Livelihood improvement and sustainable natural resource utilization are among the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals;however,most farm households either randomly select or just imitate livelihood strategies ...Livelihood improvement and sustainable natural resource utilization are among the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals;however,most farm households either randomly select or just imitate livelihood strategies being practiced in other areas.As the livelihoods of farm households are vulnerable to several challenges in ecologically fragile areas,identifying the livelihood strategies of farm households in arid and semi-arid areas will help for promoting both livelihood security and environmental conservation.Hence,in this study,we constructed a sustainable evaluation index system for the livelihood of farmers in the Loess Plateau region of China by conducting field research and interviews.We employed the composite index method to measure the livelihood capital and the livelihood strategies chosen by farmers,and then analyzed the resource endowment of farmers under different livelihood strategies using logistic regression and structural equation modeling.The results revealed that under the combined influences of livelihood capital and government policy,farm households in the Loess Plateau region selected agro-dependent,agro-pastoral,agro-industrial,non-agricultural livelihood strategies.The key factors influencing the selection of these household livelihood strategies included the household labor capacity,the farmland owned per household,the number of livestock,and the grassland forage-supply ratio.The grassland forage-supply ratio was a crucial factor influencing the choice between agricultural and non-agricultural livelihood strategies.In this context,the grassland forage-supply ratio increased with the stocking rate.However,once the stocking rate exceeded 56.5 sheep/hm^(2),the grassland forage-supply ratio no longer increased rapidly under the agriculture-based livelihood strategy.The strategy of ecological resource conservation and moderate utilization based on the quality and quantity of natural resources ensures win-win benefits for the environment and human well-being in arid and semi-arid areas.Moderate grazing therefore has the potential to improve farmers’livelihoods without causing grassland degradation.These results contribute to the synergistic co-adaptation of livelihood improvement and ecological conservation in arid and semi-arid areas.展开更多
Reasons for the initiation of farming systems/participatory approaches in non-Green Revolution（i.e., in more heterogeneous and less favourable production environments） areas in low-income countries is followed by a ...Reasons for the initiation of farming systems/participatory approaches in non-Green Revolution（i.e., in more heterogeneous and less favourable production environments） areas in low-income countries is followed by a discussion of their evolution.Four phases are described along, with a brief description of some of the significant methods in which farmer participation has been sought, accessed and evaluated.They enabled/facilitated the evolutionary process.Although, over the last 40 years there has been a progress in making small-scale farmers much more visible in driving the agricultural research/development agenda through using the four basic stages embodied in the farming systems approach（i.e., descriptive, diagnosis, testing/evaluation and finally dissemination）, much still needs to be done.This leads on to a discussion as to some of the barriers still inhibiting true farmer empowerment and why further, such empowerment is imperative, if the agricultural challenges of this century are to be addressed successfully, namely substantially increasing agricultural productivity in an ecologically sustainable manner.Given the heterogeneity of the production environments and that many identified improvements are likely to be incremental rather than revolutionary in nature, this will require farmers＇ intimate involvement in their identification, evaluation and dissemination.Discussion in the paper recognizes that there is increasing globalization/commercialization of agriculture and is predicated on the need to consider the whole farmer-research-development continuum involving multiple stakeholders（i.e., farmers, scientists, extension workers, input/output service providers and policymakers）.Such a continuum has been explicitly recognized in the operational plans for the recently reformed international agricultural research（i.e., CGIAR） system.The paper concludes with a short discussion on the potential role of formal modelling.展开更多
Commercial farming of anuran species that are declining in the wild raises a need to discriminate wild from farmed frogs.We hypothesized wild frogs might have extended hindlimbs due to greater frequency or intensity o...Commercial farming of anuran species that are declining in the wild raises a need to discriminate wild from farmed frogs.We hypothesized wild frogs might have extended hindlimbs due to greater frequency or intensity of jumping relative to farmed frogs,highlighting a morphometric approach to discrimination of wild from farmed frogs using hindlimb length.In the present study,Dybowski＇s frog（Rana dybowskii） was used to test this hypothesis.We measured body mass（Mb） and hindlimb length（Lh） of 2-year old farmed frogs and wild frogs aged 2 to 5 years.Dybowski＇s frog demonstrated significant dimorphism in Mb and Lh.Mb was significantly greater among farmed 2-year old frogs in both sexes（p=0.000）,while only among females was Lh significantly greater for wild frogs（p=0.000）.Lh/Mb was used as an index for origin discrimination to eliminate the influence of Mb due to variation of husbandry conditions among farms.Mean Lh/Mb for farmed frogs was significantly lower than for wild frogs（p=0.000） in the 2-year old age class.Discrimination correctly classified 84.4% of farmed and 96.3% of wild male frogs.Among females,92.9% of farmed frogs and 90.1% wild frogs were correctly classified.The overall correctness of classification was 92.1% and 90.8% for males and females,respectively.However,Lh/Mb revealed variation with age,resulting in reduced discriminative power for frogs ≥3 years old.We introduced a coefficient Ce to adjust the Lh/Mb of frogs ≥3 years to the level equivalent to 2-year frogs.The adjustment achieved 89.5% for overall correctness of origin for wild males and 92.4% for wild females ≥3 years old.These results show that Lh/Mb is an effective index to discriminate wild from farmed Dybowski＇s frog.Since the physical demands of jumping are common among anurans,this index is also potentially applicable to other anuran species.展开更多
