Is there decentralization in North Korea? Evidence and lessons from the sloping land management program 2004–2014

In the 1990s, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) suffered from severe food shortages and large-scale deforestation, which triggered a stage of rural conservation reform. Since 2004, with support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), North Korea’s Ministry of Land and Environmental Protection (MoLEP) has implemented a Sloping Land Management Program (SLMP). The SLMP established sloping land user groups and granted these groups the right to use marginal land for agroforestry development. This devolution of land rights from state control onto local groups is a landmark in North Korea, and this decentralization initiative has now expanded to over eight counties to involve thousands of households. It has also led to the launch of a National Agroforestry Policy and Strategy. Drawing from both qualitative and quantitative data collected from 2008 to 2014, this paper documents the process and effects of the SLMP. It argues that the decentralization reform in land management has contributed to not only food security with increased food crop diversity and productivity, but also notably forest recovery through an expansion of tree plantations and agroforestry practices on degraded sloping lands. However, an insufficient power transfer in the form of a lack of timber rights granted to the local user groups has hampered the effectiveness of the SLMP. There are also institutional and geopolitical challenges that are limiting further scaling-up of land-use decentralization across the country. The policy implication calls for more international investment as well as national land-use policy reforms in order to promote and facilitate further decentralization of sloping land management and to secure greater use rights for sloping land user groups.     

高水平开放下我国粮食安全的非传统挑战及政策转型

当前我国粮食安全已经迈入新的发展阶段,一方面国内的粮食安全保障程度处于历史最佳时期,另一方面农业对外开放也处于全球领先水平,国际粮食市场日益成为保障国内粮食供应的重要组成部分,但同时也为维护国家粮食安全带来了一系列前所未有的非传统压力和挑战,包括以高产量、高进口、高库存为代表的过度进口冲击粮食自给率的“想挡挡不住”、粮食生产国内支持政策与WTO国际规则存在一致性纷争的“想做不能做”、世界市场风险与贸易动荡加剧国际粮源不确定性的“想进有风险”,以及在全球粮食安全治理体系中的作用仍待加强的“想为难作为”。在新一轮高水平开放下,亟需转型思维、构建“三元平衡”的开放型国家粮食安全战略保障体系,积极推动我国粮食安全目标由产量导向向竞争力导向转型,农业国内支持政策设计由国内外分轨向内外对接转型,外部粮食市场与资源利用由单方自主开合向主动风险管控转型,主动参与全球粮食安全治理与制度变革,全面升级对内与对外的粮食安全治理能力。     

供给侧生产端变化对中国粮食安全的影响研究

在“谷物基本自给、口粮绝对安全”的粮食安全战略背景下,粮食供给侧生产端对于保障中国粮食安全起到关键性作用。近年来,随着城镇化和农业现代化的推进,新型农业经营主体和土地规模化经营快速发展,粮食生产在质量效益和专业化水平不断提高的同时,其土地生产效率的提高和市场风险的防范面临挑战;粮食生产成本的攀升和比较收益的下降,使农业支持家庭生计的功能不断弱化,导致农户种粮意愿普遍降低;居民食物消费结构升级引致种植结构调整,使保障口粮绝对安全的政策成本上升。粮食生产主体结构与行为、生产成本与比较收益、供需匹配关系等生产端的重要变化,对粮食供给能力进而对国家粮食安全产生重要影响。为此,需要优化粮食安全目标,合理协调“保产量”与“优结构”的关系;完善价格激励机制,以需求升级为导向优化生产结构;优化收储调控机制,增强粮食安全风险应对能力;多举措提高农户种粮和地方政府发展粮食的积极性的同时充分利用国外资源和国际市场。     

中国食物系统的结构、演化与展望

中国食物系统不仅是保障全体国民食物安全的核心,而且对全球粮食安全、食品安全等也有重要影响.为了深入理解中国食物系统的演化及其如何确保14亿人吃饱吃好吃出健康的重要价值,本文在解构食物系统概念、特征的基础上,核算了中国食物系统经济规模及其结构,首次构建了中国食物系统的流程图,明确中国食物系统在国民经济中的位置.随后利用多...     

Facing the gap: exploring research on local knowledge of insect-provided services in agroecosystems

Sustainable agroecosystems must be managed to support biodiversity conservation and food production, which occur at the interface of regional/national policy frameworks, and local knowledge and perspectives. This paper examines the current breadth of research examining farmer knowledge of beneficial insect activities that provide ecosystem services (or benefits) in agroecosystems. We identify patterns and gaps in the literature and opportunities for future research. We found 34 studies that explicitly focused on and documented local knowledge of how insect taxa provided ecosystem services in agroecosystems, the majority of which were immediately observable in farmers’ daily practice: pest control (n?=?26), pollination (n?=?4). We suggest that there is a need for greater investigation of local knowledge of the breadth of ecosystem services provided by insects and identify key research areas that are opportunities for investigation.     

