Pathways to breaking the poverty trap in Ethiopia: Investments in agricultural water, education, and markets

Investments in agricultural water management should complement or strengthen the livelihood and coping systems of the rural poor, and should thus be instrumental for breaking the poverty trap in Ethiopia. Underdeveloped water resources constrain progress towards poverty reduction. We examine linkages and complementarities between agricultural water, education, markets and rural poverty through an empirical study using household level data from selected villages in southern Ethiopia. We show that investments in irrigation can contribute to poverty reduction, but the poverty reducing impacts of irrigation water are greater when human capital and rural markets are well developed. The size of landholding, access to irrigation water, on-farm land and water conservation practices, literacy of the household head, and years of education of adults are all significant determinants of household welfare, and thus potential pathways for reducing poverty. Expansion of cultivated land, particularly irrigated land, universal literacy, and an extra school year for adults all reduce poverty, but reductions in poverty are greater when irrigation is combined with universal literacy. These findings call for simultaneous investments in agricultural water, education, markets and related policy support measures for reducing poverty in smallholder agriculture in Ethiopia.     

Reducing poverty in sub-Saharan Africa through investments in water and other priorities

Water resources are essential to human development processes and to achieve the Millennium Development Goals that seek, inter alia, to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, achieve universal literacy, and ensure environmental sustainability. Expanding irrigation is essential to increase agricultural production, which is needed to achieve economic development and attain food security in much of sub-Saharan Africa. Water resources and irrigated agriculture are not developed to their full potential. Currently less than 4% of renewable water resources in Africa are withdrawn for agriculture. Barriers include the lack of financial and human resources to build irrigation and related rural infrastructure and acquire agricultural technology, and inadequate access to markets. This constrains progress towards poverty reduction. We examine the linkages between agricultural water, education, markets and rural poverty through a review of published studies. We argue that, linking agricultural water, education, and market interventions, which are so often implemented separately, would generate more effective poverty reduction and hunger eradication programs. Investments in agricultural water management and complementary rural infrastructure and related policies are the pathways to break the poverty trap in smallholder African agriculture.     

Poverty and biodiversity trade-offs in rural development: A case study for Pujiang county,China

Both, poverty reduction and preservation of biodiversity are high on the global agenda on sustainable development. The relationships between poverty, biodiversity of agro-ecosystems and agricultural development are complex and poorly understood. In this paper, we present an integrated framework for analysis of agricultural development and natural resource management options at agro-ecosystem level, using Pujiang county, in Zhejiang province, China as a case study area to perform the analysis. A regional linear programming (LP) model is applied, maximizing regional economic surplus, given production and labour market conditions in Pujiang. We use the model to examine the consequences for a set of regional poverty and biodiversity indicators, of four so-called poverty reduction strategies, i.e., (i) intensification of production, (ii) diversification towards livestock production, (iii) land expansion, and (iv) an exit from agriculture. The analysis indicates that diversification is the most promising poverty reduction strategy, but requires efficient use of animal manure in cropping systems to avoid environmental problems. Improved nutrient management in cropping systems is effective in reducing the regional nitrogen surplus, but less effective in increasing per capita income. The exit strategy is effective in reducing poverty and achieving biodiversity goals, but may have important social consequences that are not addressed in this study. Further reduction in rural poverty is hampered by labour constraints during the harvesting period in high value crops such as vegetables and fruits, which calls for research and development in the field of agricultural mechanization.     

