Peasant agency in Ghana's oil palm sector: The impact of multiple markets on food sovereignty

This paper contributes to the debate on peasant differentiation and market integration in the food sovereignty literature by examining the smallholder‐oriented oil palm sector in Ghana's eastern region. Against the background of loosening entry barriers in global value chains, and through an analysis of farmers' different positions in palm oil's multiple markets, we witness peasant‐like patterning of production and strategic market participation among well‐situated non‐contract farmers. We propose that such interface settings where commodity relations are present, but do not penetrate fully offer valuable entry points for revisiting the role of global markets in peasant reproduction in the Global South. We consequently argue the need to replace the idealized category of “peasant” with an analytical category that can recognize social differentiation and reproduction through partial engagement with commodity markets.     

How Reliable Are Hog Futures as Forecasts?

The Chicago Mercantile Exchange hog futures contract was revamped in 1997 and it is one of the largest futures markets for a nonstorable commodity. The literature is divided on whether or not futures prices for nonstorables provide reliable forecasts of cash prices. We find that from 1998 to 2004, the hog futures market was an unbiased predictor of cash prices.     

The Role of Farmer's Behavioral Attitudes and Heterogeneity in Futures Contracts Usage

The relationship between farmers' behavioral attitudes and use of futures contracts is examined, taking into account non-directly observable variables and the heterogeneity of farmers. The relationships are tested on a stratified data sample of 440 farmers. Cluster analysis and covariance structure equation models are used to validate the relationships. Farmers are found not to be homogenous regarding the factors influencing their use of futures. Heterogeneity at the segment level masked important effects at the aggregate level, notably risk attitude. Furthermore, several psychological constructs for farmers related to market orientation, risk exposure, market performance and entrepreneurial behavior play important roles in their use of futures contracts.     

Revisiting the determinants of futures contracts success: the role of market participants

The Chicago Mercantile Exchange introduced a futures contract for distillers’ dried grains (DDGs) in early 2010, but the market became inactive only four months after its inception. While many new futures contracts do not develop into high‐volume traders, interest from DDG cash market participants indicated that this contract could be successful. Prompted by the unexpected lack of trading activity in this new futures market, we empirically revisit the question of what factors contribute to a futures contract's success and extend the literature by investigating the roles of market participants and the significance of supporting futures markets. Estimation results indicate that the market participant type—hedger or speculator—affects futures contract trade volume. More importantly, we find that the viability of new futures contracts for commodities that are jointly produced with other commodities is impacted by hedgers’ trade volume of the related futures contract. These results provide important additions into the portfolio of indicators used by commodity exchanges to more cost‐effectively evaluate new futures contract products.     

小农户参与现代农业行为的影响因素——基于甘肃348户农户调查分析

目的 实现小农户与现代农业发展有机衔接是我国农业现代化建设的重要内容。方法 文章基于解构计划行为理论,利用甘肃省348户农户调查数据,采用多群组结构方程模型分析小农户参与现代农业行为的影响因素。结果 （1）小农户参与现代农业行为意愿模型中,农户家庭禀赋是最主要的影响因素,行为态度、感知行为控制次之,交易费用和主观规范的影响力最小。（2）小农户参与现代农业的意愿显著正向影响参与行为。（3）感知绩效对小农户行为态度的影响强于感知风险;小农户对同伴的信任度明显高于对上级政府和村集体的信任度;缔约条件对小农户参与意愿的影响更有效,农户较为重视进入门槛高低;劳动力数量、农户受教育水平以及对收购产品中介的熟悉程度对小农户行为意愿均具有重要影响。（4）多群组分析得出不同类型小农户参与现代农业意愿与行为的影响因素存在显著差异;家庭禀赋对自给型、兼业型和退出型农户的参与意愿具有显著的负向影响,对发展型农户参与意愿具有显著的正向影响;行为态度、主观规范、感知行为控制等变量对不同类型小农户参与意愿与行为存在显著的正向影响,且这些变量在不同类型农户参与现代农业意愿与行为路径中具有调节效应。结论 要加强现代农业宣传力度,改善农户行为态度;积极营造社会氛围,发挥周围人群的示范效应;提供技术、资金以及市场信息支持,增强农户对现代农业的掌控力;大力培育和发展新型农业经营主体,为小农户融入现代农业设计差异化的政策支持体系。     

Time‐varying Hedge Ratios: A Principal‐agent Approach

We use the classic agency model to derive a time‐varying optimal hedge ratio for low‐frequency time‐series data: the type of data used by crop farmers when deciding about production and about their hedging strategy. Rooted in the classic agency framework, the proposed hedge ratio reflects the context of both the crop farmer's decision and the crop farmer's contractual relationships in the marketing channel. An empirical illustration of the Dutch ware potato sector and its futures market in Amsterdam over the period 1971–2003 reveals that the time‐varying optimal hedge ratio decreased from 0.34 in 1971 to 0.24 in 2003. The hedging effectiveness, according to this ratio, is 39%. These estimates conform better with farmers’ interest in using futures contracts for hedging purposes than the much higher estimates obtained when price risk minimisation is the only objective considered.     

