Impact of Chinese Agribusiness Entrepreneurs on the Local Land Market in the Russian Far East

Chinese originally migrated to the Russian Far East (RFE) to fill a labor shortage on collective farms. In more recent decades, some Chinese migrants have chosen to lease land from Russian farmers to manage their own farms. Rising soybean prices and the trade war between China and the United States have increased demand for land capable of producing soybeans. Thus, Chinese farmers in the RFE compete for land with Russians. The Chinese also contribute positively to local food security by increasing food availability and accessibility. This study uses an econometric model to analyze the impact of Chinese on local land markets in the RFE. Financial support for Russian farmers by the government depresses their demand for land; rising soybean prices and the employment of Chinese farm workers by Russian farmers encourage farm expansion, resulting in higher land prices. Selling farm produce to Chinese merchants increases the amount of land owned, cultivated, and rented by Russian farmers.     

Chinese Migrant Farmers in the Russian Far East: Impact on Rural Labor Markets

The close proximity of China and Russia, the activities of Chinese farmers, and the reduction in Russian labor resources have created job opportunities for Chinese workers in the Russian Far East (RFE). Chinese workers fill a labor shortage in agriculture, but little research has been done on them. We developed an econometric model to test the effects of Chinese intermittent migration on labor markets in the RFE. We found the proximity of Chinese to Russian farms reduces wages for both Russian and Chinese workers and increases their part-time employment on Russian farms. The greater availability of Chinese workers in the region results in lower number of family members working on Russian farms. Thus, the influx of Chinese workers may contribute to demographic shifts in the Russian population.     

How Chinese Agricultural Immigrants Affect Farmers in the Russian Far East

China’s international position as a net creditor nation provides it with foreign exchange that it has invested in Asian and African countries. One example is China's investment in the Russian Far East (RFE). Thousands of Chinese agricultural workers have migrated to the RFE in recent decades. They are often welcomed by Russian farmers who face a labor shortage and by local residents who can buy cheap vegetables from them, but there are others who resent their presence in the region as competitors. Our study is the first empirical study of this relationship. Our results demonstrate economic benefits to the Russian households. There are, however, some negative repercussions of Chinese farmers in the RFE, and the governments of both China and Russia need to manage the situation wisely.     

Chinese Farmers in the Russian Far East and Local Rural Development

The Russian Far East (RFE) is still a backward region of Russia. Per capita agricultural output is lower than the national average. Chinese agricultural entrepreneurs are farming in the region. The business environment is challenging for both Chinese and Russians. We analyze possible ways for agriculture to develop in the RFE with Chinese agricultural entrepreneurs as the main agents of development. We discuss the investment environment in the RFE, the role and impact of Chinese agricultural entrepreneurs, their ability to assist in rural development, and the challenges they face. We examine the current state of agriculture in the RFE, the experience of Chinese and Russian farmers, and the impact of Chinese farmers on Russian farmers. Agriculture can improve in the RFE with better communication and better coordination mechanisms among governments and with more training to help businesses understand existing policies and regulations.     

Perceived Differences: Chinese and Russian Farmers on Business,Law, Management,and Environment

The People's Republic of China has been following a strategy for several decades to encourage its enterprises to invest overseas. Since the liberalization of the Sino-Soviet border in the 1990s, Chinese farmers have been actively engaged in the economy of the Russian Far East (RFE). This article examines Chinese and Russian public relations messages broadcast by media about Chinese-Russian agricultural cooperation that use different arguments, methods of reasoning, and points of view. There is a clash of different national management methods. Legislation applying to Chinese working in Russia has been erratic and unstable, and that makes cooperation more challenging. The concepts of environmental protection and obedience to the law are understood differently by Russians and by Chinese. Cross-cultural management differences affect the way people on both sides interpret institutions, interactions, and the ability to trust third parties. There are different values and priorities expressed by Russians and by Chinese when it comes to development of rural areas in the RFE.     