"十一五"农村水利发展重点任务分析

基于我国农村水利发展现状与问题，分析了经济社会发展对农村水利发展的需求，讨论了农村水利基础设施对于保障粮食安全、促进农民增收、建设节水型社会和改善农民生活条件与农村生态环境的作用，提出了“十一五”期间提高农业生产综合能力、解决农村人畜饮水安全和促进贫困地区农牧民增收等农村水利发展重点任务。     

构建延伸贫困村产业链以助力精准扶贫 ——以杨凌职业技术学院结对陕西省太白县高码头村为例

以校村合作发展村集体经济产业为例,通过分析得知,缺乏技术是陕西省太白县高码头村致贫的主要原因。校村合作规划延伸拓展了产业链,形成集群效益,同时加强了产业人才培训。以乡村生态旅游为主题的郊野民宿项目为依托,推出一系列优质品牌农产品销售和农事体验项目,使村产业进一步发展,贫困人口实现产业分红逐年增加和就近就业,脱贫攻坚取得了显著实效。      

Poverty dynamics and the role of livestock in the Peruvian Andes

Livestock play an important role for poor rural households in regions such as the Peruvian Andes. Research methods leading to a better understanding of the role of livestock in household poverty dynamics, and what better targeted policies and interventions may enhance that role, however, are not readily available. We utilized multiple methods, including Stages-of-Progress and household surveys, which gave us a combination of qualitative and quantitative results. We examined how over the last 10 and 25 years households have moved into and out of poverty in 40 rural communities in two different highland regions of Peru. We also examined the role played in these movements by different livestock assets and strategies. We found a significant number of households had escaped poverty, while at the same time many households have fallen into poverty. The reasons for movements up versus down are not the same, with different strategies and policies needed to address escapes versus descents. Diversification of income through livestock and intensification of livestock activities through improved breeds has helped many households escape poverty and this method allowed us to explore what exactly this means in the diverse areas studied. These findings can contribute to better targeted livestock-related research and development strategies and policies, not only in Peru, but in other regions where similar livelihood strategies are being pursued.     

Poverty reduction with irrigation investment: An empirical case study from Tigray, Ethiopia

The regional government of Tigray has invested millions of dollars to develop irrigation schemes as a strategy of poverty reduction. However, there has been limited attempt to analyze whether these investments have attained their stated objectives of poverty reduction and overall socio-economic enhancement. Therefore, we endeavor to: (1) evaluate the impacts of access to small-scale irrigation on farm household's income and poverty status, (2) contribute to the scant literature on irrigation and poverty reduction in Ethiopia, and (3) provide information for policy makers. We examine a representative sample of 613 farm households (331 irrigators and 282 non-irrigators) drawn using three-stage stratified sampling with Probability Proportional to Size. We find that the average income of non-irrigating households is less than that of the irrigating households by about 50%. The overall average income gain due to access to irrigation ranges from 4000 Birr to 4500 Birr per household per annum. We find also that farming income is more important to irrigating households than to non-irrigating households, and off-farm income is negatively related with access to irrigation.     

Investing in water for food, ecosystems, and livelihoods: An overview of the comprehensive assessment of water management in agriculture

The authors of the recently completed Comprehensive Assessment of Water Management in Agriculture (CA) concluded that there are sufficient water resources to produce food for a growing population but that trends in consumption, production and environmental patterns, if continued, will lead to water crises in many parts of the world. Only if we act to improve water use will we meet the acute fresh water challenge. Recent spikes in food prices, partially caused by the increasing demand for agricultural products in non-food uses, underline the urgent need to invest in agricultural production, of which water management is a crucial part. The world experienced similar pressure on per capita food supplies and food prices in the 1960s and 1970s, but the challenges now are different than those we experienced 50 years ago. The world's population is substantially larger, there are many more people living in poverty, and the costs of many agricultural inputs are much higher. The current situation and the long-term outlook require a fresh look at approaches that combine different elements such as the importance of access to water for the poor, providing multiple ecosystem services, rainwater management, adapting irrigation to new needs, enhancing water productivity, and promoting the use of low-quality water in agriculture. This special issue highlights the analysis behind a number of policy options identified by the CA, a five-year multi-disciplinary research program involving 700 scientists. This introductory article sets the background and context of this special issue, introduces the key recommendations from the CA and summarizes the papers in this issue.     