Information of the difference in quality between farmed and wild fish is central to better ensuring fish products produced in aquaculture meet regulatory and consumer requirements. Proximate composition, amino acid an...Information of the difference in quality between farmed and wild fish is central to better ensuring fish products produced in aquaculture meet regulatory and consumer requirements. Proximate composition, amino acid and fatty acid profiles, and toxic elements contents of fanned and wild Chanodichthys mongolicus were established and compared. Significantly higher crude protein content while lower moisture content in farmed fish compared to wild fish were observed （P〈0.05）. The percentages of total amino acids （TAA）, total essential amino acids （TEAA）, total non-essential amino acids （TNEAA） and total delicious amino acids （TDAA） in farmed fish were all significantly higher than those in the wild equivalent （P〈0.05）. Compared to the FAO/WHO recommended reference values, the ratios of TEAA/ TAA （39.84%o-40.33%） were comparable to 40% and TEAA / TNEAA （66.22%-67.60%） were above 60%. Fatty acid profiles in both farmed and wild C. mongolicus were dominated by monounsaturated fatty acid （MUFA）, with farmed fish contained much more MUFA content compared to wild counterpart （P〈0.05）. Notably, wild fish exhibited significantly higher levels of total polyunsaturated fatty acid （PUFA） including eicosapentaenoic acid （EPA） and docosahexaenoic acid （DHA） than fanned fish （P〈0.05）. The EPA （C20：503） and linoleic acid （C18：206） were the predominant PUFA in wild and farmed C. mongolicus, respectively. Moreover, farmed fish displayed an overall lower toxic element levels （As, Cd, Pb and Hg） in comparison with wild fish, and both were far lower than the established limit standard. In conclusion, our results suggest that the nutritional quality of fanned C. mongolicus was inferior to their wild counterpart with respect to fatty acids nutrition, and therefore further studies should focus on the improving C. mongolicus diet in order to enhance the overall nutritional composition.展开更多
This pilot study documented the occurrence and levels of brominated flame retardants in the tissues of farmed and wild salmon in southern Chile.Samples of Coho salmon and rainbow trout were obtained from fish farms,ri...This pilot study documented the occurrence and levels of brominated flame retardants in the tissues of farmed and wild salmon in southern Chile.Samples of Coho salmon and rainbow trout were obtained from fish farms,rivers and lakes in the Patagonia in Aysen Region,Chile.The samples were analyzed by Gas Chromatography Negative Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometry for the different polybrominated diphenyl ether（PBDE） congeners.Contaminants were observed in all the samples,and the congeners BDE 17,28,47 and 66 were observed in all both farmed and wild samples.The concentrations were higher in the farmed Coho salmon,presenting significant differences with wild salmon.The levels reached 182 pg/g wet weight（ww） vs.120 ww.In the case of the rainbow trout,the concentrations were lower,although the congener profile was quite similar.The levels reached an average of 100 pg/g ww in the farmed fish versus 110 pg/g ww in wild fish,and no significant difference was observed between the species.In both species,the congener with the highest concentration was BDE 47.Based on this information,the BDE ？ow was estimated for commerce,which is a form of pollutant transport not usually considered in POP pollution studies.A preliminary estimation indicated that the quantity of PBDEs mobilized by commerce was in the order of kg,and in the case of Chile might reach almost 1 kg.展开更多
With diversity in farming systems, crop residues, animal wastes and management practices are often not well managed, and most of it is left on the soil surface. This practice is common, especially among smallholder fa...With diversity in farming systems, crop residues, animal wastes and management practices are often not well managed, and most of it is left on the soil surface. This practice is common, especially among smallholder farmers (SHFs). There is no updated record of commonly used waste management practices. Our study focused on smallholder farmers in two farming systems in Masaka and Lyantonde Districts respectively, and with the objective to determine smallholder waste management practices in relation to farm waste components. Using a sample survey, quantitative data were collected from 120 SHFs representing 10.1% of the total SHF population in the Masaka while 120 SHFs provided data and represented 17.4% of the total SHF population in Lyantonde. Our result revealed that for animal waste, Goat slurry 20.4%, dominated the rest in Lyantonde, while in Masaka Pig slurry 23.6%, was dominant. For crop waste in Lyantonde, Bean trashes 12.9%, dominated, while in Masaka Banana leaves and peelings 11.1%, were dominant. In Lyantonde, common waste management practices were: Surface deposition 41.2%, Burning 18.4% Composting 17.3%, Burying 9.4%, Removal 10.9% and Recycling 2.8%. In Masaka, common practices were: Surface deposition 40.9%, Burning 18.6% Composting 13.2%, Burrying 12.3%, Removal 6.2% and Recycling 8.8%. Factors affecting choice of waste management practices by SHFs were: Age, purpose of waste product, season, quantity of the wastes, waste management policy awareness, farmer’s commitment and economic status of the farmer. Greenhouse gas emission for identified waste management practices across the two Districts shall be determined in our next study.展开更多
This study was intended to understand how smallholder farmers’modifications improved agroforestry technologies’usability in Uganda’s Mt.Elgon region.We used a case study approach to understand how smallholder farm...This study was intended to understand how smallholder farmers’modifications improved agroforestry technologies’usability in Uganda’s Mt.Elgon region.We used a case study approach to understand how smallholder farmers’contextual realities informed their modifications and enhanced the usability of agroforestry technologies.Data was collected over four months of frequent and regular interaction with the cases using formal and informal methods that included in-depth interviews,conversations,discussions,and direct observations.Emerging themes and patterns were identified from the comprehensively reduced data.In addition,respondents’direct quotes were used to emphasize the reasons for the modifications.The findings showed that smallholder farmers modified the recommended technologies to suit their biophysical and socio-economic realities.Differences and similarities in modifications existed among cases across the agroforestry technologies.The modifications were mainly done to diversify tree uses,optimize space utilization,and minimize production costs for farming households.These findings imply a need to critically examine the smallholder farmers’modifications to make agroforestry technologies applicable and compliant to their contexts.This will inform the re-invention of technologies that will quickly diffuse into the community for broader impact.Findings also emphasize the need to rethink the linear model of technology transfer mainly applied in agroforestry technology development and dissemination because it offers limited space for the much-needed feedback from smallholder farmers.展开更多
