To reallocate or not: Reconsidering the dilemma in China's agricultural land tenure policy

In China, rural land is collectively owned at the village level. Village officials usually have the power to reallocate land property across families on an ongoing basis due to demographic changes in the village. Realizing that frequent land reallocation and abusive land requisition will undermine economic productivity as well as social stability, the “Rural Land Contract Law” passed in 2002 explicitly reads that farmland tenure security must be maintained for at least 30 years since the last nationwide reallocation in 1998. The frequency and magnitude of land reallocation in Chinese villages have decreased as a result. However, failure to allocate land to the newly increased population often induced conflicts among village members if the security of land tenure for 30 years was strictly implemented. Administrative land reallocations then still continued in some villages to accommodate demographic changes in these places. Based on an almost nationally representative rural dataset collected in 119 villages of 6 provinces across China in 2008, this paper lays out some stylized facts about the administrative land reallocation after 1998. By analyzing the opinions of over 2200 farmers on the central policy of maintaining farmland tenure security, we are able to rationalize why some farmers support the policy while others oppose it. This analysis helps us to better understand the dilemma between efficiency and equity embedded in the current agricultural land system in China. It is further shown that social conflicts among village members may easily arise either due to administrative land reallocation or due to lack of it. We argue that this dilemma cannot be resolved effectively without coordinated reforms in household registration system which can help hundreds of millions of Chinese rural migrant workers to permanently settle in cities and release their farmland to those who stay in the countryside.     

中国农村土地调整的时序变化及地区差异——基于1999—2010年17省调查的实证分析

研究目的:基于1999—2010年中国17省农村土地调查数据,分析中国农村的土地调整、农户的调地意愿及其对未来地权稳定性的预期和信心。研究方法:描述分析,列联分析。研究结果:(1)二轮承包后,实际土地调整明显减少,近期则由于征地和土地整理等原因导致土地调整开始增多。(2)支持不得调整土地政策的农户比例显著高于反对的比例,土地承包合同和土地承包经营权证书等正式文件的发放有助于增强农户未来地权稳定性的信心。(3)土地调整的省市差异显著,而且平原地区调地多,丘陵和山区调地少。研究结论:中央政策对稳定农户地权稳定性的信心发挥了积极作用,并得到多数农民的拥护和支持;中央政策应进一步考虑不同地区资源禀赋和经济发展水平的差异,具有一定的弹性和灵活性。     

农户借贷对粮食生产技术效率的影响研究——基于2012—2018年3省3 255份农户面板数据

目的 基于生产要素配置视角,研究农户借贷对粮食生产技术效率的作用路径,并进行理论分析。方法 文章利用2012—2018年中国农业科学院农业经济与发展研究所全国固定观察点的3 255份农户面板数据,首先采用随机前沿模型测算农户粮食生产技术效率;其次构建固定效应模型,实证分析农户借贷对粮食生产技术效率的影响方向及作用强度,并利用IV-2SLS方法处理农户借贷对粮食生产技术效率影响的内生性问题,并进行稳定性检验和异质性分析。结果 农户借贷对粮食生产技术效率有显著促进作用,存在借贷行为的农户粮食生产技术效率比未存在借贷行为的农户高0.017。除此之外,农户党员身份、农业技术培训、家庭非农劳动力人数以及加入合作社对粮食生产技术效率都存在明显的促进作用;而家庭劳动力人数对粮食生产技术效率有显著抑制作用。结论 农户利用借贷资金改善生产要素配置从而提高粮食生产技术效率。     

Sectoral and poverty impacts of agricultural policy adjustments in Colombia

We aim to assess the sectoral and poverty impacts of changes in agricultural policy in Colombia. For this, we use an agriculture specialized static computable general equilibrium model, together with a microsimulation model that allows employment to shift between sectors. Results indicate that the sectoral impact from policy changes tends to be small and that it considerably varies across crops. The macro model yields some gains in wages and capital rents, a relatively larger increase in land rents, and limited labor reallocation, together leading to small poverty impacts as calculated through the microsimulation model. The incidence of rural poverty decreases by less than 1% and the same happens to the poverty gap. In addition, poverty reductions are concentrated among households near the middle of the income distribution.     

