Environinental and economic consequences of technology adoption: IPM in viticulture

The impact of integrated pest management (IPM) on pesticide use, toxicity and other environmental characteristics, yields, and farm profits is examined for grape growers. The method is generally applicable for technology adoption and accounts for self-selectivity, simultaneity, and theoretical consistency. IPM adopters apply significantly less insecticides and fungicides than nonadopters among grape producers in six states, accounting for most of the U.S. production. Both the average toxicity and the Environmental Impact Quotient decrease slightly with adoption of insect IPM, but remain about the same for adopters and nonadopters of IPM for diseases. The effect of IPM adoption on yields and variable profits is positive but only significant for the case of IPM for diseases, i.e., the adoption of IPM for diseases increases yields and profits significantly.     

Role of education and extension in the adoption of technology: a study of upland rice and soybean farmers in Central-West Brazil

This paper explores reduced form determinants of the adoption of certain technologies by upland rice and soybean farmers in the Center-West region of Brazil. We merge community level data on the availability and quality of publicly provided infrastructure, principally extension, to the farm level data containing information on farmer human capital as well as land quantity and quality. By using community level measures of availability and quality of extension, we avoid problems of endogeneity of farm level measures of extension use. We find positive impacts of farmer education on the diffusion process, in accordance with other studies. We also isolate effects of the quality in regional extension investment as measured by the average experience of technical extension staff. These results indicate that investments in human capital of extension workers does have a payoff in terms of farmer adoption of improved cultivation practices.     

Analysis of the Determinants of Adoption of Organic Horticultural Techniques in the UK

The determinants of the decision to adopt organic production techniques are examined by applying binomial and multinomial logit techniques to a sample of 237 horticultural producers from the UK. The analysis indicates that organic horticultural producers are more likely to be younger, run smaller enterprises and be female than their conventional counterparts, and that there are significant non-economic aspects to the decision to adopt organic techniques which may be missed in comparative profitability studies. In addition, the analysis indicates that the registered and unregistered organic producers should not be regarded as a homogenous group, with significant differences in terms of the influence of gender and information sources observed.     

Impacts of the training and visit extension system on farmers' knowledge and adoption of technology: Evidence from Pakistan

This paper provides quantitative evidence on the impact of the Training and Visit (T&V) extension system in the irrigated Punjab of Pakistan. Three models are analyzed using limited dependent variable regressions: the impact of T&V on the number of extension contacts with farmers; the effect of extension contact on farmers' knowledge of wheat technology; and the impact of T&V on the adoption of improved wheat technology. The first model analyzes the impact of T&V on the quantity of extension contact and the latter two models analyze the effect on the quantity and quality of extension contact. It is concluded that T&V has increased the quantity but not the quality of extension contact and this, in turn, has increased farmers' knowledge and adoption of technology. However, the overall impacts have been small relative to those observed in a similar area in India.     

英国土地规划政策与房地产供给分析

研究目的：分析英国土地规划政策对房地产市场供给的影响。研究方法：应用政策分析方法总结英国土地规划政策特点,特别是分析规划许可证制度对房地产供给的影响。研究结果：（1）英国政府通过土地规划政策对房地产市场进行间接调控,能够有效控制各类房地产产品的供应数量。但是调控在市场上升阶段存在较强的滞后效应;在市场低迷时,调整的功效甚微。（2）英国政府通过土地规划许可证的签发,要求房地产开发商负担起建设保障性住房的任务,这一政策保证了保障性住房的质量和数量,促进低收入人群融入社区,有利于社会和谐发展,但是房地产开发商的成本被推高,商品房供给减少,最终导致商品房价格偏高。研究结论：中央和地方政府可以灵活利用土地规划政策对市场进行调控,但是政府行为通常会带来意想不到的“成本”,应随时调整政策,保证政策有效实施的情况下降低“计划外”成本。     