Through analyzing current situations of newspapers about agriculture,countryside and farmers and problems impairing development of these newspapers,this paper presents constructive recommendations for combination with...Through analyzing current situations of newspapers about agriculture,countryside and farmers and problems impairing development of these newspapers,this paper presents constructive recommendations for combination with NIE project at operational level.In China,NIE project should not copy foreign experience,but should proceed from rural realities,expend its intension and enrich its extension,and extend coverage of newspaper to all levels in rural areas.In addition,it is recommended to explore new approaches and find a new development road of newspapers about agriculture,countryside and farmers through transforming the publishing mode.展开更多
Seasonal variations in serological profiles and growth status of farmed and wild Clarias gariepinus were investigated. Serological profiles of Clarias gariepinus can be an effective tool for proper monitoring of stres...Seasonal variations in serological profiles and growth status of farmed and wild Clarias gariepinus were investigated. Serological profiles of Clarias gariepinus can be an effective tool for proper monitoring of stress induced by management practices in intensive fish culture, which may elicit devastating effect on fish. Spectrophotometry procedures were used to analyze serum parameters of Clarias gariepinus. No different seasonal patterns were observed for mean values of albumin, total protein, urea, cholesterol, glucose and alanine amino-transferase. However, aspartate amino-transferase showed different seasonal pattern. Levels of cholesterol and alanine amino-transferase were highly significant in farmed and wild fish, separately. Juvenile fish had high level of urea irrespective of season. Seasonal variations in water quality parameters were observed except for pH which had no seasonal pattern. The growth exponential shows b-values between -0.048 and 7.434 for Clarias gariepinus. Adult female and juvenile fish from the wild had the highest b-value and the least b-value, separately. In this study, b-values were higher in the wild fish than the farmed fish. The condition factor for Clarias gariepinus ranged from 0.422 to 0.698, and was observed to be high in juvenile fish. With a condition factor less than 1, fish may not be doing well, probably due to environmental stress. Some serological parameters varied according to season and environment of fish. Thus, serological profile of fish is an effective and sensitive tool to monitor fish response to stress factors in the environment.展开更多
China's extensive development model of pig industry gives rise to serious resource and environment bottleneck restriction,it is urgent to transform the existing development model into ecological farming model. In ...China's extensive development model of pig industry gives rise to serious resource and environment bottleneck restriction,it is urgent to transform the existing development model into ecological farming model. In this process,farmers' behavior will play a key role. On the basis of summarizing development connotation and characteristics of ecological agriculture,using survey data of 323 pig farmers in 6 provinces,based on the Theory of Planned Behavior( TPB) it introduced individual characteristics and external environment constraint variables,and made an empirical analysis on factors influencing intention and behavior of pig farmers' ecological farming using the Structural Equation Model( SEM). Results indicate:( i) ecological farming intention of pig farmers has the largest direct effect on their ecological farming behavior;( ii)ecological farming cognition of pig farmers has significant positive effect on their ecological farming behavior;( iii) external environment has the largest indirect effect on their ecological farming behavior,followed by the overall effect,and external environment has significant positive effect on ecological farming attitude and cognition of pig farmers;( iv) individual characteristics( educational level and income level) of pig farmers influence ecological farming behavior of pig farmers through their ecological farming attitude and intention,but the degree of influence is limited.展开更多
Coffee (Coffea canephora) is the principal cash crop and the country’s largest agricultural foreign revenue earner in Uganda. Previous surveys confirmed that coffee grown in central Uganda was largely depending on be...Coffee (Coffea canephora) is the principal cash crop and the country’s largest agricultural foreign revenue earner in Uganda. Previous surveys confirmed that coffee grown in central Uganda was largely depending on bee pollination to set fruit set. Despite its high contribution to the economics of agricultural sector in Uganda and despite its great dependency to bees for fruit set, it is not clear if small-scale farmers are aware of the importance of managing farm-landscapes for pollination services conservation to increase coffee yield. The aim of this study was to assess farmers’ perceptions and knowledge of the importance of pollinators and pollination services conservation for coffee production enhancement. The main hypothesis was that small-scale coffee growers were not aware of the relevance of pollination services for coffee production. Farmers’ surveys were conducted in coffee-banana farming systems in central Uganda. It was found in this study that more than 90% of interviewed farmers were not aware of the role played by bees in coffee yield increase. Farmers were not willing to manage their lands to protect pollination services, particularly because they considered pollination service as an unsolicited “free service”, or as a “public good”. Farmers were not aware of the role of semi- natural habitats serving as reservoir (hiding points) for pollinators in the surrounding of coffee fields. However, they were aware of some ecosystem services delivered in the coffee- banana farming system such as planting shading trees. Only 3.3% of respondents believed that placing beehives in coffee farms could increase the yield. The study recommended the increase of the awareness of small-scale coffee growers on the importance of pollinators to increase coffee production. It is recommended that future management of pollination services are built on improving farmers’ indigenous knowledge and on adequate understanding of the ecology of the local pollinator species. There is a need to broadly scale-up best field, habitat and landscape management strategies and practices that are friendly to coffee pollinators in rural landscapes of展开更多
