,应重视这类群体的用能导向和管理。     

“四位一体”户用沼气工程建设对农民种植行为影响的计量经济学分析

运用统计学方法分别从描述统计量和计量经济模型两个方面分析了生态家园建设对农户种植行为的影响。结果发现，在实施了生态家园建设之后，农户的种植品种明显增加，种植热情和种植技术迅速提高，农业种植生产方式由原来的半自给自足的粗放式经营方式向以市场为导向的、以高投入高产出为特征的集约化经营方式转变。生态家园建设具有明显的增收作用。同时，农户参与生态家园项目建设具有明显的技术进步效应。它打破了过去农业生产常规模报酬的特征，改变了依赖要素投入提高产量和种植收入的传统种植思维和实践方式，有利于农业生产向依赖技术进步发挥规模报酬效应实现增收目标的生产方式转变。     

Seasonal food insecurity and perceived social support in rural Tanzania

OBJECTIVES: To examine whether the occurrence of seasonal food insecurity was related to ethnicity, household wealth and perceived social support, and to assess whether social support was more efficacious in protecting against food insecurity in wealthier households. Secondary objectives were to assess the association between past food insecurity, current dietary intake and perceived health. DESIGN, SETTING AND SUBJECTS: A sample of 208 randomly selected mothers from two ethnic groups living in the same villages in rural Tanzania participated in a cross-sectional survey. RESULTS: Food insecurity was highly prevalent in this area, particularly among the poorer ethnic group. Half of ethnically Sukuma households fell into the most food-secure category, compared with only 20% of ethnically Pimbwe households. Among both groups, measures of household wealth and social support were strongly associated with food security. Interestingly, social support appeared to be more effective among the wealthier ethnic group/community. Past food insecurity was also related to current indicators of dietary intake and women's self-perceptions of health. CONCLUSION: Greater social support is associated with food security, suggesting that it may protect against the occurrence of seasonal food insecurity. Social support also interacts with wealth to offer greater protection against food insecurity, suggesting that increasing wealth at the community level may influence food insecurity through both direct and indirect means. Seasonal food insecurity also appears to have lasting effects that likely create and reinforce poverty.     

基于参与式调查的广西生态移民迁入区农户收入效应评价

定量评估生态移民工程对农户收入的影响,可为生态移民工程的实施效果评价、完善移民政策提供决策依据。该文以广西环江县30个移民安置屯281户农户为研究对象,采用参与性农户评估方法(PRA,participatory rural appraisal),收集迁入区农户在工程实施前后收入及其组成结构的变化数据,根据研究需要将调查农户分为移民和原驻民,利用倍差法(DID,difference in differences)分析了生态移民工程对迁入区农户收入及收入结构的影响。结果表明,移民农户的收入水平比搬迁前有较为明显的提高,1996-2011年,家庭总收入的年增长率达26.02%,此外,种植业、林业及非农收入也呈现不同程度的增长趋势。与安置区原驻民相比,移民的各项收入总量仍然偏低,除其他非农收入外,生态移民工程对移民各项收入的影响呈负效应,耕地、林地等土地资源占有量的不均衡是原因之一。因此,要保障生态移民工程实施的可持续性,应加强工程实施效果的跟踪评价,加快迁入区土地再分配与确权制度研究,促进移民与原驻民生计的协同发展。     

牧民定居政策对移民农户农业生产影响研究——基于新疆布尔津县农户调查

借助国内外相关研究成果和方法,基于2001—2012年新疆布尔津县主要农作物类型、产量、牧民定居数量等统计数据和376名移民农户的调查数据,借助面板模型实证检验牧民定居政策对移民农户农业生产的影响。结果表明,牧民定居政策可显著提高移民地区农户农业生产水平和产量。而户主从事农业生产时长、是否以农业为主要收入、户主接受过政府的农业技能培训和参加农业合作社、人均耕地面积以及农资价值等变量对农业生产有显著正向影响,但户主性别对农户农业生产负向冲击具有显著作用。而家庭抚养比和户主是否为村民代表等两个变量则对移民农户农业生产没有影响。结果说明在生态脆弱地区,合理的牧民定居政策有助于提高农户应对脆弱生态环境的能力和农业生产水平。而政府应加强政策引导,促使定居牧民通过农业生产实现安稳致富。     

