Participatory determinants of innovation and their impact on plantain production systems in Cameroon

Current statistics question the capacity of food-crop production to meet the challenges of food security in Central Africa. However, for local food crops like plantain, the potential for improving productivity is very high. In response to this challenge, after identification of the most serious constraints, an interdisciplinary team used participatory research and action-research tools to try and speed up the adoption of technical innovation by farmers. The project began in 1990 in South-West Province and subsequently expanded to include 100 plantain producers and 60 extension technicians in the Central and Southern Provinces of Cameroon. The approach used produced satisfactory results as far as the adoption and dissemination of methods of multiplication and cleaning of planting material were concerned but there was resistance to new cropping practices involving intercrops and crop rotation. The project resulted in major technical changes in plantain production systems in Cameroon that not only increased productivity and food security but also reduced deforestation showing that sustainable intensification is possible in sub-Saharan Africa.     

Agricultural success from Africa: the case of fertilizer tree systems in southern Africa (Malawi,Tanzania, Mozambique,Zambia and Zimbabwe)

In response to the declining soil fertility in southern Africa and the negative effects that this leads to, such as food insecurity besides other developmental challenges, fertilizer tree systems (FTS) were developed as technological innovation to help smallholder farmers to build soil organic matter and fertility in a sustainable manner. In this paper, we trace the historical background and highlight the developmental phases and outcomes of the technology. The synthesis shows that FTS are inexpensive technologies that significantly raise crop yields, reduce food insecurity and enhance environmental services and resilience of agro-ecologies. Many of the achievements recorded with FTS can be traced to some key factors: the availability of a suite of technological options that are appropriate in a range of different household and ecological circumstances, partnership between multiple institutions and disciplines in the development of the technology, active encouragement of farmer innovations in the adaptation process and proactive engagement of several consortia of partner institutions to scale up the technology in farming communities. It is recommended that smallholder farmers would benefit if rural development planners emphasize the merits of different fertility replenishment approaches and taking advantage of the synergy between FTS and mineral fertilizers rather than focusing on ‘organic vs. inorganic’ debates.     

A social networks approach for strengthening participation in technology innovation: lessons learnt from the Mount Elgon region of Kenya and Uganda

Participatory approaches to agricultural technology development have not yet fully lived up to their promise to incorporate farmer knowledge. This paper introduces a social networks approach (SNA) to improve participatory research processes for co-innovation. Drawing upon findings from a collaborative project developing conservation agricultural production systems for smallholders in western Kenya and eastern Uganda, the paper explores farmer support networks to improve participation in technological innovation and development. Key research themes include: identifying farmers’ agricultural production networks; the local articulation of agricultural production networks and mindsets; using networks to facilitate meaningful participation in technology development; and disadvantages and advantages of using a social network approach. The introduction of SNA improved participatory research by building external and internal legitimacy for determining who participates, discouraging participatory attrition, and providing a meaningful forum for participation of all stakeholders. As a result, the introduction of SNA is demonstrated to show strong promise for improving processes of participatory technology development in agriculture.     

Induced innovation and land degradation: Results from a bioeconomic model of a village in West Africa

This paper introduces a modeling method which simulates a village's response to population and market pressure. The method combines a recursive and dynamic linear programming model with a biophysical model of soil condition and plant growth that predicts yields and land degradation for different type of land, land use and cropping patterns. The linear programming model simulates farmers' plans aggregated at the village level under constraints of risk aversion, food consumption, land area, soil fertility, soil depth, labor and cash availability. Detailed agroecological factors determine Ihe main processes of land degradation. A large number of technological alternatives, representing different degrees of labor and/or land-saving techniques available in the study areas, are introduced, taking into account their respective constraints, costs and advantages. The method has been calibrated for a village located in the sub-humid region of Burkina Faso. Several simulations are carried out to the Year 2030. The results show that population pressure leads to intensification and investment in land conservation practices out not necessarily to better farm incomes. Increasing market opportunities can play a more positive role in boosting productivity, but for the next decades the best way to increase production per farmer is to let farmers migrate from the high-population-density areas to the low-population-density areas because, under the current economic conditions of most Sahelian countries, intensification per hectare is stil more expensive than the fallow system.     

Technology, Environment and the Productivity Problem in African Agriculture: Comment on the World Development Report 2008

This paper is concerned with the need for a 'productivity revolution in smallholder farming' that the World Development Report 2008 (WDR08) identifies is required in sub-Saharan Africa. It reviews the technological options for such a productivity revolution in Africa, and how these are conditioned by the 'agriculture-based' model the WDR08 uses to characterize African economies. It argues that the model effects, firstly, a disconnection of agriculture from 'urban' Africa that constitutes its principal market and the source of investment and inputs with which to raise productivity, and, secondly, an adherence to unrealistic and sometimes contradictory assumptions about the way markets link agriculture to other parts of the economy.     