乡村旅游地农户亲环境行为采纳意愿及影响因素分析以测土配方施肥为例

[目的]面对日益突出的农业面源污染及耕地质量下降问题,乡村旅游地的地域生态优势对于国家推进生态文明建设具有重要意义,积极引导农户采用亲环境行为已成为实现农业可持续发展的内在需求。[方法]文章基于江西省婺源县317份调研数据,采用多元线性回归模型,以农户采纳测土配方施肥亲环境行为的意愿作为研究主体,并分析意愿的影响因素。[结果](1)农户对测土配方施肥采纳意愿较高。(2)农户个体特征中农户年龄;家庭禀赋中家庭总人口变量;认知特征中推行必要性、风险认知、技术认知变量;社会网络中种植大户、乡村精英及合作社变量;外部环境因素中政府技术支持、市场价格及游客交流均对农户测土配方施肥采纳意愿有显著影响。[结论]应积极推动乡村旅游地农民专业合作社发展,对农户进行技能培训,积极培育年轻一代农户对提高农户亲环境行为采纳意愿具有重要意义。     

Futures markets and price stabilisation: An analysis of soybeans markets in North America

The objective of this paper was to determine whether the futures markets have a stabilising or destabilising impact on soybean's spot prices in North America. Directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) are used to test for causality between futures prices, spot prices and ending stocks, followed by time series econometric analysis. The DAGs point to the two-way causal link between futures and spot prices and a lack of a causal link between inventory/stocks and spot price volatility. Time series results, including cointegration, vector error correction, impulse response and variance decomposition analysis, indicate a large impact from futures markets on the level and volatility of soybean spot prices in both the short and long run. These results have potentially important implications, as the impact of commodity price volatility is typically asymmetric across different actors. Farmers, for example, unlike speculators, utilise price risk management (PRM) instruments such as futures markets to mitigate price risks and appear to suffer from intensified volatility precisely because of their use of these instruments. Therefore, additional policies to cope with commodity price volatility, such as direct price controls or mitigation of consequences, can have critical stabilising functions supporting farmers' welfare and regional (rural) development.     

农资市场规范性感知对农户测土配方施肥技术采纳的影响

目的 农资市场经营的不规范极易引起农户对技术的认知偏差。为此探究农资市场规范性感知、技术认知和农户测土配方施肥技术采纳行为间的关系,为明晰农户技术采纳行为机制提供借鉴。方法 文章通过二元Logit模型和中介效应模型,利用鄂、赣、浙3省790份水稻种植户的微观调研数据进行实证分析。结果 （1）农资市场规范性感知能促进农户测土配方施肥技术采纳,农户的农资市场规范性感知每提高一个单位,测土配方施肥技术采纳率将增加8.6%。（2）技术易用性认知对农户测土配方施肥技术采纳行为产生了正向影响,而技术有用性认知对农户测土配方肥技术采纳行为的影响则并不显著。（3）农户技术认知在农资市场规范性感知和测土配方施肥技术采纳行为之间发挥中介作用,农户的农资市场规范性感知不仅直接影响测土配方施肥技术采纳,还间接通过提升技术易用性认知,进一步促进农户测土配方施肥技术采纳。结论 对此,应加强测土配方肥市场监管,减少因市场经营不规范而引致的农户技术认知偏差,同时提高农户的技术易用性和有用性认知,促进测土配方施肥技术的推广应用。     