农户农地流转意愿影响因素的探讨——基于成都市实地调查及主成分改进Logistic回归分析

分析表明,影响农地流转意愿最大的三个因子依次为:非农工作所在地,非农工作人数比例以及农业人均年经营收入。结合成都统筹城乡改革的经验,本文建议采用规划民营工业园区、提高农业经营收入等方式,来促进农地的流转和整合,提高农民可支配收入,实现资源和收入的有效配置。     

IMPACTS OF FOOD PRICES ON THE ECONOMY: SOCIAL ACCOUNTING MATRIX AND MICROSIMULATION APPROACH IN INDONESIA

This study investigated the impacts of increasing the prices of heavily protected food commodities in Indonesia on producer and consumer prices. It also evaluated the changes in household living expenses and poverty. The Indonesian Food Social Accounting Matrix was developed along with a price multiplier matrix–microsimulation approach that was used to analyze problems. Poor rural households were the most negatively affected by the increments in food prices. This result contrasted with the standard political argument stating that high rice prices will decrease poverty, particularly in rural areas where the poor live or work as farmers. Of all the food commodities observed, the changes in the rice prices had the most substantial impact on both producer and consumers price, as well as the households’ living cost, particularly low‐income households. Therefore, an increase of 25% in rice price will raise urban, rural, and national poverty levels by 0.13%, 0.10%, and 0.11%, respectively.     

南昌市家庭农场的影响因素分析及农民类型的划分

2013年中央一号文件提出,鼓励和支持承包土地向专业大户、家庭农场、农民合作社流转。其中,“家庭农场”的概念首次在中央一号文件中出现。透过中央一号文件对“家庭农场”的鼓励和支持态度,我们追寻到了一条关于农业农村改革发展的新路径。文中以江西省南昌市所属四县（南昌县、新建县、进贤县、安义县）农民为研究对象,选取农业补贴、知识技能水平等13个指标分析了各因素对家庭农场规模发展的影响程度,并由此对四县农民进行类型划分及倾向性分析,旨在为政府及广大人民群众提供一定的政策建议。     

The consequences of mutually secured debts: The case of Israeli moshavim

This paper explores the long-run consequences of the farm’s own debt and the moshav’s average debt on the farm household investment in productive capital stock, borrowing and consumption. In particular, the analysis focuses on the financial externalities that might arise from the moshav’s organizational principle of mutual responsibility for members’ debts. These externalities can have a considerable adverse effect on the capital stock and borrowing of the more efficient farms, and hence on their productive activity. These effects are studied within the framework of an optimal control model and summarized by a number of optimality conditions. The effects of the individual member’s position and the moshav’s financial position on the individual member’s investment and borrowing are estimated and tested in two cross-section regression analyses, which also take into account observed variations in characteristics among the family farms.     

Book review essay

Book reviewed in this article: Capitalism and countryside: rural sociology as political economy: Newby, H. 1977: The deferential worker — a study of farm workers in East Anglia. Capitalism and countryside: rural sociology as political economy: Newby, H., Bell, C., Rose, D. and Saunders, P. 1978: Property, paternalism and power — class and control in rural England. Capitalism and countryside: rural sociology as political economy: Newby, H. 1980: Green and pleasant land? — social change in rural England.     

Institutional versus non-institutional credit to agricultural households in India: Evidence on impact from a national farmers’ survey

A goal of agricultural policy in India has been to reduce farmers’ dependence on informal credit. To that end, recent initiatives are focused explicitly on rural areas and have a positive impact on the flow of agricultural credit. Despite the significance of the above initiatives in enhancing the flow of institutional credit to agriculture, the links between institutional credit and net farm income and consumption expenditures in India are not very well documented. Using large, national farm household level data and IV 2SLS estimation methods, we investigate the role of institutional farm credit on farm income and farm household consumption expenditures. Findings show that, in India, formal credit does indeed play a critical role in increasing both net farm income and per capita monthly household expenditures of Indian farm families. Finally, we find that, in the presence of formal credit, social safety net programs like the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) may have unintended consequences. In particular, MGNREGA reduces both net farm income and per capita monthly household consumption expenditures. On the other hand, in the presence of formal credit, the Public Distribution System may increase both net farm income and per capita monthly household consumption expenditures.     