Soil fertility management （SFM） has important implications for sustaining agricultural development and food self-sufifciency. Better understanding the determinants of farmers’ SFM can be a great help to the adoptio...Soil fertility management （SFM） has important implications for sustaining agricultural development and food self-sufifciency. Better understanding the determinants of farmers’ SFM can be a great help to the adoption of effective SFM practices. Based on a dataset of 315 plots collected from a typical rice growing area of South China, this study applied statistical method and econometric models to examine the impacts of land characteristics on farmers’ SFM practices at plot scale. Main results showed that in general land characteristics affected SFM behaviors. Securer land tenure arrangements facilitated effective practices of SFM through more diversiifed and more soil-friendly cropping pattern choices. Plot size signiifcantly reduced the intensities of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer application. Given other factors, 1 ha increase in plot size might reduce 3.0 kg ha-1 P2O5 and 1.8 kg ha-1 K2O. Plots far from the homestead were paid less attention in terms of both chemical fertilizers and manure applications. Besides, plots with better quality were put more efforts on management by applying more nitrogen and manure, and by planting green manure crops. Signiifcant differences existed in SFM practices between the surveyed villages with different socio-economic conditions. The ifndings are expected to provide important references to the policy-making incentive for improving soil quality and crop productivity.展开更多
By recognizing the gap in the literature in examining the effects of financial resources and development outcomes at the household level,this paper examines whether the poorest income quintile would benefit most from ...By recognizing the gap in the literature in examining the effects of financial resources and development outcomes at the household level,this paper examines whether the poorest income quintile would benefit most from programs aimed at increasing their access to financial services in rural northern Nigeria.Most households from this part of the world consist of farmers and,hence,are exposed to the vagaries of climate change.The data from 320 questionnaires administered in two rural communities(Rijau and Fakai)were analyzed using an ordered logit regression model.The results showed that access to financial services by using formal financial institutions and farmer savings clubs benefits vulnerable farmers(mostly women).The robustness check using the Brant test also confirmed that the parallel regression assumption of the model was not violated.A policy scenario that seeks to increase the delivery of financial services to rural farm households using community savings clubs and microfinance institution reforms for reaching the financially underserved was also found to benefit the poorest income quintile,hence,bringing them out of poverty.展开更多
Whether promoting cash crop production can increase household welfare has long been the focus of the food policy debate.This study first investigated the determinants of household behavior in commercial pulse farming....Whether promoting cash crop production can increase household welfare has long been the focus of the food policy debate.This study first investigated the determinants of household behavior in commercial pulse farming.It then examined how households'commercial pulse production improves their economic welfare.We used a dataset of 848 households collected from 2018 to 2019 to estimate the determinants of household behavior in commercial pulse farming by the Heckman two-step model.The endogenous treatment regression(ETR)method was employed to examine the impact of commercial pulse farming on household economic welfare.The results showed that factors such as market purchase prices,agricultural technology services,farmers'access to loans,and government subsidies promoted smallholders'commercial pulse farming;production costs and perceptions of climate change risks constrained smallholders'commercial pulse production.Overall,commercial pulse production has increased household farm income but there was a limited impact on household off-farm income.Our findings suggest that policies aiming to increase households'cash crop production and market access could significantly improve the economic welfare of pulse farmers.展开更多
Non-farm income sources are important for livelihood sustenance,especially in the mountainous regions of developing countries.To implement effective policies to improve economic development,policymakers need insights ...Non-farm income sources are important for livelihood sustenance,especially in the mountainous regions of developing countries.To implement effective policies to improve economic development,policymakers need insights at the grassroots level.Yet,there is a lack of empirical evidence in the context of Pakistan.This study examines the current situation and the factors influencing the decision by farmers to engage in other gainful activities(OGAs)such as farm diversification and off-farm work in the northern mountainous regions of Pakistan.The study is based on quantitative survey data obtained from 459 farm managers and qualitative data from 24 key informants from five different districts in GilgitBaltistan.Utilizing a logistic regression model,a statistical analysis is conducted on farmer and farm characteristics to investigate the probability of farm managers to engage in OGAs.The survey results show that around 71%of farm managers are engaged in OGAs(with 24%in farm diversification,61%in offfarm work and 15%in both).The share of female farm managers is 51%in farm diversification while male farm managers dominate off-farm activities(69%).The most prevalent types of farm diversification are the processing of farm products and tourism-related farm work,while the main off-farm activities are setting up grocery stores outside the farm,having salaried jobs or engaging in other non-agricultural business.There are significant differences between farmers with and without OGAs particularly regarding farmer characteristics,agricultural income and some other variables.The logit model results show that farmer characteristics mainly determine off-farm work activities while farm(and other)characteristics mostly explain farm diversification.These findings suggest that OGAs primarily exist as livelihood strategies.Farm diversification is linked with the long-term sustenance of agricultural activities while off-farm work is predominantly driven by economic needs.Both types of OGAs require specific support policies while attention needs to be given not to threaten regional food supply.展开更多