农户高效低毒农药施用行为影响因素及差异性分析基于冀、鲁、豫3省598份西瓜甜瓜种植户的调研数据

目的 通过构建市场、政府、社会3个维度的理论分析框架,文章探究了农户高效低毒农药施用行为的影响因素并进行了差异性分析,以期为高效低毒农药的有效推广提供理论参考。方法 基于冀、鲁、豫3省598份调研数据,运用Logistic模型进行实证研究。结果 （1）绿色认证、政府补贴、技术培训、与农资店员的交流程度均能正向影响农户施用行为。（2）不同种植规模、不同种植年限、不同技术认知限定下,影响农户高效低毒农药施用行为的因素存在差异。小规模种植限定下,绿色认证对农户的高效低毒农药施用行为具有正向影响;短期种植限定下,与农资店员的交流越频繁农户越有可能施用高效低毒农药;不认可高效低毒农药重要性限定下,进行过绿色认证、与农资店员交流程度的提高可以引发农户的施用行为;而政府补贴、技术培训则始终是影响农户行为的重要因素。结论 因此建议引导农户积极进行绿色认证、拓宽政府补贴的范围、扩大技术培训渠道、促进农户与农资店员的常态化交流、实施差异化的激励措施。     

Pesticide‐handling practices: the case of coffee growers in Papua New Guinea

Pesticide mismanagement potentially has high risks for farmers, households living in the community and the environment. In Papua New Guinea where farming is the primary occupation, there is evidence of dangerous herbicide application methods being used by coffee growers. Using original survey data for coffee smallholders from four provinces, we assess the factors driving farmers' use of personal protective equipment when preparing and applying herbicides, and farmers' disposal of agro‐chemical containers. We control for households' demographic variables and measure the impact of farmers' training in pest and disease management. We use the special regressor method to estimate binary choice models featuring an endogenous binary regressor (training). Our results show that human capital (education) and training are important drivers of farmers' pesticide‐handling practices, with marginal effects estimated at 10 and 22 per cent, respectively.     

生猪养殖户从众行为存在性及形成机制研究以四川省1 127家养殖户仔猪补栏为例

[目的]多数养殖户在经营管理上往往注重短期利益,对生猪市场变化的反映是趋同的,容易在价格上涨时"一哄而上",在价格下跌时"一哄而下",这种从众行为对生猪供给造成了巨大冲击,不利于生猪生产和猪肉供给的稳定。[方法]文章以四川省12个生猪调出大县1 127个生猪养殖户为调查对象,运用二元Logistic回归法,构建了从众行为的检验模型,研究了养殖户仔猪补栏中的从众行为及其形成机制。[结果](1)养殖户仔猪补栏中存在明显的从众行为,即养殖户仔猪补栏决策明显受到其他生猪养殖者生产行为的影响;(2)从众行为服从逻辑追随律和先内后外律。当其他生猪养殖者生产效益越好时,养殖户仔猪补栏的从众行为越明显;生产规模相同的养殖户之间从众行为亦更为明显;(3)信息获取性从众和投机性从众是引起从众行为形成的内在原因;(4)生产规模及养殖技术对从众行为存在重要影响。[结论]厘清了养殖户生产中出现"一哄而上,一哄而下"群体性行为的原因,为理解生猪养殖者从众行为及生猪价格形成机制提供新的视角,丰富了农户行为及农产品价格形成机制的研究成果。     

基于选择实验法的农户秸秆资源化利用政策偏好研究

目的 秸秆资源化利用是促进农业经济增长和缓解环境污染的重要措施。方法 文章基于选择实验法和山东省978个农户调研数据,对农户秸秆资源化利用政策偏好问题进行研究。结果 （1）随着农户经营规模增加,其对秸秆进行资源化利用意愿将不断增强,小规模、中规模和大规模农户选择“愿意”的比重分别为54.9%、77.7%和82.8%。（2）秸秆禁烧政策、农户直接补贴、技术培训和完善市场等政策能显著提高农户秸秆资源化利用率。（3）是否参加合作社、便利性认知、污染认知、政策认知和资源化利用意愿对农户秸秆处理行为有显著影响。（4）不同规模农户对秸秆资源化利用政策偏好优先序存在较大差异。其中,小规模农户对农户直接补贴的接受意愿最高,其次为技术培训;中规模农户对农机购置补贴的接受意愿最高,其次为技术培训;大规模农户对完善市场的接受意愿最高,其次为农机购置补贴。结论 要提升农户秸秆资源化利用积极性,必须制定多元化、综合性的秸秆资源化利用政策,同时强化对农户的技术培训和设备支持。     

Profession and residency matter: Farmers' preferences for farmland price regulation in Germany

Local farmers' preferences for farmland price regulations in competitive markets have not been studied systematically. We investigate farmers' preferences in Germany, where recent price increases have driven calls for regulatory changes. The results of an online vignette experiment show that farmers prefer stricter regulation against the admission of non-local (but even more so of non-farmer) land buyers. Our analysis also shows that local farmers' preferences are motivated primarily by self-interest rather than adherence to principles. We conclude that most farmers prefer price regulations that consider their particular concerns about increasing competition in Germany.     

