A LITERATURE SURVEY ON PROPOSED AFRICAN MONETARY UNIONS

This study provides a survey of recent advances in the literature on proposed African monetary unions. The survey comprises about 70 empirical papers published during the past 15 years. Four main strands are discussed individually and collectively. They comprise the proposed: (i) West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ), (ii) East African Monetary Union (EAMU), (iii) Southern African Monetary Union (SAMU) and (iv) African Monetary Union (AMU). We observe a number of issues with establishing the feasibility and/or desirability of potential monetary unions, inter alia, they are variations in: choice of variables, empirical strategies, sampled countries and considered periodicities. We address this ambiguity by reviewing studies with scenarios that are consistent with Hegelian dialectics and establish selective expansion as the predominant mode of monetary integration. Some proponents make cases for strong pegs and institutions as viable alternatives to currency unions. Using cluster analysis, disaggregating panels into sub-samples and distinguishing shocks from responses in the examination of business cycle synchronisation provide more subtle policy implications. We caution that for inquiries using the same theoretical underpinnings, variables and methods just by modifying the scope/context and periodicity may only contribute to increasing the number of conflicting findings. Authors should place more emphasis on new perspectives and approaches based on caveats of, and lessons from the European Monetary Union (EMU) and CFA zones.     

广东万绿湖生态旅游集聚区旅游新业态发展研究

生态旅游产业集聚区是旅游产业转型的一种创新型产业形态,有利于实现旅游产业规模经济效应,丰富区域旅游品牌,促进地方旅游经济的发展。广东省河源市拥有良好的生态旅游区景色及国家一级地表饮用水源,是具有较强的旅游吸引力的地接型城市,作为广东水源保护地,生态屏障区,应从循环经济、可持续发展、生态学角度,构建生态旅游集聚区经济模式,并采取切实措施,使生态旅游与环境保护平衡发展。     

Incentives and disincentives for diversified agroforestry systems from different actors’ perspectives in Bolivia

Even though diversified agroforestry systems can provide sustainable livelihoods and a resilient production of different goods, adoption remains limited in Bolivia. We examine major obstacles to agroforestry adoption and possible incentives proposed by farmers and civil-society organizations, and relate them to governance and international mechanisms that might play a role in agroforestry adoption. Market access for produce from diversified agroforestry remains difficult, as does its processing and transport. Moreover, farmers have difficulties in achieving the quantities and homogenous quality demanded by markets in the major cities. But most importantly, farmers and civil-society organizations saw little government support, although ‘ecological production in harmony with Mother Earth’ is prescribed by law and the constitution. Agroforestry farmers needed support most urgently in the initial phase, when investment costs are high and returns low. They suggested affordable credits, subsidies for diversified farming systems, and insurance against fire. We identified important albeit small steps towards developing markets for agroforestry products, but government support – mostly in the form of diesel subsidies, materials, and infrastructure – mainly benefitted large-scale monocultures and cattle ranching. In response to this, interviewees opted for strengthening farmers’ organizations, for demanding support with the help of civil-society organizations, and for disseminating best practices.     

河北省张宣葡萄产区土壤地球化学特征

[目的]为科学合理规划特色农产品种植区,因地制宜地扩大张宣葡萄种植规模。[方法]文章通过对张宣葡萄产区开展1:5万农业生态地质现状调查,利用土壤地球化学测试数据,与河北省平原区背景值、张家口盆地背景值进行对比分析,归纳总结研究区土壤地球化学特征;并依据土地质量和土壤环境质量相关规范,对张宣葡萄产地进行系统地土壤肥力和土壤环境质量评价。[结果]葡萄种植区土壤中铜、锶、二氧化硅、氧化钾含量较高,尤以铜最为显著,含量均值是张家口盆地背景值的2倍,是河北省平原区背景值的1. 94倍;铬、镍、铁、锰、氮、有机碳、硒、镁含量相对较少,均低于张家口盆地背景值和河北省平原区背景值。整体而言,土壤综合肥力相对缺乏,主要表现为氮、磷缺乏;土壤环境综合质量较为清洁,无Ⅲ类区,全部重金属元素均未超风险管制值,99. 26%的面积低于全部重金属元素风险筛选值,表现为4个样点铜含量和1个样点镉含量高于风险筛选值,分别位于宣化区和涿鹿县境内。[结论]应通过增施化学肥料提高土壤中氮、磷含量,注意防治保护性杀菌剂的使用带来的铜局部累积现象。     

