Impact of the alternate wetting and drying (AWD) water-saving irrigation technique: Evidence from rice producers in the Philippines

This article evaluates the impacts of a controlled irrigation technique in rice production called alternate wetting and drying (AWD). Propensity score matching (PSM) and regression-based approaches applied to farm-level survey data are used to achieve the objective of the study. The PSM and regression-based approach accounts for the potential bias due to selection problems from observable variables. Results of the impact analysis using both empirical approaches indicate that AWD, particularly the “Safe AWD” variant, reduces the hours of irrigation use (by about 38%), without a statistically significant reduction in yields and profits. This reduction in irrigation time translates to corresponding savings in the amount of irrigation water and pumping energy used. However, further analysis of the impact estimates suggests that the potential magnitude of the selection bias based on unobservable variables may still be able to eliminate the measured impact from the PSM and regression-based techniques that only control for selection based on observable variables. Hence, the current impact results have to be interpreted with caution and further data collection is needed to construct a panel data that would allow one to account for selection problems due to unobservable variables and, consequently, better estimate the AWD impact.     

Pathways to reduce the environmental footprints of water and energy inputs in food production

With climate change and population growth, the pathways for reducing the environmental footprint of food production are increasingly sought, but poorly understood. This paper sketches the environmental footprints of water and energy use in food production systems. The main objective is to present an empirical application, to help identify the main pathways to reducing the footprints. The agricultural system of rice, wheat, and barley production on selected farms in the southern Murray Darling Basin in Australia is used as a case study. Further insights are gained through a review of the data published in pre eminent journals. Together the analysis indicates that boosting water productivity and improving energy use efficiency in crop production operations are the two possible pathways to reducing the environmental footprints of water and energy inputs in food production. These generic conclusions have implications for water, food and environment policy.     

Science,practice and the System of Rice Intensification in Indian agriculture

The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) is claimed to be a novel approach to rice cultivation that is both more productive and more sustainable than conventional methods. Such claims have been challenged or dismissed by many rice scientists, however. Despite the lack of clear and unequivocal endorsement by science, SRI seems to have spread widely and rather quickly to many rice-growing regions, including various areas of India. This paper discusses how and considers why SRI seems to have attracted the support of diverse stakeholders in Indian rice farming. As such, the SRI phenomenon should be taken seriously. Nevertheless, many scientific questions remain to be answered, concerning the biophysical mechanisms involved in SRI and their effects on plant performance and crop yields, the true spread of SRI practices among farmers and the system’s impacts on farm livelihoods, rice production and resource use. Indian enthusiasm for SRI implies a level of dissatisfaction with conventional approaches to rice intensification and a demand for new methods that can address the perceived problems and challenges of agriculture in the future.     

An examination of the influence of guanxi and xinyong (utilization of personal trust) on negotiation outcome in China: An old friend approach

Managers of multi-national enterprises (MNEs) are at a disadvantage in negotiating outcomes with their Chinese counterparts when compared to local competitors. The reasons include: local competitors are more flexible in handling business terms and conditions; local Chinese managers prefer to negotiate with their old friends or insiders in the same guanxi network; and MNE managers perceive that cultural practices such as gift-giving and guanxi are problematic. This study advances our understanding of negotiation by using a model developed for the reference of MNEs to establish an “old friend” relational status with their local Chinese counterparts. This approach emphasizes cultural adaptation for MNE managers to achieve satisfying negotiation outcomes in China.The study reveals the following unique issues: 1) in addition to their problem-solving attitude, MNE managers should practice mianzi and gift-giving to build renqing with their Chinese counterparts at a new friend stage; 2) the reciprocity dynamics of renqing should enable these managers to accumulate ganqing and to become old friends of their Chinese counterparts; 3) the establishment of ganqing between MNE managers and their Chinese counterparts should enable the development of xinyong between the two exchange parties; and 4) desirable negotiation outcomes can be built on xinyong.