Determinants of the Willingness of Belgian Farmers to Participate in Agri‐environmental Measures

This paper explores the willingness of Belgian farmers to participate in two voluntary agri‐environmental policies. Farmers' contingent behaviour is analysed on the basis of survey data. Derivations based on a conceptual micro‐economic model indicate that decision subject and decision maker characteristics are important for farmers' participation. The model is empirically tested through the specification and estimation of a probit model. Consistency is found between the theoretical framework and the empirical results indicating that both the expected effect on farm production and the farmers' environmental attitude, which is more positive among younger and better educated farmers, are significant determinants of the acceptance rate of agri‐environmental policies. Other variables which influence participation decisions are farm size and previous experience of farmers themselves or of neighbouring farmers with agri‐environmental measures.     

Finding optimal price risk management instruments: the case of the Spanish potato sector

This article offers a comprehensive analysis of the problem of choosing between alternative market risk management instruments. We model farmers' behavior to optimize the certainty equivalent, formulated by a mean–variance model, by combining instruments with and without basis risk. Results are expressed as the demands for hedging with futures, forward contracts and insurance. Theoretical results are applied to a selection of Spanish producers of fresh potatoes, a sector that is exposed to significant market risks. Amsterdam's Euronext provides potato futures prices, and the recently launched revenue insurance in Spain provides the example for price insurance. Three conclusions summarize the article's main findings. First, we show that Spanish potato revenue insurance subsidies are a factor that determines the instrument rankings and choice. Second, the efficiency of insurance subsidies is generally low. Finally, the Amsterdam potato futures market does not provide a cost‐effective means to manage price risks for Spanish fresh potato growers.     

Commodity futures markets: a survey

This review article describes the main contributions in the literature on commodity futures markets. It is argued that modern studies have focused primarily on technical questions, with insufficient economic content. More research needs to be directed towards understanding fundamental economic issues such as why so few farmers hedge, the impacts of government farm programs on commodity futures, and the market impacts of commodity pools. The literature has failed to explain the prevalence of inverted markets in grains and oilseeds, and there is unexplainable price volatility in markets such as hogs and orange juice.     

A speculative bubble in commodity futures prices? Cross‐sectional evidence

Recent accusations against speculators in general and long-only commodity index funds in particular include: increasing market volatility, distorting historical price relationships, and fueling a rapid increase and decrease in the level of commodity prices. Some researchers have argued that these market participants—through their impact on market prices—may have inadvertently prevented the efficient distribution of food aid to deserving groups. Certainly, this result—if substantiated—would counter the classical argument that speculators make prices more efficient and thus improve the economic efficiency of the food marketing system. Given the very important policy implications, it is crucial to develop a more thorough understanding of long-only index funds and their potential market impact. Here, we review the criticisms (and rebuttals) levied against (and for) commodity index funds in recent U.S. Congressional testimonies. Then, additional empirical evidence is added regarding cross-sectional market returns and the relative levels of long-only index fund participation in 12 commodity futures markets. The empirical results provide scant evidence that long-only index funds impact returns across commodity futures markets.     

A study of economic efficiency of Iranian farmers in Ramjerd district: an application of stochastic programming

An extension of utility-efficient programming to the non-linear discrete stochastic programming method was developed and used in the analysis of the economic efficiency of a sample of farmers in Iran. The results indicate that it would be feasible to increase substantially farmers' total net revenue by increasing their economic efficiency in terms of technical and allocative efficiencies. The study further suggested that risk aversion plays an important role in farmers' behaviour. The sample farmers are risk averse and hence are likely to trade higher expected profits for lower risk. Understanding this characteristic is important for interventions intended to raise farm productivity and efficiency.     

Expectations,supply response,and marketing boards: An example from Kenya

Whether farmers form price expectations adaptively or in a forward-looking manner has implications for supply response analysis and for the implementation of agricultural policy reform. This paper examines the formation of price expectations by Kenyan export-crop farmers who market their produce through a monopsonistic parastatal. The analysis allows for relaxation of the small-country assumption within a rational expectations framework. Production behavior is consistent with expectations of future prices based on indicators of aggregate supply and of the marketing board's purchasing capacity. The finding that price forecasts may be formed using information other than previous price levels implies that marketing reforms that raise prices may not raise the relevant price expectations. To elicit a positive supply response, market reforms should be sensitive to farmers' interpretation of institutional signals as well as previous prices.