A logistic analysis of the factors determining the decision of smallholder farmers to intercrop: A case study involving rubber–tea intercropping in Sri Lanka

The factors influencing the decision of smallholder farmers to adopt new farming technologies were studied with reference to rubber–tea intercropping in Sri Lanka. Rubber–tea intercropping has been recommended previously to rubber farmers as a means to improve productivity and income during the early pre-tapping phase of rubber growth. Although crop trials have shown that the two crops are agronomically compatible and potentially produce a combined economic yield superior to the yield of a sole crop grown on the same area of land, there is little evidence of widespread adoption of this practice among smallholder farmers in Sri Lanka. The aim of the study was to determine the major factors that influence the decision to undertake rubber–tea intercropping and to construct a predictive model that describes the likelihood of adoption of intercropping by traditional smallholder rubber growers. A rapid rural appraisal (RRA) was undertaken based on semi-structured interviews of 90 smallholder farmers in the main rubber growing low wet zone of Sri Lanka. Among a number of factors shown to significantly influence the decision to intercrop tea with rubber, three were shown to operate independently, namely level of income, source of income (i.e. solely from own farm or from farm plus additional off-farm enterprises), and availability of land considered suitable for tea cultivation. A statistical model developed through correlation and logistic analysis, which predicts the likelihood of a smallholder adopting intercropping based on these factors, is presented and discussed. The most likely combination of circumstances (82% probability) under which rubber–tea intercropping is practiced is shown to be where the farmer’s income is greater than Rs. 10,000 per month, where the farmer’s income is based solely on own farm enterprises, and where more than 80% of the farmer’s land area was judged to be suitable for tea cultivation. Conversely, 30% of smallholder farmers that chose not to intercrop did possess land suitable for tea cultivation. Qualitative responses to the RRA indicated that limitation of technical knowledge was the main problem subsequently faced by rubber farmers who had adopted rubber–tea intercropping. Results indicate that there is need for both income support through farm subsidies and further agricultural extension services, if rubber–tea intercropping is to be adopted more widely in Sri Lanka. The wider usefulness of the developed logistic model in determining the likelihood of adoption of intercropping by smallholder farmers is discussed.     

农村人力资源开发的核心--加强农村教育

农村人力资源开发的根本目的是充分发掘和利用农村人力资源,为农村社会经济的发展服务。我国农村人力资源从数量和质量两个方面来衡量,其现状是数量过大、质量供给不足。农村人力资源开发重点在于提高农村人力资源的质量,核心是加强农村教育。即以提高新增劳动力素质为核心,加强农村基础教育;以就业为导向,大力发展农村职业技术教育;以农民培训为重点,大力开展农村成人教育。     

试论农业机械化在社会主义新农村建设中的作用

近几年,随着政策导向和资源配置通过市场杠杆促进农业机械化,使农村拥有的农业机械不断增加,农机化综合水平不断提高,推动了农业耕作制度的革新,加速了农业的产业化步伐和农村劳动力的转移,因此,农业机械化在社会主义新农村建设中发挥着愈来愈重要的作用。     

农村供水工程水质检测模式研究

做好农村供水工程水质检测工作对保障农村供水水质安全至关重要,但它同时也是农村供水的薄弱环节,针对如何建立农村供水工程的水质检测模式开展研究与探讨。明确了农村供水工程水质检测的目标任务,分析了当前农村供水工程水质检测的现状与存在问题,从水质检测指标的选择、水质检测项目与频率的确定、水质检测设备的配备、水质检测人员的配置和监管、水质检测反馈机制的构建等几个方面提出了构建农村供水工程水质检测模式的建议,以期帮助提高农村供水工程的水质检测能力,保障农村供水水质安全。     

浙江省农村水污染成因与防治对策探讨

浙江省地表水受污染的影响因素多,城镇生活污水和工业废水排放及农村面源污染均造成了较严重的水环境污染。为此,对浙江省农村水污染治理对策进行了探索,旨在通过加强农村生态环境建设、发展污水重复利用等措施改善农村水生生态环境,为经济的可持续发展提供保障。     