中国节水灌溉装备与技术发展展望

分别从灌排设施、灌排管理体制和投资政策3个方面,回顾了中国灌溉排水70 a以来所取得的成就.随着灌溉面积增大,灌排设施极大提高了中国粮食产量和农业生产能力;灌排管理体制发生巨大变化,由农民集体管理为主转化为骨干工程国家事业单位管理为主,促进了灌排工程快速发展和良性运行;投资政策有效地服务了水利基本建设.但目前中国依旧存在灌溉用水利用率较低、水肥一体化灌溉农田占比较低和灌溉系统信息化程度较低等问题,与高质量的农业生产发展还有很大的距离.结合国家粮食与生态保障的战略需求,分别从大中型灌区节水改造、水肥一体化节水灌溉装备与技术和喷滴灌、管道输水灌溉和泵站改造方面,提出了中国节水灌溉装备与技术的未来机遇和挑战.为了促进中国节水灌溉行业发展,加强灌排装备的理论研究和自主创新,发展高效、节能和环保的技术和产品,提高产业信息化、智能化和网络化,是实现农业现代化生产建设的必然趋势.     

巩固拓展脱贫攻坚成果与乡村振兴有效衔接研究——以贵州省为例

2020年贵州贫困县全部实现脱贫摘帽,摆脱千百年来的人口绝对贫困问题。紧接着推进脱贫攻坚与乡村振兴有效工作,走有贵州特色的脱贫致富道路。对贵州巩固拓展脱贫攻坚成果与乡村振兴有效衔接的现状进行深入分析,研究发现贵州脱贫攻坚取得显著性成果,如,贫困发生率降低,农村居民收入持续增长,产业扶贫成效显著,农村基础设施建设不断完善,乡村治理更加有效。但推进脱贫攻坚与乡村振兴有效衔接中存在对二者衔接机制认知不足、产业发展进程缓慢、基层人才短板突出、农村基础设施薄弱等问题,为保障脱贫攻坚与乡村振兴政策更好衔接,提出要增强脱贫攻坚与乡村振兴有效衔接的意识;加快农村产业发展,以产业振兴驱动乡村振兴;实行科学有效的人才培育和储备机制,激活农村内生动力;提升衔接进程中的农村基础设施保障水平等策略。     

农业综合开发工程监管实证分析

农业综合开发工程的实施是贯彻国家农业综合开发政策的关键和核心环节,是开发指导思想的具体物化过程。这一环节运行的合法性、规范性、科学性和实效性,决定着农业综合开发促进高效农业发展、农民增收、农村文明进步的成效大小。因而对农业综合开发工程实施监管,既是该项工作的内在需要．也是体制运行的必要保证。     

贫困山区建立农业综合开发水利工程管护长效机制的探索

贫困山区由于经济发展较慢，群众收入不高，生活水平较低。给农业综合开发水利工程管护造成很大的困难。为充分发挥农业综合开发在社会主义新农村建设中的作用，提高工程使用期限。建立水利工程管护长效机制十分重要。     

围绕“四突出四促进”,实施农业综合开发

邵阳县属革命老区,国家扶贫开发工作重点县和国家退耕还林项目重点县,近年来,该县围绕＂四突出四促进＂的开发思路,即：突出基础设施、促进农业增效,突出基础产业、促进农民增收,突出基础工作、促进农村发展,突出基础工程、促进工程优质;推进农业综合开发,打造有邵阳县特色的高标准新农村建设示范区,取得明显成果。     

陕西省农业农村经济结构融合发展现状及对策

针对陕西省农村经济三产融合低、村集体经济发展不足、品牌影响力有限、收入差距大、经营管理人才匮乏和创新驱动不足等主要问题,提出以下建议:产业结构抓特色,促进产业融合;经营结构抓质量,推进规模经营;就业及收入结构抓素质,确保就业稳定和收入可持续;要素投入抓创新,提升投入效率。      

