Attitudes, experience and knowledge among farmers to recycling of sludge

Today's wastewater systems have been built to improve the hygiene level within households and the quality of water for other users, but have on the other hand created another environmental problem in the production of sludge. In many Western societies more than 50% of sludge produced is being distributed on agricultural land, and resistance to this practice among farmers is growing. In a survey answered by 1050 farmers, attitudes, experiences and knowledge towards use of sludge were investigated. Reasons for use were soil conditioner properties and compensation schemes. Reasons for non-use were fear of toxic compounds and infectious remnants, restrictions on use of land and unfamiliarity with use. There was more knowledge among users than among non-users. Compensation for sludge among farmers implied a perception of sludge as a waste. If farmers must accept sludge, then reliable and complete information from trusted sources is required: economic arguments about agronomic benefits are not sufficient and confidence with other stakeholders and a feeling of justice in solving environmental problems are central aspects.     

Cooperative membership and adoption of green pest control practices: Insights from rice farmers

Reducing the use of chemical pesticide while preserving crop yield is a practical strategy that makes agricultural production economically, socially and environmentally sustainable. Although the adoption of green pest control practices can help achieve such a goal, its adoption rate remains quite low. This study explores whether membership in agricultural cooperatives improves smallholder farmers' adoption of green pest control practices, utilising farm-level data surveyed from rice farmers in China. To enrich our understanding, we also investigate how the adoption of green pest control practices mediates the effects of cooperative membership on chemical pesticide expenditures. An endogenous switching probit model and a bootstrap-based mediation method are employed to achieve these goals. The empirical results show that cooperative membership significantly increases the probability of adopting physical pest control practices (e.g. pest-killing lamps or sticky plate traps) and biological pest control practices (e.g. biopesticides) by 6% and 19%, respectively. Cooperative membership significantly reduces chemical pesticide expenditures through its mediation effect on improving the probability of adopting biological pest control practices. There is also a complementary relationship between physical and biological pest control practices in pest management of rice production. The adoption of physical pest control practices significantly increases rice yield, while the adoption of biological pest control practices does not.     

Land use consolidation in Rwanda: The experiences of small-scale farmers in Musanze District,Northern Province

The modernization and intensification of agricultural production in Africa has long been a policy goal, for increased productivity and food security. In 2008, the Rwandan government implemented various land and agricultural reforms to transform Rwandan agriculture from subsistence farming to market-oriented production. Central to this agricultural transformation was the Crop Intensification Programme, intended to increase the agricultural productivity of high-potential food crops and encourage land use consolidation, i.e., the joint cultivation of large areas, which was expected to deliver important economies of scale. This programme has been criticized, for example, for authoritarian implementation, negative effects on food security from sole-cropping a few selected crops, and increasing rural socioeconomic differentiation.This paper analyses the effects of the land use consolidation programme at the household level, as experienced by small-scale farmers in Musanze District in the Northern Province of Rwanda. The paper draws on 45 individual and 22 collective qualitative semi-structured interviews with small-scale farmers and local key informants in five sectors, conducted in 2013 and 2014.The findings show that there is satisfaction, dissatisfaction, and resistance to the programme, especially regarding the selected crops to be cultivated. The programme, including supporting mechanisms, seems to work well for the relatively better-off farmers, who have bigger and scattered land areas, whereas it does not work well for poor farmers with very small plots, which is common in rural Rwanda.     

Young farmers’ support under the Common Agricultural Policy and sustainability of rural regions: Evidence from Lithuania

The present study examines the influence of young farmers’ support system including both direct payments for young farmers and rural development measures initiatives under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) on the sustainability of rural regions. The intentions and decisions taken by young farmers in Lithuania are analysed within the rural sustainability concept. The empirical analysis relies on the questionnaire survey. In order to disentangle the possible effects of the CAP support on the farming sustainability (as it is perceived by the young farmers), we consider payments for farm establishment and expansion along with support for advisory services. The results show that young farmers’ support system under the CAP has the strongest perceived effect on income support in Lithuania without significant differences across different groups of farmers. The effect on investments is significantly lower for crop farms if opposed to the other farming types. Still, the results also indicate that environmental awareness of Lithuanian farmers is rather low as the demand for such advisory services appeared to be relatively low. The relatively high demand for advisory services on the business plan preparation suggests low levels of business administration and marketing skills among the young farmers, which indicates the need for development of the social dimension.     