对近期与中长期中国粮食安全的再认识

粮食安全始终是国家经济、社会稳定与发展的基础,突如其来的新冠疫情在影响中国与全球经济发展的同时,也引起社会各界对粮食安全问题的广泛关注。本文分析了中国粮食安全保障现况、近期各界关注粮食安全的主要问题和未来面临的挑战,并预测中长期主要粮食供需变动趋势。分析表明,近期和中长期中国口粮绝对安全,未来饲料粮(玉米和大豆等)进口将逐渐增长以保障国内畜产品的供给安全;而笼统的粮食安全概念往往误导社会各界和政府。口粮安全、饲料或畜产品安全是中国粮食安全已至食物安全的关键问题。最后,本文提出保障国家粮食安全的相关政策建议。     

反食物浪费政策的落地：国际经验与本土实践

[目的]粮食安全战略是国家安全战略的重要组成部分,粮食浪费是危害我国粮食安全的重要因素,为保障粮食安全,减少粮食浪费尤为重要。[方法]文章从法律法规、政策措施、运行机制三方面系统梳理了美国和法国减少食物浪费的经验做法。[结果]在法律法规方面,美国的法律法规强调引导激励作用;法国的法律法规双管齐下,兼顾引导激励和处罚遏制。在政策措施方面,美国构建了差异化食物回收等级体系、通过投资教育等方式助力反食物浪费;法国更注重发挥社会各界的力量,引导社会力量进行自我管理和反食物浪费。在运行机制方面,美国和法国均通过多部门协作、多领域减少食物浪费,但在非政府组织的参与程度上,美国非政府组织的参与程度明显高于法国。[结论]参考他国经验,基于本国国情,建议：制定法律政策的实施细则,兼顾引导激励和处罚遏制;建立多层次的食物回收等级体系,提升食物回收再利用的效率;加强各部门间的协作,在全过程形成反食物浪费的合力;号召社会各界踊跃参与,将反食物浪费化为全社会的自觉行动。     

我国粮食生产周期性特征与对策建议

系统回顾了改革开放30年来,我国粮食生产经历的6个主要阶段的周期性特征,归纳了各个阶段影响粮食稳定增长的主要因素;从制度创新、政策扶持、科技进步、防灾减灾等4个方面,概括总结了30年来我国发展粮食生产取得的成功经验;最后提出建立国家粮食安全长效机制的5点对策建议。     

后疫情时代粮食发展与粮食安全

后疫情时代,世界粮食发展与安全格局发生新变化。稳定发展粮食生产,继续解决好吃饭问题,是治国理政的头等大事。改革开放以来,特别是党的十八大以来,我国粮食发展与安全取得重大成就,堪称伟大奇迹。中国特色的“三农”理念、农村改革、制度政策、农业经营主体、农业科技创新,为国家粮食发展与安全奇迹的创造提供了有力支撑。面对当前全球粮食生产及供给面临的新形势新挑战,必须深入贯彻习近平总书记关于粮食安全的重要论述,认真学习贯彻十九届五中全会精神,进一步强化对粮食地位、功能及内涵的认识,从维护国家安全、应对国际地缘政治新挑战和新冠肺炎疫情影响、支撑国家经济社会稳定发展、加快形成双循环发展新格局和全面建设社会主义现代化国家的战略高度,坚持把“三农”工作摆在全党工作的重中之重地位,坚定不移地走中国特色粮食发展与安全之路。     

How important is improving food availability for reducing child malnutrition in developing countries?

Do increases in the food supply per person in a country, i.e., national food availability, contribute substantially to reductions in malnutrition among its children? This paper sets out to answer this controversial question using panel data from 63 developing countries over 1970–1996. This paper gives evidence in support of a statistically significant and strong positive impact of national food availability on child nutrition, finding that increased food supplies have resulted in significant reductions in malnutrition since the 1970s despite population increases over the period. However, per‐capita food supplies have a declining marginal impact: their effect is quite strong for countries with very low food availability (e.g., most countries in sub‐Saharan Africa and South Asia), but weak or non‐existent for those with high levels (e.g., most countries in the Near East and North Africa). Further, non‐food factors, such as women's education and status and the quality of health environments, are also important determinants of children's nutritional status. Depending on the state of food availability in any particular geographic area and relative costs, these factors may merit greater priority in policies to reduce malnutrition.     