A meta-analysis of intercropping in Africa: impacts on crop yield,farmer income,and integrated pest management effects

Poverty and hunger in Africa are prevalent and will increase in absolute terms with population growth and continued land degradation. Therefore, there is a need for sustainable agricultural strategies, such as conservation agriculture (CA) and integrated pest management (IPM). Among CA practices, intercropping holds the promise of providing benefits to smallholders through increased crop yields and income as well as improved resource use. We review intercropping’s effects on crop yield, income, and output of IPM practices in Africa. On average, intercropping increases crop yields by 23% and gross income by 172 USD/ha, but effects vary significantly depending on management practices and agro-ecological factors. There was no evidence that yields and gross income for intercropping treatments increase when leguminous intercropping combinations, minimum/reduced tillage, pesticides, or fertilizers were utilized. Dual use of herbicides and intercropping practices garnered 1442 USD/ha more in gross income and yielded 1422 kg/ha more compared to those in conventionally managed fields, signifying the positive influence supplemental inputs can have on intercropping’s effects. Although IPM practices increased yields by 20%, on average, IPM systems integrated with intercropping yielded 24% less than IPM systems that did not. This meta-analysis indicates that intercropping is an advantageous sustainable agricultural practice, but that its effective implementation would depend on considering other factors such as adequate control of competing vegetation. There is a clear need for more scientific studies which examine intercropping’s role in complex sustainable agricultural systems, in order to understand its effects in differential environmental and socioeconomic situations and to optimize the practice’s transfer and benefits.     

武汉市城乡结合部征地制度调查研究——基于农户与村级问卷调查

随着改革的不断深入，现行征地制度已明显滞后于市场经济的发展。本文以武汉市为例，对被征地农户进行了实地调查与分析，从征地类型的界定、农民的补偿安置、完善社会保障体系、加强法制监督等几个方面提出了完善征地制度的合理化建议。     

聊城市城市化发展现状与制度创新研究

运用定性和定量相结合的分析方法,对聊城市城市化发展现状进行了基本判断,指出了城市化过程中存在的问题;为了提高聊城市的城市化水平,文章提出了一系列的制度创新想法。     

从南非矿法修改看其矿业政策发展变化

南非对2002年颁布的《矿产与石油资源开发法》进行了多次修订。修订后的南非矿法在矿业权管制条款、选矿条款两个方面扩大了部长的自由裁量权,加强了国家对该项的控制和管理;矿业权申请方式增加了投标的申请方式,并可以就部分矿业权进行申请;社区可以作为经济实体参与矿业开发,提高了社会和劳工计划要求,保障矿业社区利益;提高环境义务和闭坑要求,设定环境授权和用水许可证以及开放式的闭坑环境义务。首次以法律条文的形式规定政府无偿享有石油开发企业一定比例的利润分成。南非矿法修订频繁、条款变化幅度极大、矿业政策稳定性极低。     

Climate change impacts on rain-fed and irrigated rice yield in Malawi

There is extensive scientific evidence on climate impacts and adaptation in rice (Oryza sativa L.), but the majority relates to production in South Asia and China. Only a handful of studies have been conducted in Sub-Saharan Africa and none in Malawi. In this paper, the climate impacts on rain-fed and irrigated rice yield have been assessed by combining the downscaled outputs from an ensemble of general circulation models (GCM) (HADCM3, INCM3 and IPCM4) with data from the LARS-WG weather generator to drive the CERES-Rice crop model. This was calibrated and validated using 10 years (2001–2010) field data from three rice schemes to simulate the baseline (1961–1990) yield (t?ha^?1) and then model future yield changes for selected (B1 and A2) emissions’ scenarios for the 2050s. Although relatively small increases in average yield were projected (+8% and +5% for rain-fed and irrigated rice, respectively), there was large uncertainty (?10% to +20% yield change) when considering different GCMs and emission scenario. Farmer responses to cope with the projected impacts include both autonomous and planned adaptation strategies, such as modifying planting dates to maximize crop growth calendars and available soil moisture, increased use of on-farm water conservation measures and land levelling to improve water efficiency in rice schemes dependent on surface irrigation.     

广东省淡水渔业科技创新问题与对策研究

论文总结了广东省淡水渔业的现状,从淡水渔业创新体系和研究进展阐述了科技创新取得的成就,指出了广东淡水渔业科技创新存在的科技成果转化较弱、关键技术研发水平不高、渔业科技资金扶持力度不足等问题,并从水生生物资源养护与生态修复、淡水种质资源创制与利用、健康养殖模式与技术、病害调查与防控、水产品质量安全、水产品加工与流通及科技基础条件平台建设等7个方面,提出加快淡水渔业科技创新发展的对策,以期为"十三五"淡水渔业科技发展提供参考。     

