Influence of livelihoods on climate change adaptation for smallholder farmers in the Mekong Delta Vietnam

Farmers in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta face a wide range of climate-related and hydrological factors which threaten rice production. Smallholder farmers must adapt to climate change to sustain rice production as their central and most important livelihood activity. A sample was stratified across agro-ecological areas in the Delta affected by flooding, alluvial soils, acid sulphate soils, and saline water intrusion and by derived farmer typologies. A rural livelihoods approach was used in focus group discussions and in-depth interviews to identify and enumerate enabling and constraining adaptation factors. Smallholders experienced diverse natural hazards such as floods, abnormal rains, high temperatures, water scarcity, and salinity intrusion specific to the agro-ecological areas. Adaptation was constrained by labour shortages, water quality, topography, access to combine harvesters, transportation infrastructure, dryers and household savings. Adaptation was enabled by farming techniques and experience, cooperative groups, water quantity, access to information, and ability to purchase agro-chemicals through credit. Small farmers (< 1?ha) were more constrained than large farmers (> 1?ha) who had an expanded livelihood asset base. A range of policy implications are discussed, but adaptation is not just about technological fixes but requires overall improvements in a range of human, social and financial components.     

土地细碎化和土地质量是否影响小麦技术效率*——基于山东省小麦种植户的实证分析

［目的］小麦是我国重要的口粮之一，提高小麦的技术效率对于保障粮食安全具有重要的战略意义。在测算小麦技术效率的基础上，找出影响小麦技术效率的关键因素，为保障国家口粮安全提供参考。［方法］基于调研数据，运用超越对数生产函数以及一步随机前沿分析方法，构建计量模型分析土地细碎化和土地质量对小麦技术效率的影响。［结果］全部样本的技术效率差距较大，规模经营农户的技术效率高于小农户，农户技术效率最高的种植面积为67~333hm2，代表小麦种植的适宜规模。从技术效率的影响因素来看，土地细碎化程度和土地质量都对小麦生产的技术效率产生显著影响。［结论］为了提高小麦的技术效率，应该发展多种形式适度规模经营，鼓励创新土地流转形式，提高农业机械化水平； 深入开展土地质量调查，因地制宜地选择土地修复路径； 实行精准补贴，切实保护农民的利益。     

基于冠层光谱和BP神经网络的水稻叶片氮素浓度估算模型

[目的]快速、准确地诊断水稻叶片氮素营养状况,为水稻氮肥精准管理提供依据。[方法]以江西省农科院8种不同施肥处理的晚稻为研究对象,于主要生育期同步测定了水稻冠层光谱反射率及叶片全氮浓度(Leaf Nitrogen Concentration,LNC),系统分析了原始光谱反射率、一阶微分光谱、"三边"参数以及由350～1 350nm两两波段组合的差值(SD (Rλ1,Rλ2))、比值(SR (Rλ1,Rλ2))及归一化(ND(Rλ1,Rλ2))光谱指数与水稻LNC的相关关系,筛选出敏感参数,并以之为自变量构建了水稻LNC的传统预测模型,另外构建不同指标个数的多元线性与BP神经网络模型,并对模型进行验证。[结果](1)水稻LNC与一阶微分光谱在751nm处的相关性最高(r=0. 822);(2)"三边"参数中的红边面积SDr与LNC的相关性较高(r=0. 687);(3) 750nm附近的红边波段与近红外波段差值组合、550nm附近的绿光波段与近红外波段的比值及归一化差值组合与水稻LNC的相关性较高,以SD (R752,R751)、SR (R534,R1 350)和ND (R534,R1 349)表现最好,相关系数分别为0. 827、-0. 790和0. 788;(4)传统回归模型中以SD(R752,R751)构建的一元线性模型最佳(RC2=0. 665、RV2=0. 750、RMSEV=0. 4%、RPD=2. 034);(5)利用5个指标((R'751、SDr、SD (R752,R751)、SR (R534,R1 350)、ND (R534,R1 349))经逐步回归筛选出的2个指标SD ((R752,R751)和SR (R534,R1 350))构建预测水稻氮素的BP神经网络模型,预测效果最佳,其验证参数值分别为R2=0. 859、RMSEV=0. 302%和RPD=2. 669。[结论]基于单指标构建的传统线性模型计算过程简单但精度略低,而基于2个指标(SD (R752,R751)、SR (R534,R1 350))构建的BP神经网络模型预测精度高于该2指标构建的多元线性模型,表明在指标适合的情况下,BP神经网络对氮素具有较好的预测能力,是一种快速准确估算水稻叶片全氮浓度的方法。     