太湖流域农村生活垃圾产排污系数测算研究

选取太湖流域典型农村9户农户（高、中、低收入水平各3户农户）作为研究对象,采用现场监测及入户调查的方法对农户生活垃圾污染物产排系数进行为期一年的系统定量研究,结果表明：收入水平对农户总垃圾、有机垃圾、有机垃圾TN、TP产排污系数及可回收垃圾产污系数影响极显著（P〈0.01）,具体表现为高收入农户〉中收入农户〉低收入农户,但对农户有害垃圾产排污系数及可回收垃圾排污系数无显著性影响（P〉0.05）。因此,除有害垃圾产排污系数及可回收垃圾排污系数外,农户总垃圾、有机垃圾、有机垃圾TN、TP产排污系数及可回收垃圾产污系数可按收入水平划分。各收入水平农户有机垃圾占总垃圾比例超过80%,表明有机垃圾的综合利用效率特别是畜禽养殖率是影响生活垃圾污染物排放系数的主导因素,而农业收入水平则对这种因素影响显著。     

农业信息化背景下光伏发电扶贫模式及效益提升机制研究

精准扶贫已进入攻坚克难的决胜时期,光伏扶贫作为精准扶贫工程之一,在解决脱贫问题中发挥重要作用。农业信息化是促进贫困地区实现农业现代化的重要手段,该文以国家级贫困县W县为例,结合光伏扶贫信息化建设,系统梳理近年来4种典型的光伏扶贫模式,对比分析各种模式的适用范围及其特点,设计光伏扶贫综合效益计算方法。运用层次分析法和模糊综合评价法设计基于光伏扶贫指标评价的收益分配方法,根据典型案例分析,验证所提方法的有效性。综合从5个视角5个层面构建光伏扶贫效益提升机制总体架构,旨在为中国贫困地区光伏扶贫工程提供技术与决策支撑。     

Assessing the extent and causes of forest degradation in India: Where do we stand?

In India, conservation of biodiversity goes hand in hand with human welfare, as millions of people live adjacent or within protected areas and depend upon forests products. The high density and biomass requirements of these households could result in the degradation of forests and loss of biodiversity. We assessed the collection of forest products among households in five sites in the Western and Eastern Ghats of peninsular India: the Kogar region of the Central Western Ghats, the Bandipur and Sigur regions of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, the Kalakad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve of the southern Western Ghats and Similipal Tiger Reserve of the northern Eastern Ghats, and tested whether extraction pressure on forests was associated with the proportion of agricultural households, wage labour and population density. We also examined whether data on loss of cover as stated by the State of the Forest Reports was supported by field data. The regions differed in land use: Kogar, KMTR and Similipal were primarily agricultural regions, whereas households engaged in wage labour or in running small businesses were predominant in Sigur and Bandipur. Fuel-wood was collected ubiquitously for household use in all sites, used mainly for domestic requirements and secondarily for generating income. Green leaves for making fertilizer and fodder were collected for household use and did not enter the market. Cattle manure for the global organic coffee industry was a major forest product in Bandipur and Sigur. Extraction pressure on forests was positively associated with the availability of wage labour and was negatively with the proportion of agricultural households. Data from official sources seem inadequate to measure forest degradation in protected forests. Accurate estimation of forest condition through field assessments and remote sensing, and understanding the socio-economic variables associated with forest loss and degradation are needed for the sustainable management of Indian protected areas.     

Prevalence and predictors of food insecurity among low-income households in Los Angeles County

OBJECTIVES: To assess the prevalence and identify the predictors of food insecurity among households in Los Angeles County with incomes below 300% of the federal poverty level. METHODS: The Six-Item Short Form of the US Department of Agriculture's Household Food Security Scale was used as part of a 1999 county-wide, population-based, telephone survey. RESULTS: The prevalence of food insecurity was 24.4% and was inversely associated with household income. Other independent predictors of food insecurity included the presence of children in the household (odds ratio (OR) 1.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2-2.3) and a history of homelessness in the past five years (OR 5.6, 95% CI 3.4-9.4). CONCLUSION: Food insecurity is a significant public health problem among low-income households in Los Angeles County. Food assistance programmes should focus efforts on households living in and near poverty, those with children, and those with a history of homelessness.     

