Multi‐Criteria Analysis of Input Use in Agriculture

In this paper we present a methodology for the analysis of input use in the agricultural sector. The novelty of the theoretical model described here is that it has been developed considering a multi‐criteria environment. Thus, the optimal input use condition is determined by evaluating “multi‐attribute utility” and “multi‐attribute marginal utility”. We show how the approach adopted in this paper is a generalisation of the single‐attribute expected utility theory. The theoretical model developed is thereafter implemented in an empirical application that studies water for irrigation use as a particular case. The results show how multi‐attribute utility functions elicited for a sample of 52 irrigators explain differences in irrigation water use in relatively homogeneous agricultural systems, albeit exhibiting dissimilar partial utility functions for water use. We conclude that these differences come from the dissimilar weights that farmers attach to each attribute in the aggregate utility function.     

Means-end chain analysis explains soil fertility management decisions by peri-urban vegetable growers in Kenya

Past studies of the use of soil fertility management strategies by farmers usually model input use decisions based on the neoclassical utility/profit maximization principle in which farmers use soil fertility management inputs primarily to increase revenues and profits. However, there is, to date, no study that explains exactly how this decision-making process occurs and the role which personal values play in driving the choice of soil fertility management inputs. This article systematically maps the relationship between choice of soil fertility management strategy (attributes), its outcomes (consequences) and the personal values that motivate the choice. It specifically uses the means-end chain approach to construct hierarchical value maps that relate the attributes to consequences, and ultimately to the personal values. The study finds that the use of soil fertility management strategies by peri-urban fresh vegetable growers is driven by five personal values, namely happiness, comfortable life, independence, good/healthy life and achievement of life goals. It also finds that while farmers seek to increase profit (hence incomes), profit maximization is not the end driver of the use of soil fertility management inputs. It concludes that a lot more goes into farmers’ decision-making process relating to the use of soil fertility management practices than can be explained by the neoclassical profit/utility maximization principle. The study discusses the policy implications of these findings.     

森林资源环境价值研究中的边际分析

在边际效用价值论的基础上通过区分总效用与边际效用,引入消费者剩余、边际生产力、产品分配净尽理论及资源的稀缺性等概念,提出用总效用而不是边际效用计算森林环境价值量不仅在理论上是错误的,而且在实践中也是不合理的,会夸大森林环境价值量。     

黔东铜仁山区国土资源可持续利用

分析了黔东铜仁地区国土资源利用的现状和优势条件,阐述了该地区国土资源开发利用中存在的问题,提出了实现该地区可持续发展的建议:调整产业结构、促进生产力的合理布局,提高人口素质,培养适宜性技术人才,合理开发利用自然资源,指出了实现其可持续发展的总体思路和措施。     

THE USE OF A DECISION MAKER'S UTILITY FUNCTION IN A LINEAR PROGRAMMING ANALYSIS OF AGRICULTURAL POLICY*

A decision theoretic approach to agricultural policy decision making is examined to discover whether a utility function of an Australian Wool Corporation decision maker can be established and, if so, whether this can be used to improve the policy analysing performance of an agricultural sector linear programming model. After discussing the theoretical requirements of the utility function elicitation and the elicitation procedures, the characteristics of the resulting functions are examined. A means for its inclusion in a linear programming framework is described and some analysis of policy is carried out. The general conclusions are that the relevance of the agricultural sector analysis is enhanced by the use of such a utility function.     

基于农户意愿的农村宅基地集约面积估算——以渝东北11区县为例

研究目的：选取地处三峡库区腹地且生态环境脆弱的渝东北11区县为研究区域,从农户意愿角度揭示满足宅基地需求最大化时的人均宅基地集约用地面积,为农村宅基地集约利用乃至农村建设用地集约利用提供建议。研究方法：农户调查法,消费效用函数计算,K值聚类分析法。研究结果：农户宅基地用地需求与农户建房支出水平、农村房屋建造单价、农户消费偏好、房屋需求强度等存在依赖关系;在满足宅基地需求最大化时的最佳户均宅基地面积为122.14 — 140.06 m2/户,最佳人均农村宅基地面积为31.32 — 35.91 m2/人。研究结论：渝东北地区农村宅基地的集约利用潜力巨大,农村建设用地集约利用潜力挖掘具有极强可行性,应扎实推进宅基地内部挖潜,着力探索农村宅基地集约利用新机制。     

Preference Uncertainty in Non-Market Valuation: A Fuzzy Approach

In this article, we consider uncertain preferences for non-market goods, but we move away from a probabilistic representation of uncertainty and propose the use of fuzzy contingent valuation. We assume that a decision maker never fully knows her own utility function and we treat utility as a fuzzy number. The methodology is illustrated using data on forest valuation in Sweden. Fuzzy contingent valuation provides estimates of resource value in the form of a fuzzy number and includes estimates obtained using a standard probabilistic approach.     

