Impacts of Institutional Reforms on Irrigated Agriculture in Pakistan

Poor functioning of theirrigation system in Pakistan has been asource of concern for the last few decades,during which time it has been the subject ofconsiderable external assistance andinternal policy reforms. Consequently, thegovernment of Pakistan introducedinstitutional restructuring in irrigationand drainage subsectors to impartnecessary improvements. Under thesereforms, management at secondary canallevel has recently been handed over to theFarmers Organizations (FOs) of selecteddistributaries in pilot areas. This studywas designed to evaluate a farmer-manageddistributary in southern Punjab. Fieldmeasurements revealed that hydraulicaspects of the irrigation service deliveredby the FO management has been significantlyimproved and as a result highlyproportionate and equitable waterdistribution was observed, particularly atthe tail reaches of the distributary. Dueto effective FO management farmers'interventions to increase the outletdischarge by illegal means has been almosteradicated. As a result of theseimprovements imparted by the FO in systemmanagement, the extent of irrigated area hasincreased on average by 6 to 7%, evenunder severe drought-like conditionsprevailing in the country during recentyears. Further cost recoveries haveincreased by an amount of 14% for summerand 23% for winter growing seasons,respectively, from the irrigated area of thedistributary. Thus experience from Hakra4-R distributary has shown that even underundesirable natural circumstancesIrrigation Management Transfer (IMT) wasquite effective in achieving the keytargets of the institutional reformslaunched at pilot scale in the country.     

Effects of alternative water distribution rules on irrigation system performance: a simulation analysis

Based on a simulation model reflecting physical and economic conditions typically found in rice irrigation systems in Asia, the irrigation performance implications of alternative water distribution rules for dry season irrigation are evaluated under varying degrees of water shortage. The rules examined reflect differing water distribution strategies designed either to maximize conveyance efficiency, economic efficiency, or equity; or to achieve a balance between efficiency and equity objectives. Irrigation performance is evaluated using several efficiency measures reflecting the physical, agronomic and economic productivity of water, and one measure of equity. Economic efficiency and equity among farmers within the portion of the irrigation system that is on in any given season are shown to be complementary, and not competing objectives. Economic efficiency and equity among all farmers within the command area of the irrigation system are largely complementary strategies at the lower levels of water shortage, but with increasing shortage, significant tradeoffs develop between these objectives. An operational rule for water distribution under a goal of maximizing economic efficiency is developed, and the data requirements for its implementation are shown to be modest. Under the model's assumed conditions of dry season rice production dependent solely on surface irrigation for water, the distribution strategy designed to maximize conveyance efficiency results in only modestly lower levels of economic efficiency and equity than could be achieved by the strategy designed to maximize economic efficiency.     

我国保险资金参与私募股权投资的可行性分析

分析了近几年我国保险业资金运用的状况和趋势,并与发达国家加以比较,在此基础上,讨论了保险资金参与私募股权投资的可能性及发展模式。     

Model of Financing Strategy

Considering information asymmetry between inside and outside of the firms,this paper discusses the financing strategy of M&A,and builds a model.According to the model,we can see that the firm with relatively expected low-productivity will choose equity financing for M&A,and the firm with relatively expected high-productivity will choose debt financing for M&A,and the firm with expected medium-productivity will not choose financing from outside.In the case of undeveloped capital market and financing tools in China,the conclusion of the model has some extent significance for helping firms to choose financing strategy for M&A rationally.     

基于消费者视角的农产品品牌资产研究—— —以宁乡花猪为例

品牌资产作为产品的核心价值,在同类产品差异较小的情况下,已经成为消费者记忆和识别商品的工具.从消费者角度出发,在品牌资产相关理论的基础上,构建农产品品牌资产模型,并以宁乡花猪为例进行实证研究,得出基于消费者视角的农产品品牌资产构成及其相关关系,并论证农产品品牌认知、品牌联想、品质感知对消费者影响显著;最后为农产品生产企业经营管理者提供了相关建议.     

