Stakeholder planning of the institutionalization of the volunteer farmer-trainer approach in dairy producer organizations in Kenya: key steps and supporting mechanisms*

The effectiveness of community-based extension approaches has been widely documented, however their sustainability remains weak. Institutionalization has been proposed as a way of achieving sustainability. This paper shares experiences of the learning and planning phase of the institutionalization of the volunteer farmer-trainer (VFT) approach in three dairy producer organizations (POs) in Kenya. The paper builds a detailed understanding of the key steps and social processes involved and the wider lessons that might be learned regarding institutionalization in the context of local institutions such POs. We draw on data from key informant interviews, focus groups discussions and workshops. The first phase of the process which spanned one year involved engagements with stakeholders at different levels; from VFTs, dairy cooperative management, government extension and local NGOs. The process involved awareness creation, joint learning at the individual, group and organization level, a strengths-weaknesses-opportunities-threats (SWOT) analysis of producer organizations and identifying opportunities for harnessing resources for support functions. We highlight the important supporting social and institutional processes that are required for this to happen. These include getting acceptance and support from key stakeholders, developing a shared understanding, stakeholder ownership of the process, commitment from top leadership of POs and institutional structures to support the process. For the process to be actualized, we discuss mechanisms that need to be put in place.     

Youth engagement in agricultural policy processes in Malawi

This study assesses the nature of networking between youth and agricultural policy-makers – given youth disillustionment with agricultural livelihoods. Using the Malawi case, a mixed-methods approach shows, first, that local government departments which are mandated to work on youth issues are the main hubs of information for youth in agriculture. The Ministry of Agriculture plays a secondary role. Second, the study shows that youth in agriculture have little or no direct interactions with each other. Therefore, youth remain on the periphery of agricultural policy-making and their role in shaping agricultural policy dialogue is negligible. This is attributable to both lack of a deliberate government policy to include the youth and lack of a unified youth platform. The onus is therefore on the youth to ensure that they are effectively engaged in agricultural policy dialogue. The study concludes with policy recommendations relevant for countries with a ‘youth/agriculture’ problem like Malawi.     

农村基本公共服务农户满意度影响因素研究 ——基于Logistic-ISM模型

农村基本公共服务农户满意度对促进农村基本公共服务的可持续健康发展具有重要意义。基于496份调查数据,运用多元有序Logistic模型和ISM模型分析了农村基本公共服务农户满意度的影响因素及各影响因素间的关联关系和层次结构。结果显示,农户满意度受年龄、文化程度、家庭年收入水平、政府投入力度、政府监管力度、政府人员服务态度、农户参与度和对基本公共服务的了解程度等8个因素影响。因此,建立信息披露机制,完善政府投入机制,加强政府监管力度,有助于提升农户对农村基本公共服务的满意度。     

“非中介化”、农户货币偏好与农户信用重建研究

本文对农村金融中的常态“非中介化”和农户货币偏好规律进行了探讨,揭示伴随农户借贷行为而产生农户融资渠道的转变和货币偏好,这两种经济现象背后的实质是信用的核心———普适性信任在发生作用,提出通过建立农户贷款担保基金和强化农村合作经济组织建设,以重构农户信用。同时,通过完善农村信用社的经营机制和产权结构,优化对农户信用缺失约束的外部环境,以增强双方的信任度,从而达到消除农村金融中的常态“非中介化”等对农户收入增长的不利因素。     

“诺斯悖论”视野下的农民合作

在理解农民合作的内在机理中,政府的角色是不可或缺的,但政府的介入往往形成一个"悖论"。通过分析新中国成立以来农民的合作历史,展示了政府进退对农民合作的影响。结合目前农民合作的现状,分析由于政府缺位,制度资源供给不足,农民合作陷入困境。因此,由于农民自组织资源的局限性,政府介入农民合作是必要的,但要注意介入的尺度,要在公共决策与私人决策之间保持平衡。     

Farmer organizations and maize productivity in rural Burkina Faso: The effects of the diversion strategy on cotton input loans

This study analyzes the impact of the diversion strategy of cotton inputs on maize productivity among farmer organization (FO) members in Burkina Faso, based on an endogenous treatment effect model. This impact is assessed by measuring the effects of the producers’ strategy of using part of their cotton inputs for growing other crops, such as maize. The data from a 2014 multisectoral survey in Burkina Faso were used. The main result is that maize productivity is 59.11% lower for FO members who divert their cotton inputs. We suggest the development of financing systems for cereals, similar to those in the cotton sector, and the establishment of monitoring the use of input credits.     

