Marginal returns on Chinese agricultural technology transfer in Nigeria: Who benefits more?

Agricultural technology transfers are generally considered an effective means of solving persistently low yields in sub-Saharan Africa. This study assesses the impact of the Chinese agricultural training program on farmers' productivity and income using ex-post non-experimental data from Ogun State, Nigeria. Our empirical approach is based on marginal treatment effect models. We find that the returns for individuals who participated in Chinese agricultural technology training indicated a 68.5% increase in yield and a 45.3% increase in agricultural income. Furthermore, we show that the program targets farmers from advantaged backgrounds, who may benefit less from attending the program than disadvantaged farmers, who experience a lower incentive to participate. Finally, we suggest sufficient awareness and incentives to encourage highly resistant farmers to participate in such programmes.     

农民专业合作社对农户生产效益的影响——基于湖南葡萄种植行业的调研分析

以湖南长沙、岳阳、娄底、怀化、常德70家葡萄园农户的生产资料作为研究样本,对农民专业合作社与农户生产效益的关系进行研究,结果显示：农民专业合作社社员与非社员农户之间存在生产效益的差异,非社员在葡萄销售价格、每亩资金成本、每亩收入、每亩净收入这四个生产效益指标上都低于社员,体现出加入专业合作社的优越性。为鼓励更多农户入社,建议增加农民专业合作社示范点,并且增加对农民专业合作社特色农产品的扶持,使农业增产、农民增收,推动我国农业现代化进程。     

北京农户增收影响因素与对策研究

对北京农户收入面板数据及187户实地调研数据进行分析,得出农户收入稳步增长、增速平缓、农户收入以工资性收入为主、城乡收入差距大和各区之间农户收入差异大的结论以及存在着农户增收活力不足、经营收益低、财产性所得少、新型农业发展不足、农村人口老龄化、农民文化程度低和农民健康状况差的问题。认为深化农业农村改革、鼓励土地流转、改善人居环境、完善支农政策、推广医疗保险、吸引人才下乡和培育职业农民可增加农户收入。     

北京农户增收影响因素与对策研究

对北京农户收入面板数据及187户实地调研数据进行分析，得出农户收入稳步增长、增速平缓、农户收入以工资性收入为主、城乡收入差距大和各区之间农户收入差异大的结论以及存在着农户增收活力不足、经营收益低、财产性所得少、新型农业发展不足、农村人口老龄化、农民文化程度低和农民健康状况差的问题。认为深化农业农村改革、鼓励土地流转、改善人居环境、完善支农政策、推广医疗保险、吸引人才下乡和培育职业农民可增加农户收入。     

Analysis of Farmers' Preferences for Development Intervention Programs: A Case Study of Subsistence Farmers from East Ethiopian Highlands

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to better understand farmers' perception of the relevance of different development intervention programs. Farmers' subjective ranking of agricultural problems and their preference for development intervention are elicited using a stated preference method. The factors influencing these preferences are determined using a random utility model. The study is based on a survey conducted in the Hunde‐Lafto area of the East Ethiopian Highlands. Individual interviews were conducted with 145 randomly selected farm households using semi‐structured questionnaires. The study suggests that drought, soil erosion and shortage of cultivable land are high priority agricultural production problems for farmers. Low market prices for farm products and high prices of purchased inputs also came out as major problems for the majority of farmers. Farmers' preferences for development intervention fall into four major categories: market, irrigation, resettlement, and soil and water conservation. Multinomial logit analysis of the factors influencing these preferences revealed that farmer's specific socio‐economic circumstances and subjective ranking of agricultural problems play a major role. It is also shown that preferences for some interventions are complementary and need to be addressed simultaneously. Recognition and understanding of these factors, affecting the acceptability of development policies for micro level implementation, will have a significant contribution to improve macro level policy formulation.     

