Status and financial performance of organic vegetable farming in northeast Thailand

In line with the national sustainable agriculture development policy of the Government of Thailand, organic vegetable farming (OVF) promotion projects have been implemented in several provinces of the country. Based on data collected through a questionnaire survey of 172 sample vegetable farmers in Mahasarakham Province of northeast Thailand, this study firstly assessed the status of OVF and then, analyzed the financial performance of three main vegetables cultivated, namely: morning glory, green onion and Chinese kale. Finally, sensitivity analyses of the financial performances for all three vegetables were conducted under four assumed scenarios with respect to price of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, and yield and price of organic vegetables. The findings of the analysis on the status of OVF revealed that organic vegetable farms accounted for very small percentage of the total area used for all vegetables in the study area. Results of the financial analysis also showed that OVF was much less financially attractive than conventional vegetable farming due to low yield which usually does not come with premium price of the vegetables. Still farmers are growing organic vegetables on small scale primarily for household consumption. The findings of the sensitivity analyses indicated that the removal of direct or indirect subsidies for synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, and appreciation in the yield and price of organic vegetables can enhance the financial performance of OVF. In view of the possible rejection of radical policies that encourage OVF by discouraging conventional vegetable farming, this study suggests appropriate policy measures that could directly provide incentives for organic vegetable production and consumption.     

Stimulating organic farming via publicly provided services and an auction-based subsidy

Governments generally use a mix of temporary hectare paymentsand provision of public services to stimulate the organic cropsector. In this paper, a conceptual model is developed for determininga socially optimal hectare payment for any given level of publicservices. Farm heterogeneity, due to the variability of soilquality and management skills, is explicitly taken into account.Using an nth price auction mechanism, farmers indicate whattheir reservation subsidy is for a given level of public inputprovision. The results of this auction are used to determinethe government's optimal policy choices.     

Risk and risk management in organic and conventional cash crop farming in Norway

This study presents empirical insight into organic and conventional cash crop farmers' perceptions of risk and risk management strategies, and identifies socio-economic variables linked to these perceptions. The data originate from a questionnaire survey of farmers in Norway. The results indicate that organic farmers perceived themselves to be less risk averse than conventional farmers. For both groups, crop prices and yield variability were the two top rated sources of risk, followed by institutional risks. The two groups evaluated risk management strategies quite similarly; favoured strategies were good liquidity and to prevent and reduce crop diseases and pests. The farmers' evaluation of sources of risk and choice of risk strategies depended on various socio-economic variables. The importance of institutional risks implies that policy makers should be cautious about changing policy capriciously and they should consider strategic policy initiatives that give farmers more long-term reliability.     

The contribution of organic farming to rural development: An exploration of the socio-economic linkages of organic and non-organic farms in England

Organic farming has experienced considerable growth in recent years. Proponents of organic farming point to the environmental and nutritional benefits of organic systems, although these are contested by some. More recently, it has been argued that organic farming can provide rural development benefits through enhanced employment and through closer connections with the local economy, reconnecting consumers with producers and stimulating positive economic multipliers. Against the background of claims made for the rural development potential of organic farming, this paper considers the generation and retention of income, purchasing patterns, and direct employment impacts of a large sample of organic and non-organic farmers in England. The paper reveals some important distinctions between the characteristics of organic and non-organic farms and farmers. It is argued that most of these differences do not stem directly from differences in farming systems but, rather, reflect considerable differences in the people who operate organic farms as well as the distinctive business configurations they frequently adopt.     

Comparing support for organic and conventional farming in the European Union using an adjusted Producer Support Estimate

This paper compares support for organic and conventional farmingin 2001, using the methodology of the Producer Support Estimate(PSE). Although market price support for organic products isdifficult to determine, our case study-based estimates indicatethat the PSE for organic farming ranged between 41 and 44 percent in the EU, compared with 35 per cent for conventional farming.However, the structure of support for the different commoditiesis similar between organic and conventional farming, althoughdirect payments are generally higher for organic farming. Noclear link between the level of support and the share of organicfarming in Member States could be detected. An annual calculationof separate PSEs for both forms of farming could provide usefulinformation about developments in support.     