Drainage and Agricultural Development

This paper explores the role of drainage as aninstrument for agricultural and rural development andthe related drainage development forces and processes.Five specific roles of drainage are distinguished:foodproduction, agricultural intensification anddiversification, sustainable irrigated land use, ruraldevelopment and environmental protection. Specialattention is given to the drainage development needsof the developing countries. It is argued that whileat early stages of agricultural development, drainagedevelopment is generally driven by ongoingagricultural development, at later stages ofdevelopment these roles often reverse withagricultural development risking to become stagnatedwhen drainage is not improved. These relationshipsshould be taken into account in the design of drainagedevelopment programs and projects. It is emphasizedthat improved drainage can contribute to establishinga more diversified, competitive and sustainable typeof agriculture, enhance sanitary and public healthconditions and generally contribute to ruraldevelopment, rural well being and poverty alleviation.Drainage development in the developing countries ishowever often severely constrained by the lack of supporting public policies, institutional frameworksand professional cadres. Overcoming these constraintsshould be given high priority on the national andinternational drainage development agendas.     

Enhancing water policy discussions by including analysis of non-water inputs and farm-level constraints

Water resource professionals have many opportunities to contribute to policy discussions regarding agricultural productivity. Often those discussions are focused on increasing the output generated with limited water supplies, such as maximizing the “crop per drop” or improving irrigation efficiencies, either at the field level or throughout a river basin. Policy discussions involving water resources in developing countries can be enhanced by placing greater emphasis on the roles of non-water inputs and resource constraints in farm-level production and marketing decisions. Three categories of policies that lie outside the water resource realm, but have substantial impacts on water use and agricultural productivity, are examined: (1) policies that modify farm-level input and output prices directly; (2) international trade policies; and (3) policies that modify key institutions, such as land tenure and the sources of investment funds.     

农村饮用水工程电价政策执行现状分析

农村饮用水工程供水效益差,运行管理难以维持。浙江省各级政府曾出台针对农村饮水安全工程电价优惠的政策,调查显示大部分工程没有得到执行,原因是政策的非强制性和部分农村饮用水工程的营利性。通过不同电价方案的分析比较,表明实现优惠电价能很大程度上降低制水成本。建议国家制定农村饮水工程用电优惠的相关法规,以促进农村饮水安全工程的长效运行。     

农机化供给侧改革助力农村人居环境改善

从投入品减量化、生产清洁化、废弃物资源化和农村环境生态化4个视角分析农机化在农村人居环境治理中的作用。通过分析，得出当前农机化在农村人居环境治理中的矛盾和问题，其主要是机具技术供给、公共服务供给和政策管理改革创新等方面“供不足需、供不适需”的矛盾，矛盾的主要方面在供给侧，并从5个方面提出加强农机化供给的对策建议，助力农村人居环境改善。      

财政涉农资金整合下的国家审计思考

财政涉农资金是指国家对农业、农村和农民为补助对象的各类专项资金。在“精准扶贫”的推动下，整合财政涉农资金被提上议程。政府审计作为我国政治经济监督体系的重要组成部分，在保障财政涉农资金整合的政策落实中更是义不容辞。但现阶段针对涉农资金整合审计的理论与实践研究都极度匮乏，文章从分析开展涉农资金整合审计的意义入手，探讨其实施过程中存在的难点与解决方法，以期推动扶贫跟踪审计的不断发展。     

基于不同情景模拟的农村饮用水工程运行盈亏平衡分析与对策研究

农村饮水工程供水效益差，运行管理难以维持。在对影响农村饮水工程的收入和运行成本的相关因素的变化进行分析的基础上，模拟11个情景，运用盈亏平衡分析法对调查数据进行分析评价，找出影响工程运行经济效果主要因素。并给出不同情景下农村饮水工程定量化的水价方案，建议制定农村饮水工程分类管理目标和分类补助标准。