Profitability and Efficiency of High Nature Value Marginal Farming in England

The UK Brexit vote triggered a new wave of policy developments for a future outside the EU. In this context, we analyse the business performance of English hill and upland farms, characterised by marginal economic conditions but also high nature value (HNV). The analysis aims to help identify farm-level management and policy options for greater economic, environmental and social sustainability. Business performance is measured as technical efficiency and the occurrence and persistence of abnormal profits, estimated through stochastic frontier analysis and static and dynamic panel-data methods. The results help indicate rationales for recent trends including farm enlargement, farm family diversification, and agri-environment scheme entry. The single farm payment is found to be negatively associated with farm technical efficiency while agri-environmental subsidies were positively associated to short-term farm profitability. Farm adaptation and resilience during a period of likely turbulence in external circumstances is discussed in light of these findings, as well as potential parallels with marginal HNV areas across Europe.     

亚热带地区国有林场可持续经营指标体系研究

通过实地调查研究,借鉴已发布的国际、国家、地区、经营单位层面森林可持续经营标准和指标,以森林可持续经营为主要内容,对亚热带地区国有林场森林经营、人力资源、社会资源等方面进行研究,构建出亚热带地区国有林场可持续经营指标体系,为亚热带地区国有林场可持续经营提供理论借鉴,期盼为制定亚热带地区森林可持续经营指标提供借鉴。     

市民农园经营方式及发展策略研究

我国市民农园在经济发展和互联网应用的影响下快速发展。文章通过整理国内外市民农园发展现状,分析了我国市民农园的实用型、社区支持型及观赏型等不同经营方式及其特点,并提出了明确市场定位、发展特色品牌,建立互联网大数据、为市民农园发展提供数据支持,建立专业技术平台、为市民农园提供技术支持,改善农业金融服务、为市民农园提供资金支持等对策措施,以期为我国市民农园的健康快速发展提供理论基础。     

The Rise and Decline of Small‐Scale Sugarcane Production in South Africa: A Historical Perspective

South Africa's sugar industry has long been distinguished by its large number of small‐scale sugarcane growers (SSGs) farming on ‘communal’ land and its peculiar privately administered regulatory structure. In recent years, however, the numbers of small‐scale growers have declined precipitously. This paper argues that the relationship between the rise and fall of SSG production and the industry's governing regulatory structure is closer than usually appreciated. The emergence of SSG production in the late 1970s and the 1980s can be traced to industry‐subsidized initiatives, disguised as small‐scale credit, to bring commercially inalienable Bantustan land into cane production with strong miller oversight. From the late 1980s to 1990s, however, the elimination of these subsidies encouraged millers to subcontract support to farmers, while simultaneously instigating an increase in SSG numbers by removing restrictions on grower registration. Although low rainfall is a central proximal factor in the rapid decline of the SSGs in the 2000s, their rapid increase was structurally fragile.     

Stakeholder perceptions and governance challenges in urban protected area management: The case of the Las Piñas – Parañaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area,Philippines

The conservation and management of protected areas in urban settings has become increasingly challenging with dynamics over land use change in adjacent urban areas being highly relevant to, but at times conflicting with, the protected area. This study seeks to better understand the implications of land use change processes to urban protected area management through the case study of the Las Piñas – Parañaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area (LPPCHEA) in Metro Manila, Philippines. Factors and processes influencing land use change and protected area management and the impact of stakeholders’ perceptions on protected area were analyzed. The urban protected area in itself has limited influence on its surrounding urban areas, as land use change in these areas is shaped more by social, economic and policy/institutional factors occurring within the context of urban-regional development. The study also found that land use conflict is evident in an urban protected area due to the competing ecosystem services derived by various stakeholders. This discord is deepened by the lack of coordination between land use planning and protected area management. Integrating protected area management with land use planning through legally binding instruments, specific timeframes and clear internal procedures can help resolve land use conflict for an urban protected area at the strategic or policy level.     

新时期秦巴地区发展电子商务物流现状分析及对策研究

近年来,电子商务发展迅速,但由于历史原因,秦巴地区由于各方面条件欠缺,电子商务物流发展缓慢.因此,我们必须根据实际,找准问题,推动秦巴地区电子商务物流跨越式发展.