Setting Agricultural Research Priorities： The Case for the Agricultural Sector in Swaziland

The study determined the research priorities in Swaziland agricultural sector. Data collection used existing documents on agricultural research prioritizing, Nominal Group Technique and modified Delphi technique, with analysis of data using content categorization and, group and individual ranking of submissions. Findings showed the agricultural priorities from national policies are tied-up with mitigating the effects of HIV and AIDS on food security, reduction of poverty and, sustainable development. The findings also revealed forty-three field crops areas needing research. Seven horticulture areas and eleven livestock sector areas were of high priority. A considerable number of research areas in field crops, horticulture and livestock indicated that the current research system has not adequately addressed research needs, despite efforts made by the private sector, University of Swaziland and Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, for Swaziland to achieve self-sufficiency in food production. Recommendation was that the identified research priorities should be used as basis for directing the limited resources in conducting agricultural research. The participation of all stakeholders would facilitate efficient use of resources and facilitate collaboration amongst research institutions. The University of Swaziland should develop research priorities aligned with national policies and objectives, to facilitate funding for research by both government and donor agencies.     

Managing Climate Change Risk in China’s Agricultural Sector：The Potential for an Integrated Risk Management Framework

Climate change poses a serious threat to the future food security of China, which is among the most disaster-prone countries in the world. This paper discusses the implications of climate change for China＇s agricultural sector. Its main objectives are to identify the agricultural risks associated with climate change, to introduce a conceptual framework for agricultural climate risk management and to enumerate key adaptation strategies, challenges, and recommendations.     

陈晓亚：“注重原始创新”

面对国际金融危机和粮食安全挑战，支持农业高新技术发展，增强自主创新能力已成为农业可持续发展的必由之路。     

Study on development of circular agriculture in Beijing＇s mountainous areas

Circular agriculture is an inevitable course to realize positive cycle of ecology and harmonious development of rural areas. Beijing＇s mountainous areas depend on the background and orientation of ecological economy for sustainable development. It is of great significance to explore the development of the circular agriculture in the mountainous areas to facilitate sustainable use of agriculture resources. Beijing＇s mountainous areas have accumulated considerable experiences in boosting the circular agriculture. By summarizing the modes of circular agriculture in mountainous areas and analyzing their actual practices, the paper proposes we need to give high priority to strengthening publicity efforts, giving full play to resources advantages of mountainous areas, and establishing a management mechanism and operation mechanism to promote the development of circular agriculture in Beijing.     

Factors Influencing the Success of Agricultural Information System （AIS）： A Factor Analysis

This study aims at investigating the AIS （Agricultural Information System） in Hamedan province, Iran, benefiting from the list of criteria for well functioning AISs that were identified in earlier researches. For this purpose, a survey method with multi-stage stratified random sampling technique was used to select 31 agricultural researchers, and 62 extension workers in the province. The data were acquired by questionnaire and structured interviews. The instrument for data collection was subjected to pre-testing, validation and reliability tests. The results of the factor analysis revealed that the criteria could be categorized into four overarching groups based on their inter-correlation. The analysis of mentioned criteria in Hamedan province AIS showed less efficiency and effectiveness than studies conducted in other areas. But among these, two desirable criteria existed. It is recommended that the ecological knowledge system （EKS） should be integrated with AIS, and some ecological and sustainable development criteria should be added to the existing ones.     

Potentials of New Information and Communication Technologies （ICTs） in Agriculture Sector

There is a widespread belief that information and knowledge are vital for rural and agricultural development. Today, generation of new and various information and knowledge sources need new information and communication channels. New information and communication technologies can decrease poverty by promotion rural people access to education, health, government and financial services; overall, they can improve livelihood. The purpose of this study was to identify potentials of new information and communications technologies （ICTs） in agricultural and rural sector. Documentary research and literature review were used as research method. Findings revealed that the most applications for these ICTs in rural and agricultural sector were： E-trade of inputs and outputs, extension and training activities for rural dwellers, advertisement of rural tourism products, knowledge transfer from urban to rural and vice versa, official procedures and geographic information system （GIS） for management of natural resources.     

The Strategic Importance of Cereal Virtual Water in Algeria： Report and Perspectives

In order to quantify the virtual water part which is contained in the imported cereals, compared with the hydraulic potentialities which are annually mobilised through the national territory, and on the basis of the agricultural statistics, we have determined the average quantities of the imported cereals per year in order to determine the virtual water volume that these cereals bind. The water needs of the cereals which are produced in Algeria have been calculated by the Cropwat software, in order to define the equivalent quantities of water in their production on the national scale. The obtained results confirm the importance of the annually imported virtual water, through the imported cereals, comparing with the national hydraulic potentialities. Our study shows also that in spite of the strategic importance of the virtual water in the imported cereals, a diminution has to take place, on the average term, by an improvement of the use efficiency of the precipitations （green virtual water） using the best mastery of the technical itinerary in general, and also the efficient use of precipitations in particular.