基于多重交叉残差方法的空间目标旋转特性分析

针对传统的频谱分析和自相关函数反演周期时常出现虚假周期的问题，提出了多重交叉残差法处理空间旋转目标雷达散射截面(Radar Cross Section，RCS)的时间序列。以空间跟踪和监视系统(Space Tracking and Surveillance System,STSS)卫星为例，仿真了空间目标失稳旋转状态，对比了频谱分析、自相关函数和多重交叉残差3种方法的处理结果，发现当目标存在进动运动时多重交叉残差法抗干扰能力更强。在此基础上，进一步研究了不同章动角时多重交叉残差法对旋转周期的反演效果，结果表明章动角大小会影响旋转周期的反演准确度，且章动角达到一定数值后，卫星进动幅度过大导致RCS序列周期性模糊，无法用多重交叉残差法反演出旋转周期。     

Accounting for the Gender Technology Gap Amongst Smallholder Rice Farmers in Northern Ghana

Narrowing the gender technology gap in agricultural production has become a critical policy issue in sub‐Saharan Africa. A better understanding of the gender technology gap is essential for policy formulation and programme planning to ensure equity in resource allocation, and household‐level food security in low and middle income countries, such as Ghana. We employ a metafrontier approach to analyse the differences in the efficiency of male and female farmers, recognising the endogeneity of some of the variables in the inefficiency effects model, in particular the credit constraints of the rice farmers under study. Our findings show that while the rice farms themselves are very similar, average yields for male managed farms tend to be significantly higher than female managed farms reflecting higher seeding and fertiliser application rates on male managed farms. However, there is no significant difference between the genders in either land used for rice or total output per farm household. We find some evidence that relative to the metafrontier, male managed farms are less efficient than female managed farms. The results further show gender technology gap amongst the smallholder rice farmers with females’ technology gap ratio being significantly greater than that of males, with females operating on a production frontier closer to the metafrontier. Policies that provide females more access to productive resources and other agricultural services could assist in the generation of relatively higher output.     

高分1号冬小麦解译面积核算方法研究

[目的]以高分1号(GF-1)融合2m卫星遥感影像为基础数据源,结合土地利用现状数据、高分多源遥感影像和地面样方等数据,对冬小麦分类提取中存在的面积误差问题进行研究和分析。[方法]文章以河南省永城市为研究区,在冬小麦提取结果聚类处理基础上,基于线性地物缓冲区数据,采用GIS空间运算实现线性地物面积扣除,接着分析了样方数据和土地利用现状数据再扣除零星地物面积比例上的差异,并采用样方零星地物平均扣除系数对全市各乡镇耕地与非耕地中冬小麦提取面积进行了相关统计和误差分析。[结果]永城市冬小麦最终解译面积11. 29万hm~2,其中线性地物和零星地物扣除面积分别为6 613. 08hm~2和3 875. 22hm~2,占研究区冬小麦解译面积的5. 86%和3. 32%,与统计上报数据相比,其处理前后误差由14. 12%降低至4. 41%,有效地提高冬小麦提取面积精度。[结论]误差来源分析与修正对冬小麦解译面积核算精度具有重要影响,该研究为县级区域尺度下冬小麦面积提取核算提供了思路和借鉴。     

中国粳稻生产效率演变及区域差异

[目的]我国粳稻产量现阶段呈连续增长的态势,然而粳稻生产效率却存在无效率或波动剧烈的现象,研究我国的粳稻生产效率,有助于提升和稳定中国粳稻区域生产效率和水平从而间接保障我国粮食安全。[方法]使用超效率DEA方法测算中国13个粳稻生产省份的生产效率,分别从时间和区域上的差异进行分析。[结果]中国粳稻生产技术效率在时间趋势上逐渐趋于平稳,但是在2004—2007年间存在短暂的波动;在区域上主要是西南和东北粳稻生产区的技术效率水平较高,西北区在技术效率、纯技术效率与规模效率上都处于较低的水平;虽然河南、湖北、宁夏3个省份出现技术无效率,但规模报酬都处于递增的状态,仍有提升生产效率的潜力,应通过减少要素投入冗余来改变其无效率状态。[结论]粳稻生产技术无效率主要是由于种子费用、农药费用等生产要素的投入冗余造成的;若将来在保持纯技术效率和其他条件不变的情况下,通过提升规模效率水平会进一步提升我国粳稻的整体技术效率水平。基于上述分析有针对性地提出制定粳稻生产区域规划、发展适度规模经营、改善生产要素使用效率3方面的政策建议。     