Attitudes of farmers in China's northern Shaanxi Province towards the land-use changes required under the Grain for Green Project, and implications for the project's success

To restore China's degraded environment, the government launched an environmental restoration project named the “Grain for Green” Project (GGP) in 1999. From 1999 to 2010, the government will spend US$ 40 billion to convert 147 million ha of farmland into forest and grassland and 173 million ha of wasteland (including abandoned farmland) into forest in 25 provinces. A primary focus is to replace farming and livestock grazing in fragile areas with reforestation and planting of forage crops. Given the project's tremendous size and number of participants, the attitudes of the affected farmers will strongly influence the GGP's success. To learn their attitudes, we surveyed 2000 farmers in 2005 to quantify their opinions of the GGP and how it has affected their livelihoods, and we discuss the concerns raised by these attitudes. Farmers appreciated the grain and financial compensation offered by the GGP, but few considered planting of trees (8.9%) or forage species (2.2%) to be a priority. Although only 19.1% felt that their livelihoods had been adversely affected by the GGP and 63.8% supported the project, a large proportion (37.2%) planned to return to cultivating forested areas and grassland once the project's subsidies end in 2018. Therefore, much of the restored vegetation risks being converted into farmland and rangeland again, compromising the sustainability of the environmental achievements. To succeed, strategies such as the GGP must compensate farmers fairly for their costs, create new agricultural products and techniques for use on more suitable land, and create job and training programs that account for the needs and desires of farmers and give them alternatives to returning to old land-use practices.     

核函数主成分法和系统聚类法

采用核函数主成分法(KPCA)和系统聚类法(SCA)进行区域旅游竞争力的定量分析。在借鉴国内外相关研究成果的基础上,构建了基于和谐社会的区域旅游竞争力综合评价指标体系。根据指标体系的特点,采用核函数主成分分析和系统聚类模型进行分析评价。并对广东、江苏等旅游大省进行实证分析,科学地评价了这些省份的旅游发展竞争力。研究表明:核函数主成分分析法成功地实现非线性系统的降维,具有良好的适应性和可行性;系统聚类分析进一步验证了核函数主成分分析法分析的结果。     

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。     

Climate risk,vulnerability and resilience: Supporting livelihood of smallholders in semiarid India

Using panel data from 256 smallholder households from 2006 to 2014 in three semiarid regions India, this study develops a framework for quantifying vulnerability and resilience by accounting for a smallholder household’s ability to adapt and respond to climatic risk. Findings indicate that although smallholders with smaller landholdings are more vulnerable to climatic risk (drought, in our case), they are also more resilient than their counterparts. Results reveal that cropping intensity and crop risk increase the vulnerability of smallholders to climatic risk, but large farms are less vulnerable. Diversification in on-farm enterprises, like livestock units, and off-farm income sources, play significant roles in increasing smallholder households’ resilience to climatic risk. Other drivers of resiliency include the choice of cash and risky crops, borrowing capacity, liquid investments, and the ability to regain yields.     

县级土地利用功能区的划分与调整——以广西壮族自治区上思县为例

作为土地管理的重要调控手段,土地利用功能分区协调区域内各种用地,限制不适当的用地方式,实现土地资源的合理利用和可持续发展。在研究土地利用功能区划分原则和方法的基础上,以上思县土地利用现状为例,选取了8个评价指标,利用聚类分析的方法进行了土地利用功能分区,最后根据当地实际情况调整分区结果,并对不同的功能区制定相应的空间管制措施。     

家具电子商务发展对策研究——基于消费者实体店购买家具与网上购买家具的对比分析

在梳理有关家具消费者购买行为影响因素的相关文献基础上,从人口学统计特征、购买类型及行为、对O2O模式的认知情况等方面设计调查问卷。采用统计分析软件SPSS对消费者实体购买家具和网上购买家具情况进行对比性分析。首先通过对问卷进行分类分别对实体店购买家具的消费者和网上购买家具的消费者进行描述性统计分析,再基于对描述性分析结果的分析合理选取变量进行多元对应分析,最后根据描述性统计分析结果与多元对应分析结果给出发展家具电子商务的对策与建议。     

Understanding and facilitating sustainable agricultural practice: A comprehensive analysis of adoption behaviour among Malaysian paddy farmers