传统农业时代乡村粮食安全水平估测

传统农业时代中国单位面积的粮食产量长期在世界处于领先地位,农业技术水平的提高在很大程度上降低了饥荒风险,减缓了饥荒的发生。隋唐以前粮食生产能力处于持续上涨阶段,粮食生产能力完全能够应对可能发生的饥荒,而且还可以供养更多的人口。宋元明时期粮食生产能力依然高于秦汉时期的水平。入清以后由于人口增殖过快,人口压力剧增,粮食供应空前紧张。清代中国人均粮食占有量倒退到2000多年前春秋战国时代的水平上,饥荒的频繁发生已经呈现出不可避免的恶化趋势。因此提高粮食产量水平成为20世纪中国最为关键的问题,在耕地资源基本开发殆尽的情况下,唯有采取改进农业技术提高单位面积产量的办法最为可行。战争和自然灾害是导致粮食波动的根本性因素,局部地区因此而出现粮食短缺,饥荒的发生成为可能。农民是粮食生产的主体力量,同时也是最易遭受饥荒危害的社会群体。中国传统社会农民生活水平长期处于贫困化的状态,直至20世纪中叶依然没有发生根本性变化。     

基于熊彼特创新理论的中国海洋渔业发展路径研究

改革开放30年来,我国海洋渔业已经处在一个起点较高、困难较多、任务较重的时代背景下,如何铸就高产、优质、高效、生态、安全的现代渔业,如何实现滨海渔业和渔区经济的全面、协调、可持续发展,是亟待解决的重大战略问题。我国海洋渔业的发展可以借鉴熊彼特创新理论,从产品、结构、管理等方面进行创新;并需注重企业家创新精神与金融机构"信用创造"的作用。     

政策管制、潜规则与林农收益的获得性研究——中南集体林区案例

近年来,在发展实践和研究领域使用获得性分析范式来解释农民增收的影响因素比产权分析有更强的解释力。使用获得性分析范式分析了政策管制和潜规则对林农收益获得性的影响。研究发现:政策管制对林农获取林业收益的获得性有不利影响;由于政策管制在地方的适应性较低而使得地方的利益受损者发展潜规则来抵制政策。林农也通过潜规则来增强获得性,同时也在这个过程中因为其它利益主体发展的潜规则而间接获得收益,另一方面,在潜规则背景下,林农的利益始终无法得到合法和合理的保障,林农的利益被过大的交易成本和社会成本所抵消,或因为中间商采取欺骗和市场垄断而受损。     

Understanding the adoption of a portfolio of sustainable intensification practices in eastern and southern Africa

This paper explores smallholder farmers’ adoption decisions of multiple sustainable intensification practices (SIPs) in eastern and southern Africa. We develop a multivariate probit model using plot-level data gathered from maize–legume farming systems in Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, and Tanzania. We find that some practices used in maize production are complementary while others are substitutable. The adoption of SIPs is influenced by social capital and networks, quality of extension services, reliance on government support during crop failure, incidence of pests and diseases, resource constraints, tenure security, education, and market access. The results provide insight into the further efforts needed to encourage greater adoption of SIPs.     

土地整治机制创新思考

我国土地整治实践中存在的问题主要体现在缺乏统一规划指导、资金投入渠道较为单一、相关部门协调配合不够、未实现全程管理且不够规范等四方面。创新土地整治机制需要：建立以地方政府为主导,各相关部门紧密配合的组织领导机制;建立以规划为龙头,各类低产低效农村用地和低丘缓坡地整治并举的工作机制;建立以制度把控为手段,土地整治各个环节科学规范运作的项目管理机制;建立以财政投入为主渠道,金融支持、市场运作和发动社会共同参与的多元化投入机制;建立以高标准基本农田建设为重点,不同类型农用地差别化建设的整治标准机制;建立以受益者管护为主体,县市规范、整治机构指导、乡镇督促、村组实施的长效管理机制。     

我国休闲农业研究新进展述评——基于农村产业融合视角

基于检索2000年以来国内文献休闲农业研究成果,梳理了学者关于休闲农业的内涵与特征、产业融合模式与业态、产业融合运作机制、发展休闲农业的制约因素研究。研究展望提出进一步研究农业多功能与休闲农业特征的关系,运用空间差异与时间动态演化的视角深化产业融合机制研究,明确案例分析适用范围和规范计量模型变量选取和问卷题项设计。     

Land tenure and management reforms in East and Southern Africa – the case of Botswana

Since attainment of independence, almost every country in East and Southern Africa has introduced some kind of land reform aimed at reconciling indigenous land tenure practices and those introduced by colonial regimes. The reforms have centred on modification of tenurial rules on access, ownership, administration and transfer of land rights coupled with land redistribution and/or restitution in some countries. With the exception of a few countries, such as Botswana, land reforms have largely remained on statute books with little to show on the ground. The paper gives an overview of land reforms in East and Southern Africa, taking Botswana as a case study. It notes that although Botswana has largely been successful in implementing land reforms, it is currently experiencing land tenure problems, especially in peri-urban settlements and inner city low-income areas, despite government's enhanced control over local land administrative structures. The paper ends with suggestions on how to contain the current problems.