我国上市公司融资结构与优化对策

现代资本结构理论揭示了企业的最优融资顺序为:内部融资——债权融资——股权融资,而我国上市公司的融资行为与现代企业资本结构理论并不一致,表现出较强的股权偏好现象。本文对这种现状的原因进行了分析,并针对这种不合理融资结构所带来的弊端提出了相关建议。     

Older Chinese and Korean migrants' experiences of the first COVID-19 lockdown in Aotearoa New Zealand: A qualitative study

Later-life migrants, as older people living away from their home nations, occupy multiply-precarious positions in relation to national COVID-19 pandemic responses. Concern has particularly centred on this group's increased risk of social and linguistic exclusion. We explore the perspectives of later-life older Chinese and Koreans living in New Zealand during the nation's COVID-19 lockdown of 2020. This paper presents a sub-analysis of culturally-matched interviews conducted with 3 Korean and 5 Chinese later-life migrants. These participants are a sub-sample of a larger qualitative interview study comprising 44 interviews. A social capital approach has been used to aid conceptualisation of participants' experiences and a reflexive thematic approach guided analysis. Despite their underrepresentation in national response efforts, Chinese and Korean later-life migrants resourcefully participated in ethnically-specific pandemic initiatives. Three themes identified were: (1) taking it seriously (2) already digitally literate (3) challenges and difficulties. Older Asian migrants engaged in a range of creative strategies to stay connected during COVID-19 lockdowns which drew heavily on pre-existing social capital. Future pandemic responses should seek to improve connectedness between the national government COVID-19 response and older Korean and Chinese later-life migrants.     

旅游景区品牌价值货币化评估研究——以秭归县凤凰山景区为例

品牌是旅游景区的重要无形资产,景区品牌价值货币化评估是景区资产经营管理的重要依据。旅游景区品牌价值包括旅游吸引物、旅游服务的数量和质量,取决于旅游者对景区吸引物与服务的认可与信赖。品牌权益是由品牌引起的价值增值,品牌权益与品牌价值成正相关。旅游景区品牌权益的大小取决于旅游者愿意为此品牌支出的溢价大小和旅游者的偏好程度,景区品牌价值量与景区产品的市场销量、品牌持续年限、贴现率有密切关系。通过游客问卷调查获取数据,采用最大品牌权益法对凤凰山景区品牌价值进行了货币化评估,其品牌价值为5.73亿元。     

Design and Performance Analysis of Low Pressure Irrigation Distribution Systems

Low-pressure pipe distribution systems forsurface irrigation provide both off- andon-farm recognized environmental benefits.However, expected benefits can only beattained when adequacy, dependability andequity of systems are high enough tosupport appropriate conditions for wateruse on the farm. An innovative methodologyfor design and analysis is proposed anddescribed, which includes the generation ofthe demand at the scale of the distributionsystem and, consequently, the generation ofthe flow regimes expected during a givenperiod of time, generally the peak month.These flow regimes are utilized for theoptimization of pipe sizes using theiterative discontinuous method for severalflow regimes. The performance analysis isdeveloped through the system simulationwith several flow regimes, which allow thecomputation of the system adequacy,dependability and equity. An application toone sector of the Sorraia irrigation systemillustrates the usefulness of themethodology proposed.     

Economic impacts on farm households due to water reallocation in China's Chaobai watershed

Our study area in the Chaobai watershed, upstream of Miyun Reservoir, has been undergoing agricultural water transfers to downstream municipal uses in Beijing. We examine the impacts of water reallocation on crop production and farmers’ income and discuss issues relating to current compensation mechanisms. We use data from a survey of 349 farm households and their farm plots in the upper Chaobai watershed within Hebei province. Water reallocation from upstream to downstream areas has reduced agricultural water supply and the area irrigated. Regression results show that in plots deprived of irrigation, maize yields decrease by 21% and crop revenues decline by 32%. On average, losing irrigation on one hectare of cultivated land reduces net crop income by 2422 yuan. We examine compensation arrangements and social equity for the major policies implemented in the region and we identify gaps between current compensation levels and farmers’ income and production losses. The current compensation received by farmers is generally lower than the losses incurred due to reduced irrigation. A more appropriate compensation mechanism is called for in future water transfers.