With the increased stress on sustainability and food security, in addition, the need toward halting environmental deprivation has focused attention on Individual farmers subjectively perceive the attributes of SAP and their subsequent benefits. Qualifying this knowledge is important, but past efforts have largely been unsystematic. This research paradigm purpose is to observe the influence of Malaysian paddy farmer’s adoption intention towards sustainable agriculture.This systematic study assesses the structure of perceived Awareness of sustainable agricultural practices. A convenient sampling technique was used to select the sample. A total of 132 questionnaires was distributed to Malaysian Paddy farmers, around the Malaysian state which was used for data analysis. The result from the structural analysis suggests that the results of confirmatory factor analysis indicate that the most robust. Moreover, technology-aided communication described as moderates the relationships between Attitude, subjective Norm, Perceived behavioral control and intention.Overall, findings of this study extend the understanding, to link noneconomic benefits to profitability to the attribute of relative advantage. Our work represents a guide to assist change agents to evaluate farmer perceptions at different locations systematically. This structured method will help effectively to design and promote sustainable agriculture and other green agricultural innovations. Discussions and implications for Malaysian paddy farmers, limitations, and suggestions for future research are also delivered in the line of this research study.     

Characterisation of extensive beef cattle systems: Disparities between opinions,practice and policy

Increasing pressure on extensive farming systems in marginal areas requires them to become more resilient and adaptable to extreme conditions brought about by climate change. Yet these rangeland areas must also be protected as refuges for biodiversity and as important carbon stores. Recent United Kingdom policy initiatives are encouraging the use of traditional or native breeds of livestock to preserve genetic diversity, due to their perceived adaption to harsh environments and their value for managing extensive habitats for conservation. It is not clear however, whether these benefits are based on scientific evidence or perhaps more on current opinion; nor whether farm system practices are likely to change in response to these initiatives. This study offers an approach that can support future empirical studies designed to better inform such policy decisions.A survey was carried out to provide insight into current opinions regarding the impacts of cattle on hill environments and the cattle breeds appropriate for hill environments, before more detailed farm interviews provided data for a characterisation of suckler beef farming systems in Scotland using a typological approach. Survey results indicated that the majority of respondents believed cattle have a positive effect on hill environments when carefully managed, yet there was wide diversity in opinion regarding the type of impacts and most suitable breeds. Interview results highlighted the diversity of management systems, decision making processes and cattle types present and indicated significant variation in farmers’ views regarding breed hardiness, suitability and reasons for their choice of breed. Three system groups: Traditionalists, Improvers and Production optimisers, were clearly defined by the typology, with significant variation observed in their management practices and views. This study suggests that hill beef farmers appear to not only adapt their production systems according to their current bio-physical and financial circumstances, but also from personal experience. Accumulation of this kind of evidence is long overdue and could provide support to the development of any future policies regarding cattle and hill environments.     

Food,farmers, and the future: Investigating prospects of increased food production within a national context

With international food price shocks in 2008 and 2011, food security became a political priority in many countries. In addition, some politicians have recently adopted a more nationalistic stance. Against that background, this paper critically investigates the prospects of increased food production within a national context. We use a small, high-income country, Norway, as an empirical case. In 2012, the government set a goal of increasing agricultural food production by 20% by 2030. We ask: 1) How has food production in Norway developed before and after the goal was set? 2) What plans do farmers have, and what do they regard as the main obstacles to increased production? We apply a mixed method combining public statistics, a survey, and interviews. We analyze four production systems: a) milk; b) grass-based meat; c) combined pig and grain; and d) grain. These systems represent around 80% of the domestically consumed food produced on farms in Norway. Since 2000, aggregate food production has had a slight downward trend with periodic fluctuations. Based on a political economy approach, we identify land and labor as the most limiting factors. Capital is less of a hindrance and offers a potential for increased production. Farmers have modest expectations of increased production, though. This outlook resonates with the strong integration of agriculture into the wider economy, at both micro and macro levels, making it challenging to implement new policies and change farm practices on a broad basis. Increases in some specific products, however, are realistic.     

Merchants of knowledge: Petty retail and differentiation without consolidation among farmers in Maharashtra,India

This article focuses on the intermediary figure of the village‐level petty retailer of chemical inputs, providing an account of the everyday relationships of farmers with transnational and domestic agribusiness capital. Retailers are figures from whom farmers purchase seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, and other chemicals. The article traces the rise of village‐level retailers in western Maharashtra, India, since the 1990s, and finds that Maratha (a dominant landholding cultivator caste) households have ventured into retailing. Further, farmers depend on retailers for credit, technical knowledge, and for the sale of their harvest. By analysing the pressures and risks of petty retail, visible in interactions with farmers, the article argues that even as retailing provides avenues for upward mobility to petty agricultural commodity producers, the trade is too volatile for the gains to sustain. Thus, the entry of Marathas into petty retail is akin to an attempt at class differentiation but without consolidation.