Sustainable urban agriculture and the adoption of composts in Cameroon

The increased importance of urban agriculture in developing countries suggests reconsidering some innovation adoption opportunities and challenges, particularly soil fertility inputs. In sub-Saharan Africa, urban horticulture uses a high level of soil inputs like inorganic fertilizers, while local composts are far less common. Yet, municipal solid wastes provide high quantity of organic matter, a major component of compost. Our study aimed to determine if urban horticulture in sub-Saharan towns can provide incentives for compost adoption among farmers. To this end, we surveyed 242 farmers in Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon in the Central Province, and in Bafoussam, a city in the West Province. We used an Ordered Logit Model to test four soil input modalities adopted by farmers and ranging from no soil inputs, composts only, composts and inorganic fertilizers, and inorganic fertilizers only. Our results revealed that 36% of farmers adopt an exclusive or mixed use of compost. Inorganic fertilizer expenditures, vegetable production, land ownership, and land distance simultaneously and significantly influence the four soil input alternatives. Urban horticulture provides the prerequisites for compost adoption in sub-Saharan Africa. We suggest several recommendations for implementation of a waste recycling commodity chain dedicated to agriculture.     

Innovative concepts towards sustainability in organic horticulture: testing a participatory technology design

Horticulture in the Netherlands is an economically strong sector. However, current organic horticulture does not comply with the standards for sustainability, because of its contribution to environmental pollution and exhaustion of natural resources. Transition towards more sustainable agro-ecosystems is inevitable for horticulture in the Netherlands to maintain its international competitive position. In this paper, we describe a study commissioned by the Dutch government aimed at testing an approach for participatory technology design and at generating commitment of stakeholders. In brainstorming sessions with representatives from research, extension and the horticultural sector, three draft scenarios were defined, based on political, societal and scientific goals for sustainable production systems. However, these draft scenarios were mainly formulated in a ‘top-down’ approach and within the sector no shared problem perception existed. So, strong identification with the sector was necessary to formulate more appealing scenarios. In interviews, various stakeholders, selected from the primary sector, the retail sector and other interested organizations were asked for their opinions about the scenarios, possible perspectives of the approach and their interest in participating in further development. In response to their interests in a participatory process, reformulation of the scenarios involved profound adaptation of both, objectives and pathways, and resulted in two modified scenarios, an economically driven organic production system and a socially driven organic city greenhouse. It is concluded that the approach of participatory technology design, the model of iterative learning and practice change, worked well. We learned that entrepreneurs are not inspired by long-term perspectives without clear short-term gains. Hence, the long-term aims of the government were translated into a series of steps, each in the short term resulting in partial realization of the goals. So, we experienced that we can affect the adoption behaviour of the entrepreneur by matching long-term aims with short-term interests.     

寒温带落叶松林不同林型土壤有机碳含量及相关性分析

本文以大兴安岭呼中国家级自然保护区四种主要落叶松林型为研究对象,分析了四种不同落叶松林型土壤有机碳的分布特征及其影响因素。将样地土壤分为A层(腐殖质层)与B层(土壤层)。结果表明,影响该地区土壤有机碳含量的主要因素为低地植被的种类与密度。四种落叶松林土壤有机碳含量大小关系为:泥炭藓-落叶松林杜香-落叶松林杜鹃-落叶松林草类-落叶松林。A层各植被类型土壤有机碳含量为:杜香-落叶松林泥炭藓-落叶松林杜鹃-落叶松林草类-落叶松林。B层各植被类型土壤有机碳含量为:泥炭藓-落叶松林杜鹃-落叶松林草类-落叶松林杜香-落叶松林。四种林型中除杜鹃-落叶松林与草类-落叶松林在B层土壤有机碳含量上无显著差异,其余林型土壤有机碳含量差异均显著。土壤容重、土壤含水量与土壤有机碳之间有良好的相关性。结果表明土壤有机碳含量与土壤含水量表现为显著正相关(P0.05),与土壤容重变现为显著负相关(P0.05)。     

Survey and Analysis of Labour on Organic Farms in the UK and Republic of Ireland

A survey of 1144 organic farms in the UK and Republic of Ireland (IE) was used to assess whether organic agriculture provides more labour than conventional (nonorganic) farming. The sampled farms comprised 23% of all organic farms. The jobs per farm and per area varied greatly with enterprise type and farm size, and between regions. Comparison of the survey with national statistics showed that organic farms employ 135% more FTE (full time equivalent jobs) per farm than conventional farms. The mean jobs per area was markedly lower for organic farms (1.35 compared to 2.43 FTE per 100 ha), because they are larger (216 ha compared to 51 ha). Even when corrected for the different size distribution, organic farms had more jobs per farm than the national averages (2.52 and 1.49 FTE for the UK and IE, compared to 1.28 and 1.16 FTE). The farm size weighted FTE per area for organic farms in the UK (4.33 FTE per 100 ha) was almost twice that for conventional farms. We predict there would be 19% and 6% more farming jobs in the UK and IE if 20% of the farms of both countries were to become organic (compared to the present 1–2%).     

