Economic analysis of different options in integrated pest and soil fertility management in maize systems of Western Kenya

The major biotic constraints to the production of maize, the major staple food in Western Kenya, are field pests such as Striga and stem borers, and low soil fertility. To counter these constraints, new cropping systems have been developed, including “push‐pull,” rotations with promiscuous soybean varieties and green manure crops, and imidazolinone resistant‐ (IR‐) maize. To analyze the technical and economic performance of these technologies, both with and without fertilizer, on‐farm researcher‐managed long‐term trials were implemented over six seasons in two sites each in Vihiga and Siaya districts of Western Kenya. The economic results, based on marginal analysis using a multioutput, multiperiod model, show that the new cropping systems with fodder intercropping (push‐pull) or soybean rotations were highly profitable. Push‐pull is more profitable but requires a relatively high initial investment cost. Green manure rotation, IR‐maize, and fertilizer all increased yields, but these investments were generally not justified by their increased revenue. We argue that research on rotation and cropping systems to tackle pest and soil fertility problems in Africa deserve more attention. This will require increased collaboration between agronomists and economists to set up long‐term experiments with new cropping systems to develop proper economic models.     

荷泽经验引发的思考

山东菏泽近5年来,新增农田林网72.13万hm2,农林间作23.3万hm2,建成了比较完善的农田综合防护林体系。一个曾经有名的贫困地区,有效解决了困扰粮食发展的两大限制因素即干热风和风沙,实现了粮食连年增产,促进农民增收2亿元以上,生态状况发生了根本性的变化,为下一步的更大发展创造了条件。荷泽的经验就是林茂。林业是国民经济的基础,它涉及人类生存、农业兴衰和社会生活的安定与祥和。     

Physical infrastructure as a constraint on agricultural growth: The case of sub‐Saharan Africa

Abstract

The importance of agriculture in sub‐Saharan Africa, and the somewhat lagging development in other activities, suggests that particular significance attaches to the arrest of the drawn out crisis of agricultural production. Two opposing suggestions which are often made are that this is a matter either of price incentives, or of fundamental change designed to remove many infrastructural constraints and the lack of provision of other essential services. The issues are pursued, first, by an appraisal of the evidence relating to agricultural supply response. The long‐run response to price incentives is probably rather low, but it is suggested that it is very often constrained by non‐price factors. The paper then assesses the importance of infrastructural constraints, particularly in transport and communications. It is argued that the choices between improving price incentives and the need for infrastructure and other provision are not absolute since complementarities are important. Both, in effect, can also compete for public funds. The dilemma is particularly acute in sub‐Saharan Africa since low population densities and long distances result in the costs of transport and other essential services being comparatively high. It is therefore all the more necessary to seek cost‐effective ways of improving provision in order to maximize the impact on farm output. The paper suggests a number of ways in which this can be done, notably by better utilization of existing infrastructure.     

Technical efficiency relative to a stochastic cost frontier for the England and Wales dairy sector

It has been acknowledged in the literature that productive efficiency in grain production in China has substantially improved in the post-reform period, particularly in the early 1980s. Since then, there have been several policy changes in China, which have affected the growth of the sector. Specifically, the spectacular growth of rural industries has attracted significant physical and human capital from agriculture. It is in this context that Brown's warning of China soon becoming the world's number one importer of grain has raised an important question of whether China has reached its grain production potential. Analysis of the 1994 farm household survey data indicates that the majority of the sample farmers is reasonably technically efficient in grain production but that productivity can be increased further even with the existing technology.     

Green Food Consumption in China: Segmentation Based on Attitudes Toward Food Safety

ABSTRACT

The objectives of this report are twofold: to examine the demographic factors that drive demand for green food and to segment Chinese consumers based on their attitudes toward food safety. An online survey was used to collect consumer behavior information. A total of 402 responses were obtained covering participants who lived in 24 provinces and municipalities in China. Probit modeling, analysis of variance, and cluster analysis are used. Income, education, age, gender, presence of young children, household size, and overseas experience are variables that have an impact on green food purchase. Young, wealthy men, who have young children and live in a small household, are likely to buy green food. The survey shows that Chinese consumers are willing to pay a price premium for green food; however, price will be a major factor restricting the growth of the green food label in China, given market prices. Three segments―the “distrustful consumer,” the “ambivalent consumer,” and the “trusting consumer”―are identified for market segmentation purposes.     