基于典型县入户调查的中国农村家庭能源消费研究

农村家庭能源消费是国家能源消费中的重要组成部分,对农村社会、生态环境的发展有重要影响。该研究对中国8大经济区的典型县的1 440个家庭进行了派员式入户调查。调查数据分析表明,不同区域的农村家庭能源消费水平和结构有很大差异,8县年人均能源消费平均为26.7 GJ,最低10.4 GJ(上杭县),最高86.6 GJ(舒兰县)。在能源消费中秸秆、沼气、薪柴、电力所占比例8县平均分别为44.33%、23.13%、12.79%、9.61%。收入较高的农村家庭使用着更多的电力、液化石油气等商品能源,较少使用秸秆、薪柴等生物质能;从总体上,传统生物质能仍然是中国农村家庭的主要能源。该研究为掌握中国农村地区家庭能源消费现状和未来发展,制定相关能源、环境政策提供了依据。     

农业现代化背景下县域光伏扶贫生态补偿标准评估

光伏扶贫是促进贫困地区实现农业现代化的重要手段。该研究运用生态系统服务付费方法,构建光伏扶贫生态系统服务指标评价体系,以及经济价值与经济损失评估模型。以补偿对象的经济损失得以弥补为目的,补偿主体支付补偿后经济价值仍有富余为可行条件,提出3种可行性补偿方案,通过对受益者与影响环境者在经济、环境、社会维度获得的经济价值进行再分配,确定补偿标准,比较判断补偿后的脱贫情况。以炎陵县地面村级光伏扶贫电站为例,选取东北、西北、西南地区的代表性县域光伏扶贫项目进行验证,结果显示:第1种补偿方案,贫困户既是补偿对象又是补偿主体,人均获得补偿净收入1 294.09元,无法实现脱贫;第2、3种补偿方案,贫困户仅作为补偿对象,不支付补偿,人均收入达到3 527.3元,高于最低脱贫标准;延寿县、水城县和大通县的生态补偿效果与炎陵县一致。结果说明,通过良好的生态补偿机制设计,环境保护和消除贫困将协同实现。     

农村居民点多功能识别与空间分异特征

多样化和分异是当前社会经济转型期中国农村居民点演变的重要特征。以山西省长治市为例,根据距离衰减原理,以县域为研究单元,县城为中心将农村居民点划分为城中村、近郊型、远郊型和边远型4类。基于农村居民点内部用地视角将农村居民点多功能识别为生活功能、农业生产功能和非农生产功能。构建农村居民点功能表征属性指标体系分析不同类型农村居民点多功能表征属性分异。最后,基于农村居民点功能表征属性指标,构建农村居民点多功能量化公式,测算农村居民点功能优势度,从而揭示不同类型农村居民点优势功能的差异。研究结果揭示了空间内不同类型农村居民点生活功能、农业生产功能、非农生产功能及其表征属性的分异特征,可为农村居民点分类整理提供科学依据。     

Analysis of korarima (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Aframomum corrorima</Emphasis> (Braun) P.C.M. Jansen) indigenous production practices and farm based biodiversity in southern Ethiopia

Korarima (Aframomum corrorima (Braun) P.C.M. Jansen) production is declining mainly due to destruction of the plant’s natural habitat. A survey was conducted in the three major korarima growing administrative zones, Gamo Gofa, Debub Omo and Kaffa in southern Ethiopia to assess indigenous production practices, wealth status, farm based biodiversity and household characteristics using participatory rural appraisal (PRA) and semi-structured questionnaires. The wealth is unevenly distributed among households and not significantly different for korarima growers and non-korarima growers. Farmers acknowledged that shortage of shade trees; low yield and lack of improved varieties had contributed to decrease in production area (PA). A total of three distinct named korarima landraces were recorded, with a range from one to three on individual farms implying low farm based biodiversity. More households grew enset (Ensete ventricosum (Welw.) Cheesman) in Gamo Gofa and Kaffa while maize (Zea mays L.) was grown by nearly all households in Debub Omo. Only a few households grew korarima. Most of the household characteristics significantly affected the PA of korarima. The correlation coefficients indicated that the relationship of household characteristics were significant. Findings of this study suggest that the maintenance of shade trees on the main farm field is the main requirement for korarima production.     

