What is the Value of Agricultural Economics Research?

The output of agricultural economics research is information, much of it aimed at designing or improving institutions. Bayesian decision theory and economic surplus analysis have been suggested as possible approaches to evaluate that information. This article takes a critical look at the strengths and weaknesses of combining those approaches for empirical evaluation of agricultural economics research. It presents three case studies, utilizing prior and posterior probabilities elicited from key decision makers. Direct application of the probabilities to a simple set of states and actions is best suited to situations involving a single policy-making center, or a consensus decision-making process.     

Policy and Management Work within International Agricultural Research

The diversity of players in the field of agricultural (and, more generally, rural) policy and management research is sketched in a global overview of relevant research resources, and the small but important part played by the CGIAR Centres in this is explored, particularly where it has maximum value in terms of international public goods, and for strategic links to other parts of the CGIAR portfolio. The patchy and often slender (and perhaps diminishing in specific cases) capacity of national agricultural policy research and analysis units in the less-developed world to deliver the needed research products is examined.     

农业国际化竞争与提高我国农业国际竞争力

随着经济全球化进程加快 ,农业国际化不断推进。农业国际化竞争给世界各国农业带来深刻而广泛的影响 ,推动全球农业快速向前发展。深入研究农业国际化趋势 ,深刻认识我国农业面临的新形势、新挑战 ,采取有效应对措施 ,提高我国农业综合素质 ,对于提高我国农业国际竞争力 ,积极参与农业国际化竞争 ,加快新阶段农业和农村经济发展 ,具有重要意义。一、农业国际化进程日益加快　　农业国际化是全球农业生产力水平不断提高的结果 ,是世界农业加快发展的必然趋势。进入 2 0世纪末 ,随着各国农业市场化程度的提高 ,以及世界性新的农业科技革命的形…     

我国农产品国际贸易研究方面的问题及建议

我国加入WTO已有一年的时间，从这段时期农产品国际贸易领域野出现的现象与问题出发，本文对比此前国内学者专家的预测分析，提出了关于农产品贸易研究方面加强的几个方面：（1）细分市场；（2）市场方面判定农产品竞争力；（3）用动态的观点和方式进行研究。     

农地外部效益保护研究

研究目的:从农地外部效益角度,探讨农地保护产生机制及其政策缺陷,寻求改进措施。研究方法:现象溯因法、逻辑分析法。研究结果:农地保护实质主要是出于农地外部效益的考虑,政策缺乏公平补偿的经济激励而易失效。对症下药的构想是:增设农地外部效益财产权赋予农民,国家筹资组织购买以实现补偿。研究结论:界定与保障农地外部效益财产权是未来农地保护政策改进值得思考的选择。     

推进优势农产品区域布局提高农业国际竞争力

我国加入世界贸易组织之后，要在国内、国际两个市场的激烈竞争中取得主动权，关键是要提高我国农业的国际竞争力，当务之急是实行非均衡竞争战略，推进优势农产品区域布局，尽快形成具有国际竞争力的优势产业带区。     

Spillover Effects of International Agricultural Research: CIMMYT-based Semi-Dwarf Wheats in Australia

The spillover effects of agricultural research are of interest because research-induced supply shifts in non-target regions can reduce the benefits for producers in the target regions. The introduction of semi-dwarfing genes in wheat into Australia provides an example of spillover from the CIMMYT program. Australia's wheat-growing environments were not those for which the CIMMYT material was specifically targeted. However, some of these lines were introduced into Australia and used in breeding programs to produce important supply shifts in Australia. An examination is made of the effects that the spillover had in Australia. Using an index of varietal improvement, with its attendant qualifications, an estimate of the extent of that shift resulting from the CIMMYT-based varieties was obtained. While the extent varied widely between states, the shift was found to be between 0.2 and 7.7%, with an overall average for Australia of 3.5% by 1983. On the basis of an assumption of perfectly elastic export demand for Australian wheat, the estimated total cost savings to Australian producers were US$747 million (in 1983-84 dollars) for the period 1974 to 1983, or an average of US$75 million per year. The annual contribution of Australia to CIMMYT has averaged approximately US$340,000 in recent years, while the average annual expenditure on wheat breeding in Australia has been US$4 to 5 million. On the basis of pedigrees, approximately two-thirds of the cost savings of CIMMYT-based varieties could be attributed to CIMMYT per se, with the remaining one-third attributable to the inputs of the Australian wheat breeders.     