金融扶持农民专业合作组织有待深入发展

农民专业合作经济组织是农民自愿参加的,以农户经营为基础,以某一产业或产品为纽带,以增加成员收入为目的,实行资金、技术、生产、购销、加工等互助合作经济组织。是继土地家庭承包制以来农村基本经营制度的又一次重大变革。本文在对农业专业合作组织现状进行了调查分析,发现金融扶持在这个全新市场中极其缺失。对一些问题及其原因进行了分析思考,并提出了促进金融支持农民专业合作组织的对策建议。     

农村劳动力转移与城镇化如何协调发展

本文在实地调查基础上分析了农村劳动力转移与城镇化进程的协调关系.认为,改革开放前的30年是不发展的协调;改革开放后的20多年是发展中的初步协调;现在应着力解决走向成熟协调的十个突出问题:建立最低工资制;八小时工作制;劳动环境和劳动保护;农民工住房;农民工养老保障;农民工医疗;农民工培训;农民工子女教育;工资拖欠;进城交通成本.本文还认为,我国大多数农区大多数农户,其所经营的农业实际早已破产.为什么规模庞大的中国农业还能维持再生产?为什么规模庞大的中国农民还能维持生计?主要靠2亿多农民进城做工和在乡镇企业做工.他们给农户每年带来约一万亿元的收入,支撑中国农业和农民生活的真正秘密正在于此.改革开放以来,我国经济的快速发展使综合国力大大增强,已经开始具有全面建设较低水平社会保障制度的能力.     

REGIONAL ECONOMIC INTEGRATION AND ITS IMPACTS ON GROWTH, POVERTY, AND INCOME DISTRIBUTION: THE CASE OF INDONESIA

Indonesia continually tries to open its economy through free trade areas (FTAs) on bilateral, regional, and multilateral bases. This paper discusses the impacts of FTAs on the Indonesian economy, particularly for economic growth, poverty, and income distribution. By using a Global Computable General Equilibrium (GCGE) model, we conducted the simulation analysis by setting eighteen scenarios for the ongoing and potential FTAs of different frameworks. Indonesia is found to benefit from joining in FTAs, except for the FTA with India. It is also implied that FTAs increase rural household income at higher rates than they increase urban household income. Moreover, FTAs' impacts are more favorable for unskilled workers than for skilled ones, and also for relatively poor households more than for rich households, both in urban and rural areas. In brief, FTAs provide Indonesia with income redistribution effects.     

The Middle Way: The National Catholic Rural Life Conference and Rural Issues in the 20th and 21st Centuries

This article explains how the National Catholic Rural Life Conference (NCRLC), from its founding in 1923 to the present, applied basic Catholic principles in response to a succession of changes in American rural society. In doing so, it proposed a middle way between capitalism and socialism and between the Democratic and Republican parties. In the 1920s, the Reverend Edwin V. O'Hara founded the NCRLC mainly to bolster the demographically weak rural Church. In the 1930s, the NCRLC turned to economic concerns in response to the Great Depression. It supported many New Deal programs that helped farmers as well as cooperatives and a “back‐to‐the‐land” movement. The Conference consistently supported the family farm as the basic institution of a morally and economically sound rural society. In the 1940s and 1950s, the Conference entered the realm of international affairs under Monsignor Luigi G. Ligutti and addressed problems of world hunger, land reform, and underdeveloped countries. Under Monsignor Edward W. O'Rourke, who became director in 1960, the NCRLC joined in the movement for social justice and campaigned for the rights of the rural poor and migrant farm workers. Starting around 1970, the Conference became increasingly interested in environmental and energy issues. The NCRLC is in harmony with the 21^st‐century pope, Francis, on rural and ecological issues.     

Endogenous production organization during market liberalization: farm level evidence from Romania

This paper analyzes the production organization structure of farm sectors in a transition country (TC) where a number of organization modes emerged. Under imperfect markets rural households make optimal organization mode choices by adjusting their physical resources according to the non-tradable managerial input that they allocate in farming. Empirical results for Romania strongly support the hypothesis that the optimal organization mode choice is influenced by household’s human and physical capital endowments as well as by the market environment. Policies providing access to capital and secure property rights would facilitate shift to individual farming modes and efficient resource reallocation.     