Farmers’contract breach behavior is cited as one of the major stumbling blocks in the sustainable expansion of contract farming in many developing countries.This paper examines farmers’contract breach decisions from...Farmers’contract breach behavior is cited as one of the major stumbling blocks in the sustainable expansion of contract farming in many developing countries.This paper examines farmers’contract breach decisions from the perspective of time preferences.The empirical analysis is based on a household survey and economic field experiments of poultry households participating in contract farming conducted in Jiangsu Province,China.A discounted utility model and a maximum likelihood technique are applied to estimate farmers’time preferences and the effect of time preferences on contract breach in the production and sales phases are explored with a bivariate probit model.The results show that,on average,the poultry farmers in the sample are generally present biased and impatient regarding future utility.The regression results show that farmers with a higher preference for the present and a higher discount rate are more likely to breach contracts,and time preferences play a greater role in the production phase than in the sales phase.When considering heterogeneity,specific investments and transaction costs promote contract stability only for farmers with a low degree of impatience.Moreover,compared with large-scale farmers,small-scale farmers’contract breach decisions are more significantly affected by their time preferences.These results have implications for contract stability policies and other issues that are impacted by the linking of behavioral preferences to agricultural decisions.展开更多
To investigate contract stability in the company and farmer mode and to explore control measures of market price risk and production risk,a multiperiod game model was established in this study.Considering multiple per...To investigate contract stability in the company and farmer mode and to explore control measures of market price risk and production risk,a multiperiod game model was established in this study.Considering multiple periods and losses caused by deaths simultaneously,a stable contract price interval depending on the breaching penalty,transaction cost,spot market price,and quantity of pigs was observed.Results indicate that the higher the penalty and transaction cost savings,the better the stability of the contract;the contract price should be negotiated around the weighted average of the spot market price.When the production risk is higher,hog insurance can significantly improve the contract stability;when the market price is lower,hog price index insurance improves the contract stability by guaranteeing the company income;when the market price is higher,the profit-returning mechanism improves the stability by protecting farmers incomes.Applying three measures simultaneously results in the best stability.Examples based on data from 2014 to 2018 in Henan Province,China,were given.展开更多
This paper examines farmers’perceptions of their exposure to climate change in rural northern Nigeria.It also examines whether there is a significant relationship between the exposure of farmers to climate change and...This paper examines farmers’perceptions of their exposure to climate change in rural northern Nigeria.It also examines whether there is a significant relationship between the exposure of farmers to climate change and their need for financial access as an adaptation strategy.Questionnaires were administered to 320 respondents in rural communities in northern Nigeria.Descriptive analysis shows that rural farmers are affected by climate change through increased temperature,prolonged dry seasons,floods,and drought,which lead to low harvest and,in turn,low income.An estimate from a non-parametric test also shows a significant relationship between farmers’perceived exposure to climate change and their need for credit.Although the Spearman correlation results show a 63%association between exposure to climate change and the need for finance,96%of those seeking credit to mitigate these impacts would be unable to do so due to financial exclusiveness.The paper recommends that the Central Bank of Nigeria should ensure that microfinance institutions refocus their products/services to those who need them the most in order to enhance access to financial resources and enable farmers to build resilience that will maximize post-harvest gains.Lastly,considering that climate change is a global phenomenon with local effects,perhaps the international community could support lending to smallholder farmers through central banks by insuring the loans that banks give to farmers towards financing climate change adaptation strategies.展开更多
This paper focuses on techniques in utilizing remote sensor technology for precision crop production by farmers as climate change adaptation strategy in Nigeria. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the ...This paper focuses on techniques in utilizing remote sensor technology for precision crop production by farmers as climate change adaptation strategy in Nigeria. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study and was carried out between August 2013 and May 2014. The findings of the study revealed that 32 items were needed by farmers in utilizing sensory technology for precision crop production. The study recommended that the 32 items identified by the study should be utilized by extension agent in teaching the farmers the use of sensor technology for precision crop production while the farmers should make themselves available for the training.展开更多
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2022YFF1300802)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(42130717)the“Light of the West”Cross Team-Key Laboratory Cooperative Research Project(A314021402-1912).