Socio-economic reasons for the low adoption of water conservation technologies by smallholder farmers in southern Africa: a review of the literature

Natural resource degradation and water scarcity, which threaten the sustainability of smallholder farmers' livelihoods in semi-arid developing areas, are a global concern. Although researchers have developed water-conservation technologies (WCTs), adoption rates by smallholder farmers have been low. This article compares the perspectives of researchers and smallholder farmers, highlights the discrepancies which explain the farmers' low uptake of technologies and addresses the socio-economic factors affecting adoption. It argues that WCTs are diverse and applicable to different time and spatial scales and hence dependent upon context. These traits influence the dissemination and adoption of WCTs, and should not be ignored, from the early stage of technology development. It explains that adoption depends not only on individual farmers' willingness but also on property rights to resources and collective community action. The article discusses the demand for WCTs, the role of the public sector and research and related biases, and makes recommendations for achieving more sustainable rural livelihoods. Recent experiences in South Africa show that encouraging farmers to participate in technology development, taking account of local indigenous knowledge and making sound institutional arrangements are some ways to foster better integration of technology and innovation.     

Comparative Economics of Maize and Rice Production among Resource-Poor Farmers in Anambra State of Nigeria

Abstract: Maize and Rice are some of the most important grains in Nigeria. Although Nigeria has the potential to become self-sufficient in their production, maize and rice production currently lags behind demand. This study has examined the characteristics of resource-poor maize and rice farmers, (defined in terms of land availability, estimated income per farmer, access to credit and capital) in Anambra State of Nigeria, the impact of these characteristics on yield, and the efficiency of use of stated inputs by the farmers. It was found that low income farmers (both maize and rice) had smaller farm size, smaller loan size (credit), adopted a smaller number of recommended production technologies, had lower levels of formal education, are younger, had a smaller household size, and less number of years of farming experience than high income farmers. The regression analysis result shows that farm size, credit, level of adoption of recommended production technologies, level of formal education of fanners, and age of farmers are significantly related to the maize farmers' output, but household size and number of years of farming experience account for less. In the case of rice farmers, the regression analysis result reveals that farm size, level of adoption of recommended production technologies and number of years of farming experience are significantly related to the farmers' output, but level of formal education of farmers, age of farmers, household size, and credit account for less. The results of gross margin analysis reveal that maize and rice production are not very profitable when the present value of the Naira in relation to cost of living in Nigeria is considered.     

元谋县蔬菜种植户绿色生产行为采纳及影响因素分析

在乡村振兴与绿色发展的战略背景下,农业绿色生产作为一种新型的生产方式,是促进农业绿色发展转型、加快实现农业农村现代化以及农业发展可持续化的一项首要任务,而实现农业绿色发展的关键在于农户对绿色生产行为的采纳程度。基于此,以元谋县167户蔬菜种植户的调研数据为基础,运用Multivariat Probit模型分析社会认同、预期效益感知、政策制度环境3个方面对农户绿色生产行为采纳的影响。结果表明：蔬菜种植户对5项绿色生产技术采纳程度都不高;社会认同中的角色示范和组织参与能够在一定程度上对蔬菜种植户绿色生产行为采纳产生影响;蔬菜种植户对绿色生产技术预期收入越高、环境影响越积极,绿色生产行为采纳意愿越强烈;政府技术推广与培训、补贴与鼓励都能显著提高蔬菜种植户绿色生产行为采纳积极性。鉴于此,建议充分发挥周围邻里的示范带动和组织参与的双重作用,提高农户绿色生产行为采纳预期经济、环境效益感知以及政府加强绿色生产技术的宣传和补贴力度,促使蔬菜种植户更好地融入元谋县产业绿色发展转型进程,促进元谋县在乡村振兴进程中蔬菜产业的绿色发展及菜品的提质增效。     

农业补贴政策影响及调整方向研究

本文深入研究了农业补贴政策对粮食供给总量安全、粮食供给结构安全以及农户总收入水平的影响效果。基于构建的农业DSGE模型,从宏微观结合的多方位视角考察了多种农业补贴政策以及政府一般性服务支持政策对农业生产要素资本积累水平、农户投入行为决策、农业生产力水平以及农户总收入的影响效果和传导路径,并在此基础上结合宏观经济数据的真实反馈分析,全面考察了核心经济变量在农业补贴政策实施期间的真实影响效果。研究结果显示：（1）农业补贴政策能够有效刺激农户对农业生产要素投入水平的提高,深层激发和释放了农业生产力;（2）农业补贴政策能够有效保证农户基本经营收入水平,并显著增加农户可支配转移净收入水平,对保障农户基本总收入起重要作用;（3）最低收购价和临时收储等托市价格政策会刺激农产品价格呈现上升趋势,并不利于农业种植结构不平衡的调节。     