农村集体土地制度改革与土地征收补偿

党的十八届三中全会审议通过的《中共中央关于全面深化改革若干重大问题的决定》为我国农村集体土地制度的改革指明了方向。我国农村集体土地制度改革有利于建立城乡统一的建设用地市场、健全城乡发展一体化体制和赋予农民更多财产权利,也有利于预防土地腐败,促进社会和谐。在具体政策实施过程中,要做好农村集体土地的确权工作,规范农村集体土地流转,实行城乡土地同价同权,逐步建立城乡统一的土地市场,并要有效地解决征收制度对农村土地市场秩序的威胁,进一步完善土地补偿保障机制。     

Agricultural Subsidies and Farm Consolidation

Although agricultural subsidies were begun during the New Deal to provide enough income to enable farmers to continue operating, their net effect has been to raise the price of farmland and to squeeze many owner‐operated farms out of existence, leaving mostly large‐scale operations that are often tied to agribusiness. Numerous efforts have been made, with limited success, to mitigate this problem by limiting the subsidy to small or mid‐size farm operations. The 2014 farm bill, adopted by the U.S. Congress, made the situation worse. Rather than imposing stricter limits on subsidies to the largest farms, the legislation removed existing limits, ended direct payments, and increased subsidies for insurance against crop losses and income risk. The new law not only provides a windfall to owners of very large farms, it also encourages plowing of fragile soils, since the risks of crop failure are now borne primarily by taxpayers. The article concludes by offering recommendations about how to correct these problems     

The periurban city: why to live between the suburbs and the countryside

The last 30 years have witnessed the emergence of a new pattern of urban development in France, called the periurban belt. It is defined as a belt outside the city occupied both by households and farmers. We develop a residential model in which households commuting to an employment center may choose to live with farmers in this mixed belt because they value the rural amenities created by farming activities. Both types of agents compete on the land market and the equilibrium conditions allow us to obtain an analytical solution and to provide some insights about the robustness of the periurban form against decreases in commuting costs. Finally, the model is calibrated on French data.     

Rural-urban migration and family ties: an analysis of family considerations in migration behaviour in India

The importance of family considerations in mobility decisions of rural to urban migrants in India was investigated by analyzing evidence on urban rural ties. The empirical basis was a survey of migrant heads of households in Delhi conducted from October 1975 to April 1976. Only 14% of the migrants in the sample were accompanied by family members when they moved to Delhi, and at the time of the survey 44% of the sample were living on their own as nonfamilial households. 82% of the migrants reported having family members living in the area. In 1/3 of these cases the rural household contained the wife of the migrant. Over 3/4 of the sample visited their origin regularly, and 2/3 were sending money. Migration decisions are discussed in the context of the mutlicentered family, and urban rural family links are classified into several distinct types, and the importance of visits and remittances to origin for each of these types are investigated. An econometric analysis of conjugal separation is presented, and the determinants of remittances are investigated. The salient methodological innovations are a 7-part typology of urban rural familial links and the use of logit analysis in the identification of the important determinants of conjugal separation. Nearly 4/5 of the migrants visited their place of origin. The proportion reporting visits was higher for migrants who had family members at place of origin, but as many as 60% of the migrants not having family links maintained contact with rural residents through visits. If migrants recognized mutual kinship rights and obligations dictated by the social system, they maintained close functional ties with their kin. Only 56% of unmarried migrants living as nonfamilial units reported visits to origin compared to 92% of those living with their nuclear unit. For migrants who reported presence of family members at origin, there was no significant difference between landowners and nonlandowners in the proportion who reported visits. Married migrants who had left their wives in the rural area were more likely to visit origin during the agricultural busy periods. A majority of the migrants maintained economic links with the rural area, and in early all these cases financial flows were from the urban to the rural area. Remittances tended to be related positively to urban earnings and needs of the rural household and negatively to obligations in the urban household. There was no evidence of ties weakening over time, but migrants who planned to settle in the city remitted less. To an extent conjugal separation was temporary and reflected husbands and wives making the journey at different times. Migrants were also inhibited from bringing their wives to the city if they owned land at origin or had migrated to obtain cash for specific needs. A part of the explanation also lies in varying regional cultural and environmental characteristics.