文摘Livelihood improvement and sustainable natural resource utilization are among the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals;however,most farm households either randomly select or just imitate livelihood strategies being practiced in other areas.As the livelihoods of farm households are vulnerable to several challenges in ecologically fragile areas,identifying the livelihood strategies of farm households in arid and semi-arid areas will help for promoting both livelihood security and environmental conservation.Hence,in this study,we constructed a sustainable evaluation index system for the livelihood of farmers in the Loess Plateau region of China by conducting field research and interviews.We employed the composite index method to measure the livelihood capital and the livelihood strategies chosen by farmers,and then analyzed the resource endowment of farmers under different livelihood strategies using logistic regression and structural equation modeling.The results revealed that under the combined influences of livelihood capital and government policy,farm households in the Loess Plateau region selected agro-dependent,agro-pastoral,agro-industrial,non-agricultural livelihood strategies.The key factors influencing the selection of these household livelihood strategies included the household labor capacity,the farmland owned per household,the number of livestock,and the grassland forage-supply ratio.The grassland forage-supply ratio was a crucial factor influencing the choice between agricultural and non-agricultural livelihood strategies.In this context,the grassland forage-supply ratio increased with the stocking rate.However,once the stocking rate exceeded 56.5 sheep/hm^(2),the grassland forage-supply ratio no longer increased rapidly under the agriculture-based livelihood strategy.The strategy of ecological resource conservation and moderate utilization based on the quality and quantity of natural resources ensures win-win benefits for the environment and human well-being in arid and semi-arid areas.Moderate grazing therefore has the potential to improve farmers’livelihoods without causing grassland degradation.These results contribute to the synergistic co-adaptation of livelihood improvement and ecological conservation in arid and semi-arid areas.
文摘Reasons for the initiation of farming systems/participatory approaches in non-Green Revolution（i.e., in more heterogeneous and less favourable production environments） areas in low-income countries is followed by a discussion of their evolution.Four phases are described along, with a brief description of some of the significant methods in which farmer participation has been sought, accessed and evaluated.They enabled/facilitated the evolutionary process.Although, over the last 40 years there has been a progress in making small-scale farmers much more visible in driving the agricultural research/development agenda through using the four basic stages embodied in the farming systems approach（i.e., descriptive, diagnosis, testing/evaluation and finally dissemination）, much still needs to be done.This leads on to a discussion as to some of the barriers still inhibiting true farmer empowerment and why further, such empowerment is imperative, if the agricultural challenges of this century are to be addressed successfully, namely substantially increasing agricultural productivity in an ecologically sustainable manner.Given the heterogeneity of the production environments and that many identified improvements are likely to be incremental rather than revolutionary in nature, this will require farmers＇ intimate involvement in their identification, evaluation and dissemination.Discussion in the paper recognizes that there is increasing globalization/commercialization of agriculture and is predicated on the need to consider the whole farmer-research-development continuum involving multiple stakeholders（i.e., farmers, scientists, extension workers, input/output service providers and policymakers）.Such a continuum has been explicitly recognized in the operational plans for the recently reformed international agricultural research（i.e., CGIAR） system.The paper concludes with a short discussion on the potential role of formal modelling.
基金supported by the Project of Tackling Key Problems of Science and Technology of Heilongjiang Province, China (GB06B205-3)Program of Wildlife Conservation and Breeding of State Forestry Administration of China (2008)Special Fund for Postgraduate Dissertation of Northeast Forestry University (2009)
文摘Commercial farming of anuran species that are declining in the wild raises a need to discriminate wild from farmed frogs.We hypothesized wild frogs might have extended hindlimbs due to greater frequency or intensity of jumping relative to farmed frogs,highlighting a morphometric approach to discrimination of wild from farmed frogs using hindlimb length.In the present study,Dybowski＇s frog（Rana dybowskii） was used to test this hypothesis.We measured body mass（Mb） and hindlimb length（Lh） of 2-year old farmed frogs and wild frogs aged 2 to 5 years.Dybowski＇s frog demonstrated significant dimorphism in Mb and Lh.Mb was significantly greater among farmed 2-year old frogs in both sexes（p=0.000）,while only among females was Lh significantly greater for wild frogs（p=0.000）.Lh/Mb was used as an index for origin discrimination to eliminate the influence of Mb due to variation of husbandry conditions among farms.Mean Lh/Mb for farmed frogs was significantly lower than for wild frogs（p=0.000） in the 2-year old age class.Discrimination correctly classified 84.4% of farmed and 96.3% of wild male frogs.Among females,92.9% of farmed frogs and 90.1% wild frogs were correctly classified.The overall correctness of classification was 92.1% and 90.8% for males and females,respectively.However,Lh/Mb revealed variation with age,resulting in reduced discriminative power for frogs ≥3 years old.We introduced a coefficient Ce to adjust the Lh/Mb of frogs ≥3 years to the level equivalent to 2-year frogs.The adjustment achieved 89.5% for overall correctness of origin for wild males and 92.4% for wild females ≥3 years old.These results show that Lh/Mb is an effective index to discriminate wild from farmed Dybowski＇s frog.Since the physical demands of jumping are common among anurans,this index is also potentially applicable to other anuran species.