Analysis of the spatial mismatch of grain production and farmland resources in China based on the potential crop rotation system

At present, China’s grain production pattern runs counter to the distribution patterns of farmland resources and water-heat conditions. It is urgently important to conduct research on the spatial matching of grain production and farmland resources. Based on the Potential Crop Rotation data, with regards to the situations of irrigation and rain feeding, this paper builds a measuring model of potential farmland, and separately measures the spatial matching index of grain yield with actual and potential farmland resources, thus revealing China’s grain production pattern. The results indicate that serious spatial mismatch exists between grain production and farmland resources in China. Take the potential crop rotation system into consideration, the spatial mismatch of grain yield and potential farmland resources has been aggravated by the grain production barycenter’s shift to the north China, with low Crop Rotation Index. The function-promoting regions of grain production in China are going through two evolution patterns of “northward and southward expansion” and “westward movement and northward expansion,” respectively. Inefficient use of farmland mainly occurs in the fragile ecological environments, such as the farming-pastoral ecotone of Northern China, the northwest area of Xinjiang and the southwest karst landform areas. The inefficient use of and the decreasing amount of available farmland have become the main causes of the decline in grain production. The problems facing Chinese agriculture caused by the spatial mismatch include the imbalance in regional structures, ecological risks, agricultural production risks, and the risk of food price. In order to cope with these problems, this paper provides some advices on protecting farmland acreage, expanding farmland potential, ensuring the safety of water resources, and extending the industrial grain chain. Our paper additionally proposes policy reforms and innovations designed to ensure the implementation of the above measures, so as to commonly defuse China’s food security crisis.     

The Effects of Maize Market and Policy Reforms on Price Discovery and Competitiveness in Zimbabwe, 1991–1997

Abstract

Maize is Zimbabwe's staple food. An adequate supply of maize is essential to food security and domestic stability. A series of droughts and government mismanagement of the economy led to a maize production and food security problem in the 1980s. Zimbabwe's maize marketing system was transformed dramatically from a government monopoly to a competitive market system in which prices are determined by market forces in the 1990s. This paper examines the steps that Zimbabwe took towards maize market reform and the benefits of that reform. The movement to a competitive market led to formation of a commodity exchange to improve price discovery and increase price transparency. De-regulation has increased entry and competitiveness from new private sector hammer millers and traders. Farmers, millers, and traders face new profit opportunities and new price and financial risks that have increased management responsibilities. Consumers enjoy lower cost maize meal products and more convenient service. The benefits of the 1991–1997 reforms indicate what could be achieved in the long run if prices are determined by the market, rather than by the government.     

广西稻田养殖鱼产品农药残留调研分析

稻田养鱼在我国有悠久的历史，因其在稳粮增产、农民增收和改善水稻种植环境等方面的积极作用得到各级政府的大力提倡，与此同时，稻用农药对养殖产品在食品安全方面的影响也受到一定程度的关注。农业部农产品质量安全中心渔业产品认证分中心（中国水产科学研究院质量与标准研究中心）2009年与广西省水产技术推广总站合作对广西省稻田养殖禾花鲤产品开展了农残情况调查。本报告全面阐述了本次调查的技术路线、研究方法以及调查和监测结果，并针对发现的问题，提出了保障质量安全，促进稻田养鱼可持续发展的具体建议。     

Profitability,efficiency and comparative advantage of African cattle meat and milk production: the case of trypanotolerant village cattle production

Trypanosomiasis is a major constraint to increased food production in Africa as it limits livestock production and mixed farming over an area of 10 million km². The use of African trypanotolerant breeds of cattle is one approach to control trypanosomiasis that is being given increasing attention. This paper examines under what circumstances trypanotolerant village cattle enterprises can be economically viable in regions of origin and areas of introduction. On-going production is analysed in four countries using cost-benefit analyses. Comparative advantage and subsidies received are also estimated. Results indicate that resources for trypanotolerant cattle production are efficiently allocated as the sector has a comparative advantage and contributes effectively to the national welfare. Financial returns to producers are attractive and by comparing social and private prices important constraints are identified to improve profitability.     