Using Consumption and Asset Return Data to Estimate Farmers' Time Preferences and Risk Attitudes

The generalized expected utility model is fitted to U.S. farm data to estimate farm operator's time preferences and risk attitudes. The estimated farmer's utility parameters are quite 'reasonable' and exhibit high accuracy. The forward-looking expected utility model is soundly rejected in favor of the generalized expected utility paradigm. Importantly, the generalized expected utility model is also found to fit the data better than the myopic model typically used to study agricultural production under risk. Finally, U.S. farmers' relative aversion to risk appears to have diminished significantly over time.     

RISK,UTILITY AND THE PALATABILTY OF EXTENSION ADVICE TO FARMER GROUPS

Using the results of an empirical study of farmers' utility functions, evidence is presented that risk plays a measurable role in farmer decision making. The extension implications of such risk influences are discussed with particular emphasis on the possible efficacy of using group utility functions as a basis for group recommendations.     

The multifunctional use of urban greenspace

This paper calls attention to the critical role of greenspaces in cities, while it overviews the many functions they provide. From a theoretical perspective, the utility function of urban greenspaces concerns multiple dimensions. Temporal, spatial and social aspects clearly need a taxonomic approach, which is also described in this study. Thus, the prominent goal of this paper is to highlight the importance of the multifunctional use of urban green areas. It is next argued that multitasking strategies may enhance the use of farmland within urban areas and that this may turn out to be a win—win situation, provided urban planners are able to understand the different motivations of local communities. These basic issues are essential in identifying and mapping out attractive developments for modern urban greenspaces.     

An assessment framework for public urban land management intervention

The ability to manage land effectively depends on the availability of accurate and up to date information on it. Many cities, particularly those in the developing world, lack the means to generate the information needed to support land management. This paper proposes the use of assessment studies as a mechanism to generate information for land management. A model of the public land management system and a framework of steps and issues for carrying out an assessment study are presented. The paper also presents an overview of the common problems of land management in the developing world and a case study to illustrate the utility of the proposed framework.     

Modeling preference heterogeneity in stated choice data: an analysis for public goods generated by agriculture

Stated choice models based on the random utility framework are becoming increasingly popular in the applied economics literature. The need to account for respondents' preference heterogeneity in such models has motivated researchers in agricultural, environmental, health, and transport economics to apply random parameter logit and latent class models. In most of the published literature these models incorporate heterogeneity in preferences through the systematic component of utility. An alternative approach is to investigate heterogeneity through the random component of utility, and covariance heterogeneity models are one means of doing this. In this article we compare these alternative ways of incorporating preference heterogeneity in stated choice models and evaluate the sensitivity of estimated welfare measures to which approach is selected. We find that a latent class approach fits our data best, but all the models perform well in terms of out-of-sample predictions. Finally, we discuss what criteria a researcher can use to decide which approach is most appropriate for a given data set.     

移民安置区农户土地利用与生计变化研究

研究目的:分析移民易地安置区不同类型农户生计多样性及其土地利用变化,为区域土地优化与自然资源可持续利用提供参考。研究方法:问卷调查、半结构访谈及数理统计等方法。研究结果:移民政策实施以来,研究区纯农户比例急剧下降,不同类型农户的兼业行为趋势明显,农业生计多样化指数增加,但非农生计方式单一;移民兼业行为和非农生计行为明显,但原驻民的农业生计多样性指数更高;不同类型农户土地利用变化表现出,农户兼业程度越高,耕地面积减少越快,林地扩张程度越高,农用地面积变化越明显等特点;移民政策实施以来,研究区土地利用集约度明显提升,且表现出非农程度越高,耕地利用集约度水平越高的趋势,但因林地大面积扩张导致农用地集约度总体水平较低且呈现下降趋势。研究结论:移民安置区不同类型农户面临的生计压力不同,应优化配置土地资源,帮助农户发展多样化的非农生计活动,提高农户生计多样化和土地集约化水平。     