集体林业企业代理成本及其治理对策

阐述了我国集体林业企业代理的监督成本高、约束成本高、代理人行为不当导致的代理成本高,分析了代理成本高的原因在于政企不分、产权主体缺位,缺乏有效的绩效评价和激励机制,缺乏合理有效的监督制约机制,代理人缺位等,提出通过改革集体林业企业产权制度、建立有效的绩效评价与激励机制、建立有效的监督制约机制、建立竞争性的企业家(代理人)市场等降低我国集体林业企业代理成本的对策。     

Part-time farming in the Federal Republic of Germany

Part-time farming is playing a growing role In the agricultural sector's response to changes In the economic structures of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and other western industrialized nations. The implications and fundamental reasons behind this trend have however been largely ignored by agricultural economists. This article sets out to discuss the relative importance of part-time farming in the FRG and the reasons for Its growth. The factors affecting demand for non-agricultural employment by former full-time farmers in a situation of overall underemployment are dealt with, along with the economic implications of this trend. The effects of these new sources of income on the agrarian population are outlined and the author suggests that the growth of part-time farming is yet another indication of the integration of the agricultural sector into the industrial economy.     

Management flexibility,price uncertainty and the adoption of carbon forestry

A price on carbon has the potential to drive significant land use change through reforestation. Understanding the likely locations and extent of these changes is therefore a key focus for researchers and policy makers. Models of reforestation based on net present values (NPV) typically compare the economic returns of carbon forestry to alternative land uses. However, these models often neglect the impact of uncertainty. Two sources of uncertainty highly relevant to carbon forestry are the opportunity cost of the land on which the trees are established (i.e. future returns from alternative land uses) and carbon prices. In addition to foregoing the current land use, a landowner making a permanent land use change such as carbon forestry is also giving up the opportunity to change management in the future, for example by changing crop mix in response to commodity price changes. We develop a Monte Carlo model to demonstrate the value of management flexibility, based on a case study property in Australia. While in the absence of management flexibility carbon forestry is more profitable than the current land use, under uncertain future commodity prices it is less attractive to a landowner. We go on to show that, even if the returns from carbon exceed those from more flexible agricultural land use, uncertainty over future carbon prices is likely to delay the adoption of carbon forestry. Overall the models presented in this paper demonstrate that the adoption of carbon forestry is likely to be substantially lower, and slower, than models based on static values would suggest.     

黑龙江省林业生态建设浅析

林业生态建设是生态文明建设的主体,本文介绍了国内外学者在林业生态建设方面研究情况及黑龙江省林业生态建设现状,指出林业生态建设中存的问题,进而提出了相应对策建议。     

Conditions for the adoption of agro-ecological farming practices: a holistic framework illustrated with the case of almond farming in Andalusia

Agricultural landscapes offer unique habitats for many species. Because agriculture is a major land use worldwide, changes in farming practices can have major repercussions for biodiversity. Particularly in Western Europe, ongoing intensification and scale enlargement but also land abandonment and poor agricultural practices leading to land degradation form a major threat to agrobiodiversity. Agro-ecological farming practices are suggested as an alternative way of farming in order to conserve and enhance biodiversity. Yet knowledge about what factors explain farmers’ adoption of agro-ecological farming practices is fragmented and incomplete. In this paper, we offer a holistic framework that specifies these factors and how they are interconnected. The framework is illustrated and refined by means of a case study analysis of almond farming in Andalusia. The chosen case represents a specific localized farming practice that currently negatively impacts biodiversity but for which agro-ecology forms an attractive alternative regarding biodiversity. The case study demonstrates that our framework offers a useful tool to systematically identify the different factors that affect agro-ecological farming adoption, interlinkages between factors and particularly the more structural barriers to agro-ecology.     

黑龙江省海林市莲花湖地区林业可持续发展研究

分析了黑龙江省海林市莲花湖地区森林资源的概况和林业可持续发展的依据,提出了莲花湖地区可持续发展的措施。     

我国大菱鲆养殖业发展评价与政策建议

论文回顾了我国大菱鲆养殖产业发展历程,将我国大菱鲆养殖产业的发展划分为五个阶段;对欧洲大菱鲆养殖产业发展的基本情况进行了介绍,并对中欧大菱鲆养殖产业的发展差异进行了比较分析,认为这些差异的产生与两国在产业组织形式、技术水平和专业化分工程度方面的差异密切相关。在上述分析基础上,论文提出了我国大菱鲆产业未来发展的战略选择,并从市场开拓、生产组织、政府工作三个方面,对进一步推进我国大菱鲆养殖产业发展提出了建议。     

沿江地区生态林业建设与可持续发展研究

总结了沿江地区生态林业建设经营模式和经营结构系统及其产生的生态、经济和社会效益,研究了沿江地区生态林业定位,庭院林业开发及其经营水平上档次的科技投入、政策引导等可持续发展战略。     

宁夏中部地区耕地现状调查及分析

采用先进的"3S"信息技术与传统实地调查相结合的方法,应用GIS先进的空间土层叠加分析功能对宁夏中部八市县(区)山区土地利用状况中耕地进行调查,并对调查结果加以分析:草地面积比以前有较大面积的减少,水浇地的面积有所增加。林地面积与主管部门掌握的数字相差较大等。