How government-led land consolidation efforts achieve grain production stability? An empirical analysis in Hubei Province,China

China has been conducting massive land consolidation (LC) projects since the late 1990s to ensure national food security which has been one of the common issues in the world. How the implementation of LC projects affects grain production stability is a question should be answered. Basing on an empirical analysis at the county level in Hubei Province, China, this paper separates the trend component and the fluctuation component from a time series of grain production over 1991-2016 using the H-P filtering method. Then we estimate the impacts of LC projects and climate change on the trend and fluctuation rate of grain production for the entire Hubei Province. Moreover, the effects on the production of different major crops for the central, eastern, southwestern, northwestern and northern areas are also examined, respectively. The results show that: (1) the production trends for five subareas and the whole area all have followed a trajectory of “increase-decrease-increase” from 1991 to 2016. The magnitude of fluctuation rate was large but became smaller in recent years. (2) The contribution of LC to the long-term trends of grain production for the entire samples in Hubei Province mainly benefits from the growth in the cultivated land area through LC; more LC investment and newly-added arable land area promote the sudden increase in grain production above the long-term trends, while the impacts of LC area are negative. (3) The impacts of LC on the major crop production vary across areas. LC exerts significant impacts on the production of major crops in the central and eastern Hubei, and this effect persists to the following year. Similarly, this influence also exists in the southwestern and northern area, while becomes insignificant in the following year. No significant effect of LC variables is found in the northwestern area. These findings may provide reference for the government to address LC inefficiency and food security problems, and an effective and innovative mechanism combining the agricultural production, land consolidation and meteorological factors needs to be established to ensure food security and long-term and stable agricultural production. In addition, the regional difference in natural conditions and LC orientations should also be considered.     

食品加工中的污染及其安全检验方法初探

近年来,我国食品安全问题时有发生,造成食品安全问题的根本原因不仅是相关法律体系不够完善和对食品安全重视程度较低,还与食品检测技术水平息息相关.本文针对食品加工中的污染源和危害进行了详细介绍,针对食品加工污染类型,提出了一系列的应对策略,并针对食品污染检测方法进行探讨,以为我国食品安全奉献绵薄之力.     

Peasant household modelling: Farming systems evolution and sustainability in northern Zambia

Chitemene slash-and-burn cultivation continues to be a dominating cropping system in northern Zambia even after the introduction of modern technologies such as hybrid maize and fertilizer. The rationale of farming systems evolution in northern Zambia where labour markets have been absent or highly imperfect, has been analyzed by goal programming based on the theories of Chayanov (1966) and Nakajima (1986). Carrying capacity estimation is incorporated in the models and discussed in relation to the sustainability of land use systems in the area. The major changes in agricultural technologies in northern Zambia during this century has been the introduction of cassava, maize and fertilizer technologies. Cassava has had the most significant impact since the land could support much higher population densities and since the dependence on the chitemene system no longer was critical for the survival of peasants. By switching from finger-millet to cassava as the main staple the peasants could reduce their total labour recquirement to meet their basic food needs by as much as 40%. The results also show that the maize-fertilizer technology has been unable to replace the chitemene system because economic incentives to continue the system exist as long as there is suitable woodland available. Nevertheless, the introduction of the maize-fertilizer technology may have resulted in reduced chitemene cultivation. The rapid expansion of maize production in northern Zambia from the late 70s to the late 80s depended critically on the government policy of equity pricing and input subsidisation. The models predicted that the removal of fertilizer subsidies would result in a dramatic reduction in maize production.     

The Impact of Health Claims in Different Product Categories

Abstract

There has been little research about which combinations of health claims, food product categories, and nutrient enrichment labellings are most appealing to consumers. This paper tests whether specific product group differences exist for health claims and ingredient labellings based on the food additive Xanthohumol. To analyze preference heterogeneity, differences between consumers with a high, medium, or low preference for organic food products were considered. For data collection, an online-based discrete choice experiment was applied in Germany for the product categories milk, yoghurt, water, cola, and chocolate. The choice experiments were analyzed with multinomial and mixed logit models. Positive effects for the considered health claims that are based on the effect of the food additive Xanthohumol could be found for water, milk, and yoghurt. The comparison of the different organic consumer segments revealed that respondents with a medium preference for organic food products show the highest preference for the considered health claims.     