Modelling the privatization process in transition economies

Alternative economic paradigms give rise to alternative models of transition, which give rise to alternative privatization processes for transition economies. This is because each transition model is associated with a unique privatization process compatible with the predetermined assumptions and value judgements of the paradigm in question. As a result, five alternative models of transition that give rise to five alternative privatization processes are considered: the shock therapy model of transition; the neoclassical gradualist model of transition; the Post Keynesian model of transition; the pluralistic market socialist model of transition; and the Chinese model of transition. The privatization method adopted is directly linked with the value judgements associated by the economic paradigm in question. Comparisons of privatization processes that ignored the value judgements of economic paradigms were meaningless.     

Modelling of aid motivation using time series data: The case of Papua New Guinea

Abstract

In 1984 the Jackson Report on Australia's overseas aid programme, in part, focused attention on objectives and priorities in the aid programme. There is a unique aid relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea. This paper analyses what motivates Australia's provision of aid. The aid motivation literature addresses this issue by employing cross‐section data to all recipient countries, thus imposing uniformity on them. It is argued in this study that time series analysis is required to answer the question of aid motivation. The econometric results obtained by testing the recipient need and donor interest models provide support for both. Applications of non‐nested tests indicate acceptance of the recipient need model and rejection of the donor interest model.     

Role of information in the adoption of best management practices for water quality improvement

This study investigates the role of information in influencing the adoption of improved farm management practices. A lack of producer information regarding both the profitability and the environmental benefits of adopting improved practices may be a reason why widespread adoption of these practices has not occurred. Compared to direct regulation or financial incentives, raising producer information levels may be a more cost-effective method of increasing adoption. The United States Department of Agriculture has recently established and begun implementing a program based on this idea. To test the validity of the program, a two-stage adoption model is specified and estimated using data from a survey of producers in the program area. The results indicate that producer perceptions Play an important role in the decision to adopt. Changing these perceptions by means of an educational program may be a reasonable alternative to financial incentives in encouraging BMP adoption.     

Research,development and scaling-up the adoption of fodder shrub innovations in East Africa

Smallholder farmers in developing countries face numerous limitations that hinder them from embracing improved agricultural practices and innovations with great potential for meaningful transformations of livelihoods. Consequently, farmers continue living in vicious cycles of poverty despite decades of government and donor expenditures on poverty alleviation. In the last two decades, research and development organizations collaborated in testing and validating selected fodder shrub species as reliable sources of less expensive and easily available protein feeds. With minimal interventions, the research findings have great potential to improve productivity for many smallholder farmers. Tested species include Calliandra calothyrsus, Leucaena spp., Chamaecytisus palmensis, Sesbania sesban, Morus alba and Gliricidia sepium. Dissemination and adoption surveys estimated that 205,000 smallholder farmers (40–50 per cent being women) had planted fodder shrubs by 2005. Currently, fodder shrubs contribute US$3.8 million annually to farmers' incomes and estimated potential annual income is US$81 million. Factors associated with success in fodder scaling-up include deliberate involvement of fodder technology champions, collective action in community mobilization and project implementation, pluralistic extension approaches, sustainable germplasm supply systems, broader partnerships and civil society campaigns. Constraints and challenges include: ineffective delivery of extension and research services, inhibitive policies, political interferences, frequent droughts and inadequate monitoring and evaluation systems.     

浅论农地转用指标市场化流转

如果让一位识字不多的农民去做文字工作,而让一位饱读诗书的学者去种田,大家会觉得荒唐。类似的情况,经济相对落后地区的一块耕地廉价出让甚至白送给一个一般性企业,而经济发达地区质量面积相当的一块耕地因指标限制不能用于一个投资强度高几倍的项目,却往往不会引起重视。因此造成的土地资源配置和使用上的严重地力浪费,也缺少应有的关注。比如,厦门市与平和县同处闽南片区,气候条件相近,农用地质量相当,但如果将农用地转为建设用地,地力强度就有大的落差。同样作为工业用地,厦门的单位面积工业建设用地投资强度是平和县的3倍左右。也就是…