The influence of land-use change paradigm on Romania’s agro-food trade competitiveness—An overview

The current transformations of the Romanian agricultural sector have imposed new paradigms in using the land resources. The objective of this study is to assess Romanian agro-food products competitiveness on world market, in terms of land use changing paradigms. The research question is whether the land is cultivated with crops which are competitive on world market. For assessing agro-food competitiveness, Balassa index is calculated. The findings show relative performance for barley, maize, triticale, wheat, poultry meat, oilseeds, and tobacco. But the areas cultivated with barley and wheat decreased in the period under analysis, although these products have highest relative performance of exports. The paper also proposes structural changes of land use needed for encouraging those crops and products which have high revealed comparative advantages on world markets.     

加快农业税制改革 减轻农民负担

减轻农民负担的政策效果不理想，其根源在于“税轻费重”的体制性障碍，“农业税制失衡”的结构性障碍和人们的“轻税=低负担”的观念性障碍，要切实减轻农民负担应改费立税，加快农业税制的改革。     

关于我国农业可持续发展的若干思考

农业可持续发展的理念是对传统的农业现代化思路的否定，它要求逐步改变形成于计划经济时代的旧的生产经营体制，这是一项长期，杂复和艰巨的任务，我们必须为此作不懈的努力。     

以农业技术进步为主线的农业科技园区的制度创新

我国要实现加快农业结构调整、提高农业整体效益、增加农民收入、改善生态环境、加速农业产业化进程目标就必须依靠推进农业技术进步和加强科技引导与示范。农业科技园区的生命力就在于对农业技术进步的巨大促进作用,即以农业技术进步为主线的农业科技园区的制度创新的带动作用:①农业科技体制创新;②农业生产经营制度的创新即农业产业化。     

关于农村税费改革的回顾与思考

通过安徽省近三年的试点,农村税费改革大大减轻了农民的负担,规范了税费的征管,进一步改善了农村党群干群关系,取得了积极的成效,但农村税费改革仍是初步的,还存在不少矛盾和问题。因此,必须按照“巩固、规范、完善、配套”的要求,进一步加大对农业、农村的投入,调动基层干部的积极性,把减轻农民的负担作为治本之策。     

非保护价粮食收购资金供应与管理的思考

农业发展银行对国有粮食购销企业非保护价粮食品种提供贷款，在按照“库贷挂钩，以销定贷，以效定贷”的大原则下，还应遵循谨慎性、效益性、差异性原则，并要慎重选择支持的粮食品种。对非保护价粮食贷款实行商业化管理势在必行。     

Agricultural taxation in developing countries: a survey of issues and policy

This study surveys the experience of agricultural taxation in developing countries in the context of the ongoing policy debate about the tax structure and administration affecting agricultural producers. Using the examples of a number of countries, it analyzes the conceptual and practical problems associated with different tax regimes. Governments in most countries have reduced indirect (export) taxes on agricultural producers. However, the revenue from direct taxes on farmers has not increased. A major problem in most countries has been the measurement of (actual) agricultural income. Different measures for presumed income have been used with varying success. They seem to have the most potential for increased revenue in many countries, but their effective implementation is constrained by the political and administrative considerations.     

Agricultural higher education in transforming Central and Eastern Europe

The paper discusses the major changes necessary for the agricultural higher education system in Central and Eastern Europe, including the former Soviet Union, to meet the challenges created by overall reforms in the food and agricultural sector as well as the adjustment of the global system of agricultural education. The issues arising from the need for reforms in the agricultural education system are presented in an overview of the inherited features of the system, an assessment of the current situation, a status report on the reform attempts and a discussion of the critical issues for the future.     

Evaluating the use of an environmental assurance program to address pollution from United States cropland

Voluntary market-based programs have been proposed as cost-effective means to reduce environmental impacts associated with agriculture. This study examines a relatively new program in Michigan USA, the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP), and explores how it might serve to reduce nutrient pollution associated with intensive corn production. Interviews with corn farmers were used to explore reasons for program participation, the extent of management changes, and opinions regarding program effectiveness. Results indicate that most farmers enrolled in the program had already satisfied the majority of the requirements, therefore few changes were made that would result in environmental improvements. Interviews also revealed that in almost all cases, corn farmers were unable to market their products as MAEAP verified. Participation was largely driven by goals to avoid law enforcement and minor financial benefits through insurance discounts. Farmers indicated that a lack of monitoring and enforcement reduced the perceived effectiveness of the program. Most farmers favored direct payments through government conservation programs over MAEAP. This case illustrates the limitations of voluntary and market-based programs to address agri-environmental problems and supports the use of multiple policy approaches.     

An assessment of market-based approaches to providing ecosystem services on agricultural lands

Market-based approaches are increasingly being advocated as tools for achieving the conservation of ecosystem services. We examine the reasons why markets so far appear to have failed to provide an efficient allocation of many ecosystem services, and identify the conditions under which markets deliver efficient resource allocation. We discuss different forms of market-based approaches to ecosystem services and identify the characteristics of services that make them better suited to one or another of these approaches. We find that lack of low-cost measurability and valuation currently precludes efficient allocation of many ecosystem services through market-based approaches. Still, some forms of market-based approaches hold promise for cost-effectively managing some ecosystem services provided by and to agricultural lands. In many cases some form of well-designed government involvement will be required to seek outcomes that protect the public interest.