东北地区粮食型农户家庭农场经营风险认知的影响因素分析

［目的］东北地区作为维护国家粮食安全的“压舱石”，准确而系统地掌握东北地区粮食型农户家庭农场经营风险认知水平，为政府部门精准实施粮食型农户家庭农场配套扶持政策提供参考。［方法］文章利用黑龙江、吉林、辽宁3省301个粮食型农户家庭农场调研数据，运用交叉列表和多元有序logit模型分析家庭农场经营风险认知水平及其影响因素。［结果］（1）6312%的粮食型家庭农场有一定风险认知能力，土地经营面积在333~1333hm2（50~200亩）与1333~3333hm2（200~500亩）的家庭农场风险认知处于中等水平， 3333hm2（500亩）以上家庭农场经营风险认知低； （2）玉米种植型家庭农场风险认知水平高于水稻种植型家庭农场； （3）年龄、是否村干部、劳动力数量、土地经营规模、是否有自然灾害、农产品市场价格波动、是否“三品一标”认证、金融支持、农推人员技术指导和新型经营主体间合作稳定对东北地区粮食型农户家庭农场经营风险认知有影响。［结论］应培养家庭农场主个人特质，鼓励支农惠农政策向规模适度的家庭农场倾斜，从流程入手提高家庭农场风险防范能力。     

小农户合作生产影响因素实证分析

[目的]分析小农户合作生产意愿及其影响因素,以促进小农户发展多样化的联合与合作,提升小农户组织化程度。[方法]首先分类分层确定样本县、样本村,随机分类确定样本户,然后通过访谈和问卷调查获取农户数据,并利用描述性统计和Logistic模型对农户数据进行分析验证。[结果](1)农户土地经营规模小,种植结构单一,非农收入比重高,农业兼业化严重;(1)描述性分析表明,土地规模、人均农业纯收入、农机、农业社会化服务、县域经济、土地转出意愿对农户合作生产具有正向影响,家庭人口数量、非农收入对农户合作生产影响为负;(2)Logistic模型分析表明,对农户合作生产有显著影响的因素为非农收入、农业社会化服务支出和土地转出意愿。[结论]小农户合作生产意愿一般,农业社会化服务支出、土地转出意愿对小农户合作生产具有正向影响,非农收入对农户合作生产具有负向影响。     

我国农民合作社设立机制 ——基于产业组织生态学理论的探讨

本文基于浙江省合作社的统计数据和访谈所收集的37家合作社第一手数据，考察了合作社设立的生态化和制度化过程。合作社种群及其所在群落中组织的竞争状态和种群密度在不同的条件下会促进或阻碍合作社的设立；就合作社设立的组织者来看，精英农户和政府分别在合作社的生态化和制度化过程中扮演了关键性作用；合作社相关法律法规的完善和合作社社区嵌入性的加强，有利于我国合作社的制度化，促进合作社的设立和发展。     

Sustaining the Farming Household to Sustain the Farming

In the literature on sustainability of agriculture, both labourers and workers are conspicuously absent. Here, the sustainability of agriculture has been defined in terms of whether the farm household in question is able to yield an energy surplus when its members and the animals in its possession are obtaining an adequate ‘energy income’ or Calorie intake. To evaluate the sustainability of 590 farming households in the state of West Bengal, India, during 2004–5, four progressively stricter definitions of sustainability have been proposed, defined and applied. The method of energy balance analysis was followed. A negative surplus was found to be near‐universal across size‐groups in terms of the net area sown (NAS), the gross cultivated area (GCA) and agro‐climatic zones. The threshold output for a non‐negative surplus during the cultivating period was 700,000 megajoules (MJ); in terms of the GCA for a positive ‘full and final’ annual surplus, it was 3 hectares, and in NAS terms it was 2.5 hectares; against NAS per household size, it was 0.6 hectares, for ensuring a positive surplus beyond the annual sustainability. No evidence could be found in favour of household size as an explanation for the negative surplus.