基金Supported by the Central-level Non-profit Scientific Research Institutes Special Funds(No.2014A07XK04)
文摘Information of the difference in quality between farmed and wild fish is central to better ensuring fish products produced in aquaculture meet regulatory and consumer requirements. Proximate composition, amino acid and fatty acid profiles, and toxic elements contents of fanned and wild Chanodichthys mongolicus were established and compared. Significantly higher crude protein content while lower moisture content in farmed fish compared to wild fish were observed （P〈0.05）. The percentages of total amino acids （TAA）, total essential amino acids （TEAA）, total non-essential amino acids （TNEAA） and total delicious amino acids （TDAA） in farmed fish were all significantly higher than those in the wild equivalent （P〈0.05）. Compared to the FAO/WHO recommended reference values, the ratios of TEAA/ TAA （39.84%o-40.33%） were comparable to 40% and TEAA / TNEAA （66.22%-67.60%） were above 60%. Fatty acid profiles in both farmed and wild C. mongolicus were dominated by monounsaturated fatty acid （MUFA）, with farmed fish contained much more MUFA content compared to wild counterpart （P〈0.05）. Notably, wild fish exhibited significantly higher levels of total polyunsaturated fatty acid （PUFA） including eicosapentaenoic acid （EPA） and docosahexaenoic acid （DHA） than fanned fish （P〈0.05）. The EPA （C20：503） and linoleic acid （C18：206） were the predominant PUFA in wild and farmed C. mongolicus, respectively. Moreover, farmed fish displayed an overall lower toxic element levels （As, Cd, Pb and Hg） in comparison with wild fish, and both were far lower than the established limit standard. In conclusion, our results suggest that the nutritional quality of fanned C. mongolicus was inferior to their wild counterpart with respect to fatty acids nutrition, and therefore further studies should focus on the improving C. mongolicus diet in order to enhance the overall nutritional composition.
基金supported by Fondecyt No. 1080294 and Fondecyt 1110719 (R Barra)
文摘This pilot study documented the occurrence and levels of brominated flame retardants in the tissues of farmed and wild salmon in southern Chile.Samples of Coho salmon and rainbow trout were obtained from fish farms,rivers and lakes in the Patagonia in Aysen Region,Chile.The samples were analyzed by Gas Chromatography Negative Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometry for the different polybrominated diphenyl ether（PBDE） congeners.Contaminants were observed in all the samples,and the congeners BDE 17,28,47 and 66 were observed in all both farmed and wild samples.The concentrations were higher in the farmed Coho salmon,presenting significant differences with wild salmon.The levels reached 182 pg/g wet weight（ww） vs.120 ww.In the case of the rainbow trout,the concentrations were lower,although the congener profile was quite similar.The levels reached an average of 100 pg/g ww in the farmed fish versus 110 pg/g ww in wild fish,and no significant difference was observed between the species.In both species,the congener with the highest concentration was BDE 47.Based on this information,the BDE ？ow was estimated for commerce,which is a form of pollutant transport not usually considered in POP pollution studies.A preliminary estimation indicated that the quantity of PBDEs mobilized by commerce was in the order of kg,and in the case of Chile might reach almost 1 kg.
文摘With diversity in farming systems, crop residues, animal wastes and management practices are often not well managed, and most of it is left on the soil surface. This practice is common, especially among smallholder farmers (SHFs). There is no updated record of commonly used waste management practices. Our study focused on smallholder farmers in two farming systems in Masaka and Lyantonde Districts respectively, and with the objective to determine smallholder waste management practices in relation to farm waste components. Using a sample survey, quantitative data were collected from 120 SHFs representing 10.1% of the total SHF population in the Masaka while 120 SHFs provided data and represented 17.4% of the total SHF population in Lyantonde. Our result revealed that for animal waste, Goat slurry 20.4%, dominated the rest in Lyantonde, while in Masaka Pig slurry 23.6%, was dominant. For crop waste in Lyantonde, Bean trashes 12.9%, dominated, while in Masaka Banana leaves and peelings 11.1%, were dominant. In Lyantonde, common waste management practices were: Surface deposition 41.2%, Burning 18.4% Composting 17.3%, Burying 9.4%, Removal 10.9% and Recycling 2.8%. In Masaka, common practices were: Surface deposition 40.9%, Burning 18.6% Composting 13.2%, Burrying 12.3%, Removal 6.2% and Recycling 8.8%. Factors affecting choice of waste management practices by SHFs were: Age, purpose of waste product, season, quantity of the wastes, waste management policy awareness, farmer’s commitment and economic status of the farmer. Greenhouse gas emission for identified waste management practices across the two Districts shall be determined in our next study.