Rural nonfarm income and its impact on agriculture: evidence from Albania

Using data from the 2005 Albania Living Standards Measurement Study (ALSMS05) survey, this article analyzes the overall impact of household nonfarm income-generating activities (RIGA) on agricultural expenditures as well as technical efficiency of rural farm households. We also differentiate the impact for subsistence and commercial farmers, who are in the top 25% of the distribution of value of annual agricultural sales. Our results show that on the whole, Albanian rural households utilize their nonfarm earnings not to invest in time-saving, efficiency-increasing technologies, but to move out of crop production. We derive similar findings when we try to estimate the same relation separately for commercial and subsistence farmers. However, for commercial farmers, we find a positive impact of household nonfarm earnings on livestock expenditures.     

农村土地流转的供求意愿及其流转效率的评价研究

研究目的:研究农村土地流转的农户供求意愿,定量评价土地流转的经济效率。研究方法:通过设置的土地流转意愿度指标分析农户土地流转的供给意愿,通过农户实际土地经营规模和最适土地经营规模的比较分析农户的需求意愿,利用市场供求模型估算土地流转带来的供求双方农户经济福利。研究结果:中部6省的农户供给意愿在0.18—0.52之间,农户实际土地经营规模为0.27—0.73 hm2/户,最适土地经营规模0.61—1.08 hm2/户,以100—300元/亩流转交易价实行土地流转后,中部6省中各省供给方农户的经济福利可达到1.1—9.2亿元,需求方农户的经济福利可达到2.2—12.2亿元。研究结论:从供给角度看,当前农户的土地流转意愿低;从需求角度看,农户有土地流转的意愿。土地流转交易使土地资源和劳动力资源得到重新配置,增进了土地供给者和土地需求者的福利,提高了经济效率。     

中国农户土地租佃行为实证研究

本文利用福建省和黑龙江省的农户调查样本数据，通过建立土地租佃行为的经济计量模型，从微观层面定量分析了影响农户土地租佃行为的各种因素。计量结果表明，农户土地租佃行为受到户主年龄、户主是否接受过专业技术培训、家庭劳动力人数、人均纯收入、非农收入比重、农户是否饲养役畜、交易成本等多方面因素的影响，并随着这些因素的变化而不断变化。     

土地因素对农村劳动力向不同级别城镇转移影响的研究基于黑苏鄂川农户调查

目的 探索土地因素对农村劳动力向不同级别城镇转移的影响,为制定差别化的农村土地政策提供现实依据。方法 文章基于东北、东部、中部和西部四大区域典型省份（黑龙江省、江苏省、湖北省和四川省）农户调查数据,运用二元和多元有序Logistic回归模型挖掘土地因素对农村劳动力是否转移及向不同级别城镇转移决策的影响。结果 （1）转出土地和土地流转服务对农村劳动力是否转移有正向影响,土地确权、土地调整次数和土地功能认知则有负向影响。（2）土地确权、转出土地和土地流转服务对已转移农村劳动力向不同级别城镇转移有推动作用,土地数量、机械化难易程度、土地调整次数、土地功能认知则有抑制作用。（3）相对于中部地区而言,东北和东部地区农村劳动力倾向于转移;西部地区的已转移劳动力向高级别城镇转移概率更大。结论 健全土地流转市场、保障土地产权安全性和稳定性、构建新型土地经营体系和配套的土地保障体系,有助于农村劳动力向不同级别城镇有序转移。     