Harnessing sustainability,resilience and productivity through conservation agriculture: the case of likoti in Lesotho

Subsistence farmers in Lesotho have been able to boost agricultural yields and increase food production by adopting conservation agriculture. The practice, locally known as likoti, also contributes to combating soil erosion and to enhancing fertility. The socio-economic and environmental benefits help poor households to rehabilitate and strengthen their livelihood capital base and ultimately help rural communities to build system resilience in the face of widespread poverty and increasing vulnerability that affect the country. This paper discusses the major advantages associated with the spread of likoti. By drawing on primary data collected by FAO-Lesotho, it enquires into the determinants of adoption, thereby highlighting constraints and options for future up-scaling. The results show that attending appropriate training is a crucial prerequisite for the correct adoption of likoti. However, training is more effective when trainers pursue true participation and when social capital among farmers is stronger. Further important determinants of adoption are the level of education and the economic incentives provided to vulnerable households. Stronger policy and institutional support in all these areas would thus help address the cultural and resource constraints that limit the full potential of likoti to be harnessed and ultimately hinder its further spread throughout the country.     

World hunger and morality

Abstract

Ample food production and large surpluses result in farmers in developed countries having to cope with the consequences of over‐production, yet one in eight of the world's population suffers from malnutrition. The situation is not improving; a Fourth World is emerging in which 1.5bn people in 35 countries remain in poverty. Interest in their plight is, if anything, diminishing. Charity organizations make a contribution but government assistance is lagging. It is argued that the problems cannot be solved until paper pledges to create a world free from hunger are recognized as meaningless unless duties are specified. After considering different philosophical positions the argument is advanced that moral duties, like pure public goods, must be non‐excludable.     

Agronomic considerations for urban agriculture in southern cities

Urban and peri-urban agriculture (UA) provide a significant contribution to the total food requirements of cities, especially in southern cities of the developing world. Increasing food production in UA is therefore a necessity for increasing the food security of the urban poor. Urban environments are inherently different from rural environments and these differences in environmental conditions are expected to impact differently on crop growth. This review describes agronomic issues that are unique to UA and identifies possible interventions to address them. The constraints that can significantly differ include temperature, air quality, solar radiation and climate. The growth-limiting and growth-reducing factors that affect actual production in UA include water availability, nutrient supply, soil degradation, pests and soil pollution. The interventions addressing these constraints require action at both field level, and municipal or regional levels. The food security of the urban poor will therefore require coordinated efforts and cooperation between the farmers who produce food and the planners and policy makers who manage the supporting systems such as markets, inputs and land registration.     

Agricultural land use in Asian cities

This article argues that urban agriculture must play a major part in feeding the ever-growing populations of Asian cities. In China, Hong Kong and Singapore there has been large-scale and systematic planning for food production within the urban area; consequently Shanghai, for example, is self-sufficient in vegetables and most grains, and produces significant proportions of its pork, poultry and other foods. Unfortunately, in most other countries food production is relegated to the countryside. There is an urgent need to overcome the practical and psychological obstacles to promoting urban agriculture.     

Why projections on China’s future food supply and demand differ

This article analyses the macroeconomic assumptions, demand and supply parameters, and structures of the models used in projecting China's future food supply, demand and trade. Projections vary greatly, from China being self-sufficient in grain to being a net importer of 369 million metric tons of grain in 2030. The differences stem mainly from the approaches chosen to model China's grain production and, in particular, the combined effects of land decline and yield growth. The article also points out improvements needed in future work on modelling China's grain economy, which include accounting for the links between agriculture and other sectors, technical change in the livestock industry and infrastructure constraints on grain imports.     

世界主要木本粮食生产和贸易格局变动分析

利用FAOSTAT数据库的相关数据,对近50年世界主要木本粮食生产和贸易变动状况进行分析。研究结果表明:虽然世界主要木本粮食的收获总面积和年总产量均有所增长,但是年产量增长缓慢,且单位面积产量出现下降;中国和中东国家对世界主要木本粮食生产扩张贡献大,日本和意大利等发达国家的木本粮食生产规模缩小;世界主要木本粮食的出口量小,出口增长缓慢,中国的板栗和柿子产量虽很高,但国际竞争力却不强;世界木本粮食的主要进口国变动不大,仍然以日本、法国和美国等发达国家为主。     

食品安全监管中快速检测技术的应用分析

随着我国社会经济的持续发展,食品行业也进入了高速发展阶段,在这个过程中食品安全问题日益突出,给人们的生命健康带来了很大的影响。目前仍有无良食品生产企业钻法律漏洞,过于看重企业经营的经济发展速度和经济发展效益,忽视了食品生产质量和食品安全对人们生命健康的影响。因此,本文主要围绕我国现存的食品安全问题、食品安全监管中快速检测技术应用现状及促进快速检测技术在食品安全监管中的应用措施等方面展开论述。