基于化肥减量化管理的农业清洁生产多方联动机制框架研究

[目的]化肥减量增效是实现农业可持续发展的关键举措和优先任务,文章首先基于环境经济学的外部性理论分析与国内外研究现状综述,提出了新形势下基于利益相关方的视角开展化肥减量化管理多方联动机制研究的必要性。[方法]为构建有效的多方联动机制,需要全面了解利益相关方参与化肥减量化管理的现状与主要问题,该文实地调研了普通农户、新型经营主体的耕地保护意识、地力改善意识、清洁生产支付意愿和对政府的主要利益诉求并对其做了对比分析,同时通过关键人物访谈了解基层农技部门、有机肥生产企业在化肥减量过程中面临的主要困难。[结果]构建了化肥减量化管理多方联动机制框架,具体包括肥料生产与使用监管机制、耕地保护责任追究机制、化肥减量化技术推广机制、农业清洁生产补贴机制和绿色农产品消费引导机制等。[结论]结合当前农业供给侧结构性改革的政策背景,强调通过综合运用规范性、激励性和市场性政策工具和手段,建立有效的化肥减量化管理多方联动机制是实现化肥减量增效和农业可持续发展的必然要求。此外,该文补充强调了当前化肥减量应坚持用地、养地相结合,化肥、有机肥配合使用,在保持和改善当前地力水平的前提下,通过提质增效来确保粮食安全、农民增收。     

Improving rural livelihoods through the conservation and use of underutilized species: evidence from a community research project in Yemen

The aim of this paper is to analyse the impact of a set of interventions related to conservation and use of neglected and underutilized species (NUS) on people's livelihoods. Specifically, a simultaneous three-equation model of households' participation on underutilized crops conservation and income generation activities is applied to evaluate the outcome of a pilot research project implemented by Bioversity International in Yemen between 2002 and 2005. Results generated show a relation between project participation and the perceived yield increase demonstrating the importance for farmers to actively participate in the project's activities and subsequently apply agronomic practices learnt to improve their livelihood. The generated benefits incentivized farmers to continue to apply the interventions beyond the lifetime of the project ensuring thus a sustainable process in which exogenous interventions, once adopted by farmers become integrant part of farmer's agronomic practices.     

Mitigation of diffuse water pollution from agriculture in England and China,and the scope for policy transfer

This paper evaluates the existing policy frameworks for mitigation of diffuse water pollution from agriculture (DWPA) in England and China. With reference to a conceptual model of the process of policy transfer or international lesson drawing, and possible constraints to this, it assesses whether and how China can draw lessons to improve current policy from the supra-national and national provisions of the EU and a member state that by 2016 had comprehensively implemented EU agricultural and environmental policy. DWPA is first analysed as a public policy challenge to inform specification of a generic framework for its mitigation. The current policy frameworks for mitigation of DWPA in England and China are evaluated, and their potential for improvement is assessed. A number of barriers to lesson drawing for regulation, incentive payments schemes and advice provision are diagnosed. These barriers are potentially least in relation to advice provision and its use to promote voluntary action by farmers. Given its structure and capabilities the public agricultural extension system in China is also recognised as a key resource. A focus on three policy approaches to mitigate DWPA in China is recommended: i) targeted regulation to a ‘reference level’ of large intensive livestock, and ultimately other large commercial farms; ii) strategic use of incentive payment schemes to protect water resources from DWPA; and iii) re-orientation of the ethos and modalities of operation of the extension system, informed by international lesson drawing, with the aim of rebalancing farm productivity and environmental protection.     

新中国70年中国农村社会保障制度的演进逻辑与未来展望

新中国成立以来,得益于我国综合国力的快速提升和中国特色社会主义的制度优势,我国农村社会保障事业取得了巨大成就,但仍存在社会保障制度城乡不均衡发展等重要问题。本文依据多源流模型和公共产品理论构建了我国农村社会保障制度演进的分析框架进行分析表明,我国农村社会保障制度演进大概经历了制度萌芽与停滞、恢复与探索、改革与发展、完善和提高四个阶段,人民日益增长的美好生活需要、党和国家"以人民为中心"的发展理念、政策试点与政策研究、经济体制改革与综合国力提升共同构成了农村社会保障制度演进的动力机制。针对农村社会保障制度演进面临的重要挑战,提出了加强农村社会保障治理体系现代化建设等未来展望。     

Stock measurement and regeneration policy approaches to ‘hardcore’ brownfield sites: England and Japan compared

This paper discusses key contextual differences and similarities in a comparative study on brownfield regeneration in England and Japan. Over the last decade, the regeneration of large-scale ‘flagship’ projects has been a primary focus in England, and previous research has discussed policy issues and key barriers at these sites. However, further research is required to explore specific barriers associated with problematic ‘hardcore’ sites suffering from long-term dereliction due to site-specific obstacles such as contamination and fragmented ownership. In comparison with England, brownfield regeneration is a relatively new urban agenda in Japan. Japan has less experience in terms of promoting redevelopment of brownfield sites at national level and the specific issues of ‘hardcore’ sites have been under-researched. The paper reviews and highlights important issues in comparing the definitions, national policy frameworks and the current stock of brownfields.     