Diversification of Food Production and Consumption Patterns in India

ABSTRACT

Agricultural diversification in India is steadily accelerating towards high value crops and livestock activities to augment farm income. Some of the factors that influence the nature and pace of agricultural diversification from staple food to high value crops are technological change in crop production, improved rural infrastructure and diversification in food demand. The nature of agricultural diversification differs across regions due to wide heterogeneity in agro-climatic and socio-economic conditions. Generally, the pattern of agricultural diversification shows a shift from crop production to livestock production during the 1980s to 1990s. The livestock sub-sector across different regions has grown as a result of the mounting demand for livestock products, namely, milk, meat, eggs, etc. Diversification in favour of horticulture and livestock commodities is more pronounced in rainfed areas. The focus of this paper relates to diversification of food production and consumption in both rural and urban areas of India. With rising incomes, the patterns of diet normally change from a basic cereal-based diet to non-cereal items. Several recent studies have found evidence of this in India. Analyses of expenditure patterns of Indian households in urban and rural areas based on National Sample Survey data provide evidence that the income elasticity of demand for cereals is very low or zero for the population as whole, even though households at low income levels may still have a positive income elasticity of demand for cereals (Kumar, 2000). A varied diet is likely to include protein, fats and other non-cereal items such as fruits and vegetables.     

Agrobiodiversity loss and livelihood vulnerability as a consequence of converting from subsistence farming systems to commercial plantation‐dominated systems in Xishuangbanna,Yunnan, China: A household level analysis

Production of rice (Oryza sativa) under a shifting cultivation system (swidden rice) and paddy fields (wet rice) is an important livelihood strategy in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China where households are facing conversion from subsistence systems to commercial plantation‐dominated systems represented by smallholder rubber plantations. However, there are few studies of the effects on rice production and varieties diversity, as well as livelihood effects at a household level during this conversion. This paper presents a household level analysis of agrobiodiversity loss and food security, as well as livelihood vulnerability during agroecosystems' conversion in Xishuangbanna. First, a quantitative assessment was made of the statistical data for rice and rubber production during the past 50 years in Xishuangbanna and at a village level from 1985 to 2005 for three villages from the valley floor and upland hills, respectively. Second, at a household level, 60 per cent of households from the three villages were investigated with a questionnaire from 1998 to 2005. The process of transformation has led to significant changes in the household's income and its proportion. Meanwhile, households have suffered livelihood vulnerability from excessive rubber plantations. The centrality of rice in Southeast Asian agricultural and social systems, contrasted with the significant erosion of rice‐based agroecosystem of local households, calls for increased attention to the livelihood vulnerability during this conversion. Correspondingly, practical strategies to resolve livelihood vulnerability are proposed, such as construction of paddy and effective irrigation systems for food security, agroforestry systems in rubber plantation, instead of monoculture, and diversification of sources of household income. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

吴起县退耕后农户生产经营与粮食供需状况

运用吴起县农户农业生产经营状况调查资料,对退耕还林(草)后不同收入类型农户的土地利用结构及其变化,产业结构及经济效益以及2007年农户的粮食供需及输入输出情况等方面进行了分析.结果表明,目前吴起县农户最主要的土地利用方式是林草地和耕地,收入的主要来源是工副业和退耕补贴,各类型农户的产业结构差异显著,高收入户工副业比重达81.8%,低收入户工副业和种植业比重相近,但其收入来源中退耕补贴比例占46%,存在一定依赖性.各类型农户农业效益差异与自然条件和劳动力素质有关.吴起县农户粮食基本能够自给,输入率和输出率相当,不存在粮食安全问题.提出吴起县应合理调整农业结构、加大对农业技术的推广和基本农田及相关配套措施建设等建议.