Effects of inclusive public agricultural extension service: Results from a policy reform experiment in western China

The top–down public agricultural extension system in China and its early commercialization reforms during the 1990s have left millions of farmers without access to extension services. A pilot inclusive agricultural extension system was introduced in 2005 to better meet the diverse needs of small-scale farmers. Three key features of the experiment are (1) inclusion of all farmers as target beneficiaries, (2) effective identification of farmers' extension service needs, and (3) an accountability system to provide better agricultural extension services to farmers. This paper describes design of the reform initiative and examines its effect on farmers' access to extension services. Based on farmer supplied data from six counties for the years 2005 to 2007, this paper shows that inclusive reform initiatives significantly improve farmers' access to and actually received of agricultural extension services as well as their adoption of new technologies. Implications for further reforms to the agricultural extension system are also discussed.     

The effect of China's agricultural tax abolition on rural families' incomes and production

This paper uses the rural household panel data collected by Research Center for Rural Economy to evaluate the impacts of China's agricultural tax abolition during 2004–2005 on farmers' income and production behavior. We find that the abolition of agricultural tax did not significantly affect agricultural production. The effects on input use and productivity are also found statistically insignificant. All these are consistent with the lump-sum property of the tax and imply little effect of the tax abolition on relaxing credit constraints to farmers. Finally, we find that the tax abolition did not increase farmers' net income significantly.     

Assessing the Impact of Agricultural Technology Adoption on Farmers' Well‐being Using Propensity‐Score Matching Analysis in Rural China

The present paper assesses the impact of improved upland rice technology on farmers' well‐being. The study uses propensity‐score matching to address the problem of ‘self‐selection,’ because technology adoption is not randomly assigned. It applies this procedure to household survey data collected in Yunnan, China in 2000, 2002 and 2004. The findings indicate that improved upland rice technology has a robust and positive effect on farmers' well‐being, as measured by income levels and the incidence of poverty. The effect of technology on well‐being shows a diminishing impact on producers' incomes. This implies that newer innovations are continuously needed to replace older technologies that have reached their saturation points.     

北京市延庆区都市型现代农业发展路径研究

推进城郊都市现代农业发展是我国加快转变农业发展方式、提升农产品竞争力、促使农民增收和推进城乡一体化的战略举措。在乡村振兴战略实施的背景下之下,为推动北京市延庆区农业转型升级,推进乡村产业高质量发展,需要系统分析该区都市现代农业新时期发展路径。以延庆区为研究对象,通过分析农业产业布局、农产品结构特点和产业融合程度,剖析延庆区都市农业发展中存在的问题。提出了延庆区都市型现代农业发展的路径和对策建议,通过统筹利用资源优势、鼓励培养新型农民、丰富产业融合发展内涵,推动延庆实现农业可持续发展,并且让农民在产业链增值过程中受益。     

Flow analysis of the agricultural research‐extension system for improved maize seed in Zambia

Among other factors, the research‐extension system for delivering appropriate agricultural technologies to farmers has been blamed for Zambia's poor agricultural performance. The agricultural research‐extension system for improved maize seed technology is described. Constraints on the flow of improved maize seed technology and its utilisation by farmers are gauged by interviewing key informants, and recommendations for improvement are made.     

Determinants of Smallholder Farmers' Marketing Channel Choice: Evidence from the Vietnamese Rice Sector

Cash crops such as specialty rice and other high‐value varieties produced for domestic and international markets are considered an increasing source of income for smallholder farmers in many Asian countries. The present study focuses on the factors affecting Vietnamese specialty rice farmers' choice of marketing channel and how their choice influences farm performance. The analysis has been conducted using multinomial logit and linear regression models on quantitative data collected from 280 specialty rice farmers in the Red River Delta, one of the main rice production regions in Vietnam. Results reveal that even though local collectors and wholesalers are still the most common recipients of farmers' goods in rural areas, reduction in transaction costs with regard to uncertainty influences farmers to choose modern marketing channels through collective action (via specialty rice farmer associations). This collective marketing channel helps farmers increase average prices received by US$0.028 per kg of paddy. Based on the results, manifold political implications are derived.     