农地整治区农户生计脆弱性指数评估研究*——基于湖北荆门和宜昌的实证研究

[目的]农地整治能通过多种有效途径改善农户的生计资本。以农地整治的角度切入来研究农户生计脆弱性的变化规律,探究农地整治对农户生计脆弱性的影响,为探索改善农户生计的可持续性提供理论借鉴。[方法]以农地整治对生计资本的直接改善为出发点,基于可持续生计分析框架,根据IPCC关于脆弱性的解释,建立农地整治区农户生计脆弱性评估框架体系,其主要涵盖农户面临的自然风险、生计资本以及适应策略3方面,通过熵权法确定指标权重。基于湖北省荆门、宜昌两地区的394户农户调查问卷,运用生计脆弱性评估框架计算得到农地整治前后农户生计脆弱性指数,同时,针对荆门、宜昌两地区分别进行评估研究。[结果](1)农地整治前后农户生计脆弱性指数分别为-0.223和-0.423,在整治之后农户生计脆弱性显著降低。(2)生计脆弱性指数变化的影响因素存在地区性差异。荆门地区整治前后的生计脆弱性指数变化依次受旱地情况、耕地灌溉情况、村庄绿化设施、农田水利设施的变化量等因素的影响;宜昌地区整治前后生计脆弱性指数变化依次受农田水利设施、村庄道路通达、村庄绿化设施、田间道路、耕地灌溉情况、水田情况、旱地情况的变化量等因素的影响。[结论]为提高农户福利水平,降低其生计脆弱性,建议农地整治的规划与实施要进一步关注农户生计问题,特别重视相关自然资本和物质资本的改善,同时不同实施地区要从贡献因素排序出发,实现提高农户生计脆弱性改善的目的。     

农机社会化服务对小麦生产技术效率的影响

目的 在中国土地规模经营和服务规模经营并重推进粮食作物效率提升背景下,进一步探讨农机社会化服务对小麦生产技术效率提升效应的规模异质性具有现实意义。方法 文章使用随机前沿分析和门限回归分析,利用2018年全国6省区小麦种植户经营情况,对农机社会化服务影响小麦生产技术效率及影响效果规模异质性进行研究。结果 农机社会化服务的采用有助于提升小麦生产技术效率;农机社会化服务对小麦生产技术效率存在门限效应,当农户经营规模低于门限值（0.293hm²）时,农机社会化服务对小麦生产技术效率不具有显著影响,跨越门限值后,农机社会化服务对小麦生产技术效率则具有正向影响效应。基于农户适度规模经营的情况下,农机社会化服务对中等规模（0.293hm²＜Area＜3.333hm²）农户的小麦生产技术效率具有显著正向影响。结论 农机社会化服务有助于提升中国小麦种植户技术效率,但受限于农户规模,推进农机社会化服务发展的同时仍然需要推动土地的适度规模经营。     

新一轮集体林改对不同类型农户林业生产投入的影响研究

基于连续跟踪调研获得的9省区18县市1497个样本农户8年的长期平衡面板数据,采用扩展生产函数,分析了集体林产权制度改革主体改革及其配套改革对不同类型农户林业生产投入的影响。结果表明:⑴实施集体林产权制度改革主体改革增加农业兼业户、非农兼业户和非农户单位面积林业劳动力和生产费用投入,但降低了纯农户的林业投入;⑵森林保险对纯农户单位面积林业劳动力和生产费用投入的影响比农业兼业户、非农兼业户和非农户积极;⑶林权抵押贷款对农业兼业户、非农兼业户和非农户林业投入的影响优于纯农户。因此,政策在深入推进的过程中,需因地制宜、因户制宜,最大限度地考虑不同类型农户的利益。     

Land reallocation reform in rural China: A behavioral economics perspective

Based on prospect theory, we develop a theoretical framework to unify divided views on land reallocation reform in China. Our theoretical framework and empirical verification explain the driving forces behind the success of the rural land reallocation reform in China. We find that rural land reallocation reform in China is characterized by induced and imposed institutional changes. The relationship between induced and imposed institutional change is complementary instead of competing. The decision and frequency of land reallocation are affected by both local endowment and central government policy. Empirical findings also suggest that land reallocation reform in China is incremental, with interim policy targets from different stages taking gradual effect. The incremental implementation of the “No Reallocation” policy is the reason behind the widespread, diversified land reallocation practices across the country; this policy also contributes to the success of rural land reform in China. The theoretical model can be used to study a wide range of government-led institutional changes in China, such as affordable housing schemes and the National New-type Urbanization Plan (2014–2020).     