区域经济一体化视角下的国际农产品贸易研究

目前多边贸易体系下的农产品贸易自由化谈判举步维艰,与此同时,各种区域经济一体化组织内部的农产品贸易自由化却在蓬勃发展,这主要是因为区域经济一体化对农产品贸易带来了贸易规模扩大、贸易条件改善、产品竞争力提高以及成员国农业政策协调容易等方面的好处。     

Sense and Sustainability: Sustainability as an Objective in International Agricultural Research

This paper first discusses how to use sustainability as a criterion by which to evaluate agricultural research, then illustrates the difficulties inherent in applying the criterion and finally draws implications for international agricultural research. Seven propositions relating to sustainability are stated. Agricultural researchers are urged to (a) recognize the importance of the sustainability of agricultural systems. (b) devise appropriate ways to measure sustainability, (c) empirically examine the sustainability of some well-defined cropping or farming systems, (d) define the externalities that exist in such systems, and (e) develop methods to measure those externalities.     

农用地用途改变的外部成本研究

本文研究了农用地利用过程中农用地改变用途的外部成本有关问题 ,包括外部性的经济分析、外部成本内部化和外部成本的计量方法等问题。分析了外部成本与农用地资源多功能性、多价值性之间的关系 ,将外部成本理解为经济人福利水平的损失 ,并且通过对价值型计量结构、核算型计量结构两种计量结构的探讨发现利用核算型计量结构能够克服价值型计量结构的局限。在核算型计量结构中应用基于农用地生态经济系统的投入—产出模型 ,可以更有效地对间接经济损失进行计量 ,因而就农用地改变用途的外部成本计量而言 ,投入—产出模型是一种较为有前途的计量方法。     

农业结构调整的外部环境问题研究

本文从农村公共财政建设、农村金融改革为农业支持的角度，探讨加入WTO新形式下，如何进一步加强对农业的支持作用，以加速农业结构调整，促进农民增收，提高农业的整体效益。     

农业企业价值链融资担保方法研究

从农业企业价值链融资担保难的角度出发,系统地探讨解决农业企业价值链融资担保难的方法,提出加大政策倾斜力度,改善农业企业价值链融资环境、积极探索我国农业企业信用体系的建设、强化金融的社会责任、建立与完善整个链条的信息交流通道、建立起融资担保体系有效的资金补偿机制、建立融资担保过程中的风险共担与分散机制、鼓励创新担保模式的尝试与实践等思路,从而为农业企业价值链融资担保提供参考。     

Market Structure and the Value of Agricultural Contingent Claims

In this paper, we evaluate the proposition that market structure, including supply and demand elasticities, plays a significant role in influencing equilibrium price dynamics. We show that the more inelastic the demand and/or supply of a commodity is, the more price risk will be faced by producers of that commodity. In general one can expect greater volatility from commodities with both demand and supply being inelastic, and the least when they are both elastic. We illustrate how the elasticities of supply and demand can impact the prices of contingent claims on agricultural commodities including revenue insurance.
Dans le présent article, nous évaluons la proposition selon laquelle la structure de marché, y compris l'élasticité de l'offre et de la demande, influence la dynamique du prix d'équilibre. Nous montrons que plus la demande et/ou l'offre d'un produit de base est inélastique, plus les producteurs de ce produit de base sont confrontés au risque de prix. En général, on peut s'attendre à une forte volatilité des produits de base pour lesquels l'offre et la demande sont à la fois inélastiques, et à une faible volatilité lorsqu'elles sont élastiques. Nous faisons ressortir de quelle façon l'inélasticité de l'offre et de la demande peut influencer les réclamations éventuelles concernant des produits agricoles de base, y compris l'assurance−revenu.