Efficiency or equity? The effect of an exogenous agricultural commercial shock: Evidence from Manchuria in the 1930s

The adoption of high-value cash crops (HVCs) is considered an efficient way to improve farmers' productivity and welfare, although the systematic empirical evidence is limited. By exploiting an exogenous commercial shock for soybeans and microlevel rural survey data from Manchuria of China in the 1930s, where factor markets were relatively well functioning, this study investigates the influence of HVC cultivation on farmers' agricultural performance, welfare, and inequality both theoretically and empirically. We find that (i) larger farms devote a larger proportion of land to HVCs and that (ii) farmers who cultivate a larger proportion of HVCs have higher agricultural productivity, profit, net income, and expenditure. Furthermore, the adoption of HVCs lowers profit, income, and expenditure inequality by enhancing income from wages relative to land rents, which benefits households with less land.     

Farmers' cash crop cultivation decisions in Southern Niassa province,Mozambique

The aim of this study was to evaluate socially farmers' decisions about the cultivation of cash crops. It specifically assessed the feasibility of World Relief-SempreVerde scheme by investigating the agricultural promoters; the factors influencing farmers' decisions to adopt, reject, discontinue or continue with the promoted crops; and the support required for improving the food and income security of smallholder farmers. The research took place in nine villages in Cuamba district, Niassa province, Mozambique. It involved a survey of 245 farmers stratified according to gender and wealth. Focus group discussions, questionnaires and interviews with leaders, farmers and managers of promoter institutions were used. A model for introducing cash crops is proposed. This research suggests that agricultural promoters should look to cash crops that can be intercropped with existing food crops; explore dry season agricultural activity; select drought-, pest- and disease-resistant crops; provide markets for existing crops; promote perennial crops; build a well-organised extension, credit and buying system; and/or incorporate livestock in the existing farming system.     

农业保险功用解构:由农户与政府边界

农业风险的特殊性导致农业保险的高价格。农业保险的高价格与农户的低收入,使农户对农业保险缺乏有效需求。农业保险的外部经济特征和准公共物品属性减少了农户投保的激励,进一步削弱农户的有效需求,从而形成政府对农业保险的需求。农业保险在保障农业再生产顺利进行、保障国家粮食安全、促进农村经济发展、维护农村社会稳定等方面的特殊功能和作用,凸显政府比农户更需要农业保险。政府应承担农业保险发展的主导责任,从立法、经济和行政等方面予以支持。     

农户参与订单农业行为及其影响因素研究——以山西省乡宁县为例

基于山西省乡宁县农户的调研资料和数据,对该地区农户参与订单农业行为及主要影响因素进行研究。结果表明:第一,该地区农户对订单农业认可度较高且农业经营经验丰富,但农户家庭农业劳动力普遍缺乏,以小规模农业经营为主。第二,农户参与订单农业行为受多重因素影响,其中订单企业是否提供技术指导、是否进行农产品质量控制以及是否保证农产品销路起正向作用;而农户户主年龄、文化程度以及家庭劳动力比重起负向作用。最后结合研究结果提出建议,以期对乡宁县订单农业蓬勃发展有所帮助。     

What are the Determinants of Large‐scale Farming in China?

The Chinese Government has increased its focus on expanding farm scale to promote agricultural development since 2010. A series of favorable polices has been adopted to support large‐scale farming. Using a multivariate probit model and 2015 and 2016 rural household survey data, the present paper examines the factors that influence small farmers' decision to become large‐scale farmers. The empirical regression results suggest that the decision to become a large‐scale farmer is significantly influenced by household human capital, cooperative membership, marketing channels, land‐transfer contracts and government policies. However, the influence of these factors differs with respect to becoming large‐scale grain and non‐grain farmers. These results imply that policy tools should target these factors and the appropriate group of small‐scale farmers. Generally, both central and local governments should promote large‐scale farming by enhancing rural households' human capital, improving marketing channels and providing agricultural social services, as well as encouraging returning migrant workers to engage in large‐scale farming.