The impact of migration on rural poverty and inequality: a case study in China

Large numbers of agricultural labor moved from the countryside to cities after the economic reforms in China. Migration and remittances play an important role in transforming the structure of rural household income. This article examines the impact of rural‐to‐urban migration on rural poverty and inequality in a mountainous area of Hubei province using the data of a 2002 household survey. Since migration income is a potential substitute for farm income, we present counterfactual scenarios of what rural income, poverty, and inequality would have been in the absence of migration. Our results show that, by providing alternatives to households with lower marginal labor productivity in agriculture, migration leads to an increase in rural income. In contrast to many studies that suggest that the increasing share of nonfarm income in total income widens inequality, this article offers support for the hypothesis that migration tends to have egalitarian effects on rural income for three reasons: (1) migration is rational self‐selection—farmers with higher expected return in agricultural activities and/or in local nonfarm activities choose to remain in the countryside while those with higher expected return in urban nonfarm sectors migrate; (2) households facing binding constraints of land supply are more likely to migrate; (3) poorer households benefit disproportionately from migration.     

Cattle sharing and rental contracts in an Agrarian economy: evidence from Ethiopia

Empirical evidence on the role of cattle sharing and rental contracts in agrarian economies is limited. This article is an investigation of different types of cattle sharing and rental contracts producers in rural Ethiopia adopt. It also investigates why households in rural Ethiopia rely on these contracts that are vulnerable and therefore subject to potential moral hazard problems described in earlier literature. We apply random effect probit and control function econometric methods to household panel data collected in 2005 and 2007 from two agro‐ecological zones in Ethiopia. Controlling for the endogeneity of access to livestock credit, we find that contracts are spatially fragmented and better developed where population density is high and credit and insurance markets are poorly developed. We also find that contracts help cash poor and credit constrained households to improve their herd dynamics, to get access to nonlivestock resources (land, labor and cash) and share risks that could have been difficult without the contract. We show that contracts are rational responses of residents in rural communities characterized by imperfect credit and insurance services, since households with better access to credit are less likely to rely on contracts.     

Patterns of revenue distribution in rural residential land consolidation in contemporary China: The perspective of property rights delineation

Rural residential land consolidation (RRLC) in contemporary China refers to activities related to the replanning and reallocation of rural residential land to construct new rural residences, to increase land-use efficiency and to improve rural amenities in the context of rural revitalization. The objective of this study is to elucidate the patterns of revenue distribution in RRLC by addressing the following questions. Given incomplete and ambiguous formal rules in China, how can rural land property rights be delineated to distribute and coordinate interests among stakeholders in RRLC? Furthermore, what are the factors that determine the delineation of rural land property rights to distribute land revenue? A theoretical framework for the delineation of rural land property rights is developed from the perspectives of the institutional environment, governance and resource allocation. A comparative analysis of two typical cases of RRLC in contemporary China is conducted to support the research hypotheses. This study finds that bargaining power is the fundamental determinant of delineating rural land property rights to distribute revenue in RRLC. Furthermore, intergovernmental competition motivates the local government to fully deploy strong bargaining power, while concerns about social stability provide some constraints. A strong capability for collective action reinforces the bargaining power of rural households. This study provides new insights into the delineation of rural land property rights and subsequent revenue distribution based on distinctive institutional settings and RRLC in China, enriching the theoretical and empirical findings in the property rights school. Policy recommendations on revenue sharing of RRLC are proposed accordingly.     

新疆兵地红枣种植户经营效率及其环境影响因素分析

新疆承载着两个不同的行政主体,体制机制差异使种植户面临的生产环境相异。基于红枣主产区206个兵团和110个地方种植户数据,运用三阶段DEA模型分析的结果表明:兵团种植户经营效率高于地方,地方"低投入-低产出"生产方式的纯技术效率高于兵团"高投入-高产出"生产方式,兵团规模效率高于地方;红枣生产缺乏科学创新技术为依托,兵团和地方表现出不同形式的资源配置问题。因此,应注重兵团和地方新技术推广和技术培训,加强兵团和地方农业信息技术交流,搭建市场公共服务平台。     