非农就业对种植决策的影响*——基于土地地势的研究视角

［目的］农村劳动力非农转移影响农户农业生产方式变迁，土地质量差异造成的生产差异会随着农村劳动力非农转移造成的人力投入减少而更加显现。针对农户的市场经济行为，文章从理论及实证角度探讨农户农业劳动投入减少时农户生产决策的变化，并根据实证结果进一步探讨我国农业种植结构的变化趋势，为相关政策的制定提供决策参考。［方法］该文运用多元回归模型，从土地资源异质性的视角分析了劳动力非农就业后在不同地势耕地的农业生产决策变化。［结果］劳动力非农就业明显影响了农户种植决策，在质量较高的平地上，农户的生产决策是种植机械化生产使用高的粮食作物来减少劳动力投入下降，在质量较差的山坡地上，农户的生产决策是降低对山坡地的使用强度来解决劳动力投入不足问题，具体表现方式是降低粮食种植面积以及抛荒方式来分配家庭农业劳动投入。［结论］不同地势耕地利用强度将会出现不同变化，平原以及交通便利地区，可以通过机械来替代人力投入，交通较为不发达的山区丘陵地区，需要通过加大农业基础设施建设等来解决山区丘陵地区的抛荒问题。政策支持方面，鼓励中低产田提高产品产量与提升降本技术，保障与维护国家粮食安全。     

System of crop intensification for more productive,resource-conserving,climate-resilient,and sustainable agriculture: experience with diverse crops in varying agroecologies

With continually increasing demand for food accompanied by the constraints of climate change and the availability and quality of soil and water, the world’s farmers are challenged to produce more food per hectare with less water, and with fewer agrochemical inputs if possible. The ideas and methods of the system of rice intensification which is improving irrigated rice production are now being extended/adapted to many other crops: wheat, maize, finger millet, sugarcane, tef, mustard, legumes, vegetables, and even spices. Promoting better root growth and enhancing the soil’s fertility with organic materials are being found effective means for raising the yields of many crop plants with less water, less fertilizer, reduced seeds, fewer agrochemicals, and greater climate resilience. In this article, we review what is becoming known about various farmer-centred innovations for agroecological crop management that can contribute to agricultural sustainability. These changes represent the emerging system of crop intensification, which is being increasingly applied in Asian, African, and Latin American countries. More research will be needed to verify the efficacy and impact of these innovations and to clarify their conditions and limits. But as no negative effects for human or environmental health have been identified, making these agronomic options more widely known should prompt more investigation and, to the extent justified by results, utilization of these methodologies.     

Official rotation and corporate innovation: Evidence from the governor rotation

Rotation is a practice whereby officials are regularly moved between equally ranked positions. Focusing on governor rotation, this paper examines the effect of official rotation on corporate innovation in China. First, we find that official rotation significantly promotes corporate innovation, including enterprises’ innovation investment, quantity, and quality. Second, we find that the effect of official rotation on corporate innovation varies because of official and regional heterogeneity. Officials rotating from other provinces significantly stimulate corporate innovation, but officials rotating from the central government have an insignificant influence on corporate innovation. In addition, officials rotating to non-eastern regions significantly enhance corporate innovation, while officials rotating to eastern regions have a negligible impact on corporate innovation. We further examine the driving mechanism behind the effect of official rotation on corporate innovation and find that officials rotating from eastern regions to non-eastern regions can significantly promote corporate innovation, but officials rotating from non-eastern regions to eastern regions do not boost corporate innovation. These findings imply that the different effects of official rotation on corporate innovation are due to the official experience effect. We also find that official rotation can promote corporate innovation through reducing corporate charitable donations and increasing corporate innovation subsidies. In a supplementary analysis, we find that GDP-oriented performance appraisal pressure weakens the effect of official rotation on corporate innovation. The lower the pressure on officials regarding their performance, the more significant the effect of official rotation on corporate innovation. In addition, official rotation can significantly promote the development of the regional economy and improve the GDP growth rate via corporate innovation, which is a micro-level economic growth effect of official rotation. Overall, our findings further verify the economic effect of official rotation and extend our understanding of the influencing factors of corporate innovation from the perspective of the official governance system. Our findings also have clear policy implications for how the government can improve the official governance model to promote corporate innovation during the transition period of the national innovation system.