论农业机械化在新农村建设中的重要作用

以新农村建设带给农机化新的发展机遇为主线,结合武汉市以实施农村"家园建设行动计划"为抓手,建设社会主义新农村的实际,论述农业机械化在新农村建设中发挥的重要作用。     

高纯度茶氨酸分离制备工艺研究

本文研究一种从提取茶多酚后的残留液中提纯茶氨酸的制备工艺;首先通过ZTC—型天然澄清剂对茶多酚生产废液絮凝处理,随后应用一种特制的弱极性大孔树脂(JAD-1000)对处理液进行初步分离,制备含量在50%以上的茶氨酸粗品,再通过C18层析柱,按照正交实验技术筛选的分离纯化工艺参数,对茶氨酸粗品溶液进行分离纯化制备高纯度茶氨酸;结果表明用pH值3.0的水按照60ml/min的流速进行洗脱,收集11.4min-13.5min段的洗脱馏份,浓缩冻干,检测知茶氨酸的回收率为78.4%,茶氨酸含量达98.2%。     

农电企业配电网GIS系统空间数据库设计

农电企业配电网络数据类型复杂、数据量大,如何合理组织配电系统的数据,为配电GIS系统的高级分析功能或企业层决策提供支持,进而配电网GIS系统设计的关键问题。文章介绍了配电网GIS系统数据组织、数据采集方法及空间数据库构建方法,满足系统需求。     

Using the RUSLE to identify factors controlling erosion rates of mine soils

Observable differences in particle size, smoothness and compaction between cap site (slope 2·8 per cent) and batter site (slope 20·7 per cent) surfaces on the waste rock dump at Ranger Uranium Mine were quantified in terms of revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE) parameter values. Cap site surface material had a K_m (erodibility corrected for sediment density) of 0·030 and batter site surface material had a K_m of 0·0056. Using these K_m values (derived from particle size distributions), slope length and steepness (LS) factors of 0·36 for the cap site and 3·66 for the batter site, and a cover (C) factor of 0·45 for the cap site and 0·16 for the batter site, the RUSLE predicts an erosion rate from the cap site that is 1·9 times greater than erosion from the much steeper batter site. The RUSLE indicates that the finer particle size and blocky soil structure of the cap site (D₅₀ = 0·91 mm) compared with the looser granular structure of the batter site (D₅₀ = 1·74 mm) strongly influence erosion. The predictions are similar to observed soil losses from erosion plots on these sites under rainfall simulation events, for which the measured erosion rate from the cap site was approximately twice that from the batter site. For the RUSLE to predict the observed erosion rates, the support practice (P) factor for the cap site would have to be approximately 30 per cent greater than the P factor for the batter site. The higher cap site P factor probably results from smoothing and compaction caused by vehicle movement across the surface. Compaction is considered to have greatly reduced infiltration capacity, thus increasing the erodibility of the cap site. Vehicles probably also crushed the surface material at the cap site, creating the observed finer particle size distribution and further increasing the erodibility. Compaction, through its effects on erodibility (K_m) and surface roughness (P), is concluded to be the major cause of higher erosion from the cap site, even though the slope steepness is 10 times less. Parameterisation of the RUSLE quantifies the differences between sites and explains the unexpected erosion rates observed. The results highlight the need for careful management of rehabilitated sites to avoid increases in erosion which may arise from compaction by machinery.     

台湾乡村产业异业联盟的发展及启示

[目的/意义]通过对我国台湾农业异业联盟的发展实践进行深入剖析,总结农业异业联盟在乡村产业振兴中的作用与有效经验,为大陆乡村产业异业联盟发展提供新的思考与借鉴.[方法/过程]阐述异业联盟概念解释与发展阶段,分析异业联盟在台湾乡村产业中的有效实践措施,结合异业联盟在乡村产业发展中的典型运用与案例,凝练出运用异业联盟促进乡...