4D cadastres: First analysis of legal,organizational, and technical impact—With a case study on utility networks

The increasing complexity and flexibility of modern land use requires that cadastres need an improved capacity to manage the third dimension. As the world is per definition not static, there also will be needs in relation to the representation of the temporal (fourth) dimension either integrated with the spatial dimensions or as separate attribute(s). In this paper, registration of utility networks in cadastre are considered in this 3D + time (=4D) context. A number of countries in the world have developed methods to register utility networks complying with their legal, organizational, and technical structure. We researched the different approaches of three specific countries: Turkey, The Netherlands and Queensland, Australia. These are analysed to evaluate a solution that matches legal, organizational, and technical cadastral requirements in the most optimal way.     

Willingness to Pay for Agricultural Land Preservation and Policy Process Attributes: Does the Method Matter?

This article examines relationships between willingness to pay for land preservation and policy process attributes. The approach departs from traditional welfare assessments in that it does not constrain attributes of the policy process to be utility-neutral. Results indicate policy process attributes may influence utility in some circumstances, even after controlling for the influence of land use outcomes often correlated with specific policy techniques. Results further imply that in some cases, even comprehensive specification of land use outcomes by stated preference instruments may be insufficient to prevent systematic shifts in willingness to pay related to unspecified, yet assumed, policy process attributes.     

北京市基于社会效用最大化下的土地政策选择

研究目的：构建政府运用土地政策调控市场的社会效用函数，并分析其最优政策选择。研究方法：文献资料法，动态优化分析法，实证研究方法。研究结果：（1）政策调控周期内最优干预力度应逐渐减小；（2）政策调控周期内应持续干预；（3）具体干预时间依赖于效用函数、存量运动方程及价格和干预之间关系等约束条件。研究结论：基于社会效用最大化下的最优土地政策路径可作为评估土地政策调控效果的有力参考。     

Risk Behaviours and Grazing Land Management: A Framed Field Experiment and Linkages to Range Land Condition

We use a framed field experiment considering hypothetical stocking rate decisions made by grazing enterprise managers and estimate non‐linear multinomial logit models for a range of nested non‐expected utility and expected utility models. The risk and decision‐bias parameters for five models estimated for individual responses are shown to be significantly related to land condition but in ways which suggest behavioural aspects of decision making are critical in understanding land management and stocking rate decisions. Our results show that individual heterogeneity in decision making amongst farming groups is likely to be a significant source of variation in farming intensity and technology adoption decisions. This heterogeneity does not appear to be a reflection of socio‐demographic characteristics. Furthermore, decision functions appear to be biased toward selection of simpler representative functions (e.g. Expected Utility) for sample averages. This suggests that experimental findings that Expected Utility is representative for actual decisions may be due to sample averaging rather than reflect actual behaviour.     

农户低碳化种植决策行为研究——基于河北省的调查数据

发展低碳农业是我国农业现代化的本质要求和必由之路,低碳种植是低碳农业的重要组成部分。我国低碳农业的发展并不尽如人意,其原因之一在于大多数农户在种植过程中仍然采用常规的农业种植方式。为研究农户低碳化种植的决策行为,该文以效用最大化理论为基础,建立了农户选择低碳化种植行为的效用函数模型,从理论上证明农户采取低碳化种植行为是一种有限理性行为,农户在选择种植方式时遵循了效用最大化原则,并结合前人研究推导了农业种植收入、农业种植行为以及种植预期对农户选择低碳化种植决策的影响趋势。根据对河北邯郸、保定和张家口3市360家农户的调查数据,运用Logit模型对调查数据进行计量分析。研究结果表明,对农户低碳化种植行为选择影响显著的因素有种植业收入比重、预期收益、现行种植行为、农户受教育水平、农业劳动力人数、政府政策以及同伴的种植行为。在此研究结论基础上,该文提出了促进低碳农业发展的相关建议。     

Effects of Regulations on Expected Catch, Expected Harvest, and Site Choice of Recreational Anglers

The use of public lands and waterways is often subject to environmental regulations designed to limit the depletion of resource stocks. Such regulations may influence expectations of quality, destination choice, and consumer surplus. This paper examines the effects of environmental regulations on recreational anglers. The empirical application develops a joint model of expected catch and expected harvest in conjunction with a random utility model of site choice. Findings for Maine anglers indicate that regulations have sizable effects on catch and harvest, site choice, and welfare.