Locating the adverse effects of rangeland enclosure among herders in eastern Ethiopia

This paper examines the effects of rangeland enclosure on herders’ livelihoods and property rights. The analysis is based on the household survey and focus group discussions among pastoral and agropastoral households (from three administrative districts in eastern Ethiopia) who have practiced enclosure and who have been affected by practices of others. Such an examination helps anticipate whether enclosure practice assists in attaining income security and ensuring household welfare by supporting livestock development. Results have shown that expansion of enclosure leads to the emergence of incompatible demands (conflict of interest) over the resource and unstable property rights to the grazing commons. Though private benefits from enclosure produce an incentive for households to practice it, its expansion does not generally increase the welfare of (agro-) pastoral community in the longer-term. Hence, land use policies that favor private use of the rangeland, using land enclosure as an entry point, can potentially harm pastoral livelihoods rather than supporting sustainable pastoral development.     

碳汇经营目标下农户风险偏好对延长轮伐期的影响分析

基于浙江省5个县(市)21个行政村的211户农户调查数据,采用实验经济学的方法测度农户风险偏好,利用多元回归模型实证分析了碳汇经营目标下农户风险偏好对延长轮伐期的影响。研究结果表明:风险偏好变量在10%的水平下具有显著的正面影响;家庭年总收入变量在5%的水平下具有显著的正面影响;林地面积和林地与村委会海拔高度在10%的水平下具有显著的正面影响;地块分散程度、林地实际经营面积和阳坡林地所占比例在10%的统计水平下具有显著的负面影响。在其他条件不变的情况下,拥有较高家庭年总收入的高风险偏好者和不经营的林地面积大且较为集中的高海拔阴面林地更倾向于延长轮伐期投入到长期的碳汇收益中来。根据研究结果,提出了对风险厌恶和风险中性的农户给予适当激励;在碳汇项目选择和实施过程中需要考虑地块质量和农户基本特征的问题;建立健全林地流转体系,增加林地规模效应;建立方便快捷的碳汇评估交易平台,增强农户碳汇供给动力等针对性的建议。     

Efficiency–equity tradeoffs and the scope for resource reallocation in agricultural research: evidence from Nigeria

On the basis of projected economic and poverty impacts of alternative commodity research programs, this article assessed efficiency and equity tradeoffs and the scope for research resource reallocation in Nigeria. Given the importance of major food staples to both poor and nonpoor households in production and consumption, introducing a poverty dimension revealed no significant shift in priorities compared with those implied by efficiency. The results showed that neither the additional benefits to the poor nor the foregone benefits to society are significant from prioritizing research according to equity—relative to efficiency—criteria. As current priorities are supported by neither efficiency nor equity criteria, however, there is considerable scope for maximizing research benefits to the poor through informed reallocation of research resources. The article concludes with a discussion of the patterns of resource reallocations implied by efficiency and equity criteria.     

The adoption of intensive monocrop horticulture in southern Cameroon

Results from a 1997 survey of 208 households in the humid forest zone of southern Cameroon indicate that African policy makers seeking to intensify agricultural production should focus attention on the horticultural sub‐sector. The survey, which gathered information on horticultural production practices, found that the average expenditure on agro‐chemical inputs by horticultural producers using monocrop production systems was 190US$/ha, which greatly exceeds the FAO reported national average expenditure of 6.50 US$/ha. A logit model of monocrop adoption indicated that the size of land holding per household had a negative effect on adoption, congruent with population‐driven technical change and that increases in unit transportation costs significantly decreased the probability of adoption. These findings suggest that policy makers should target horticultural intensification in areas of higher population density and promote investment in rural roads. The age of the household head had a significant negative and elastic effect on adoption, which in combination with an increase in the cohort of younger farmers in the rural population induced by macro‐economic events contributed to the spread of intensified horticulture. In the study area, roughly two‐thirds of rural households also produce cocoa and the quantity of cocoa produced was positively associated with adoption of intensive horticultural systems suggesting that export crop promotion indirectly facilitated diversification of agriculture. Women's participation in intensive monocrop production was limited and efforts to promote their greater involvement are recommended.