Is Passive Farming A Problem for Agriculture in the EU?

We address a new agricultural policy concern following the decoupling of CAP direct payments in 2005: passive farming, whereby landowners maintain their agricultural area to collect payments without producing commodities. It is claimed that passive farming is hindering agricultural development by ‘blocking’ access to farmland for expanding farmers. We evaluate the links between the EU's Single Payment Scheme (SPS), passive farming, land use and agricultural development. Following identification of the rational landowners’ optimal land‐use choice, we evaluate the effects of the SPS using a spatial, agent‐based model that simulates farmers’ competition for land in a case‐study region of Sweden. We show that passive farming does not constrain land from being used in production; on the contrary more land is used than would be the case without the SPS. We conclude that passive farming is not a problem for agriculture, but provides public goods that would otherwise be under provided: preservation of marginal farmland and future food security. However SPS payments on highly productive land inflate land values (capitalisation) and slow structural change, which hinder agricultural development. Consequently CAP goals could be better served by targeting payments on marginal land and phasing out payments to highly productive land.     

河南省粮食增长态势、潜力与战略对策

粮食产量稳定增长是国家粮食安全的基础和保证,河南是我国粮食增长的核心地区,其粮食增长对保障我国粮食安全意义重大。该文从河南省粮食增长基本态势分析入手,探讨河南粮食增长的成因,并对粮食增长的潜力做出了系统分析,提出加快河南粮食增长的基本思路和战略对策。     

从全球视角分析在新冠肺炎疫情下如何保障食物和营养安全

流行性传染病的爆发往往伴随着食物与营养安全的风险。本文首先从全球视角回顾流行性传染病爆发对食物与营养安全的经验与教训,其次分析新冠肺炎疫情对中国食物和营养安全的潜在冲击,最后对如何在防范新冠肺炎疫情下保障中国和全球居民的食物和营养安全提出政策建议。本文分析指出,短期内中国食物与营养相对安全,但需要警惕疫情对中长期食物安全的影响。鉴于新冠肺炎疫情传播呈现全球化趋势,为防范全球食物和营养安全的系统性风险,需要加强全球合作,采取包括保障食物供应链畅通、保持贸易开放、减少对农业生产的冲击及关注贫困人口等综合应对措施。     

Reproducing vulnerabilities in agri‐food systems: Tracing the links between governance,financialization, and vulnerability in Europe post 2007–2008

Interconnected sets of vulnerabilities have emerged in the European food system since 2007–2008, raising concerns about food security in a region with arguably some of the most advanced and prosperous economies and environmental governance frameworks. Historically, this is suggesting the current “double jeopardy” problem in food system vulnerability—with systemic declines both in sustainability (the ability of the food system to ecologically renew itself) and food security (the ability of a population to access sufficient nutritional foods and feed itself). By focusing on both drivers and impacts of food system vulnerabilities in the European Union and United Kingdom, this paper explores a grounded and relational approach to financialization—recognized as a key expression of recent growing vulnerabilities. Through the prism of the current socio‐economic pressures facing food producers, and the emergence of potentially “stranded assets” in the agri‐food system more generally, the analysis seeks to show how the combined relationships between neo‐liberalized governance and the market volatilities encouraged by new rounds of financialization are creating “nested” vulnerabilities. As we conclude, a critical, grounded, and systemic understanding of food system vulnerabilities thus becomes a key feature and precursor for potentially developing more resilient agri‐food systems—both regionally and globally.     

基于农户生产决策视角的耕地保护经济补偿标准测算

研究目的:基于农户生产决策理论,剖析耕地保护经济补偿标准形成机理,并以非粮化经济补偿标准为例进行实证测算,为国家实现耕地保护与粮食安全目标提供决策参考。研究方法:边际分析法,计量模型分析法与定性分析法。研究结果:多宜性耕地用途之间的边际利润差异是诱使耕地非粮化与非农化的经济动因,需要对限制完整耕地使用权所导致的农户利益损失进行合理的经济补偿。研究结论:耕地投入粮食生产的边际利润明显低于其他农地利用方式的利润,为了提高农户耕地保护与粮食生产动力,需要设置耕地保护经济补偿资金,并改革现有粮食直补方式与农地分散经营格局。