基金the German Academic Exchange Service(DAAD),ICRAF and NARO for funding this research。
文摘This study was intended to understand how smallholder farmers’modifications improved agroforestry technologies’usability in Uganda’s Mt.Elgon region.We used a case study approach to understand how smallholder farmers’contextual realities informed their modifications and enhanced the usability of agroforestry technologies.Data was collected over four months of frequent and regular interaction with the cases using formal and informal methods that included in-depth interviews,conversations,discussions,and direct observations.Emerging themes and patterns were identified from the comprehensively reduced data.In addition,respondents’direct quotes were used to emphasize the reasons for the modifications.The findings showed that smallholder farmers modified the recommended technologies to suit their biophysical and socio-economic realities.Differences and similarities in modifications existed among cases across the agroforestry technologies.The modifications were mainly done to diversify tree uses,optimize space utilization,and minimize production costs for farming households.These findings imply a need to critically examine the smallholder farmers’modifications to make agroforestry technologies applicable and compliant to their contexts.This will inform the re-invention of technologies that will quickly diffuse into the community for broader impact.Findings also emphasize the need to rethink the linear model of technology transfer mainly applied in agroforestry technology development and dissemination because it offers limited space for the much-needed feedback from smallholder farmers.
文摘Through analyzing current situations of newspapers about agriculture,countryside and farmers and problems impairing development of these newspapers,this paper presents constructive recommendations for combination with NIE project at operational level.In China,NIE project should not copy foreign experience,but should proceed from rural realities,expend its intension and enrich its extension,and extend coverage of newspaper to all levels in rural areas.In addition,it is recommended to explore new approaches and find a new development road of newspapers about agriculture,countryside and farmers through transforming the publishing mode.
文摘Seasonal variations in serological profiles and growth status of farmed and wild Clarias gariepinus were investigated. Serological profiles of Clarias gariepinus can be an effective tool for proper monitoring of stress induced by management practices in intensive fish culture, which may elicit devastating effect on fish. Spectrophotometry procedures were used to analyze serum parameters of Clarias gariepinus. No different seasonal patterns were observed for mean values of albumin, total protein, urea, cholesterol, glucose and alanine amino-transferase. However, aspartate amino-transferase showed different seasonal pattern. Levels of cholesterol and alanine amino-transferase were highly significant in farmed and wild fish, separately. Juvenile fish had high level of urea irrespective of season. Seasonal variations in water quality parameters were observed except for pH which had no seasonal pattern. The growth exponential shows b-values between -0.048 and 7.434 for Clarias gariepinus. Adult female and juvenile fish from the wild had the highest b-value and the least b-value, separately. In this study, b-values were higher in the wild fish than the farmed fish. The condition factor for Clarias gariepinus ranged from 0.422 to 0.698, and was observed to be high in juvenile fish. With a condition factor less than 1, fish may not be doing well, probably due to environmental stress. Some serological parameters varied according to season and environment of fish. Thus, serological profile of fish is an effective and sensitive tool to monitor fish response to stress factors in the environment.
基金Supported by Project of National Natural Science Foundation(41171436)Key Project of National Social Science Foundation(14AZD002)
文摘China's extensive development model of pig industry gives rise to serious resource and environment bottleneck restriction,it is urgent to transform the existing development model into ecological farming model. In this process,farmers' behavior will play a key role. On the basis of summarizing development connotation and characteristics of ecological agriculture,using survey data of 323 pig farmers in 6 provinces,based on the Theory of Planned Behavior( TPB) it introduced individual characteristics and external environment constraint variables,and made an empirical analysis on factors influencing intention and behavior of pig farmers' ecological farming using the Structural Equation Model( SEM). Results indicate:( i) ecological farming intention of pig farmers has the largest direct effect on their ecological farming behavior;( ii)ecological farming cognition of pig farmers has significant positive effect on their ecological farming behavior;( iii) external environment has the largest indirect effect on their ecological farming behavior,followed by the overall effect,and external environment has significant positive effect on ecological farming attitude and cognition of pig farmers;( iv) individual characteristics( educational level and income level) of pig farmers influence ecological farming behavior of pig farmers through their ecological farming attitude and intention,but the degree of influence is limited.
文摘Coffee (Coffea canephora) is the principal cash crop and the country’s largest agricultural foreign revenue earner in Uganda. Previous surveys confirmed that coffee grown in central Uganda was largely depending on bee pollination to set fruit set. Despite its high contribution to the economics of agricultural sector in Uganda and despite its great dependency to bees for fruit set, it is not clear if small-scale farmers are aware of the importance of managing farm-landscapes for pollination services conservation to increase coffee yield. The aim of this study was to assess farmers’ perceptions and knowledge of the importance of pollinators and pollination services conservation for coffee production enhancement. The main hypothesis was that small-scale coffee growers were not aware of the relevance of pollination services for coffee production. Farmers’ surveys were conducted in coffee-banana farming systems in central Uganda. It was found in this study that more than 90% of interviewed farmers were not aware of the role played by bees in coffee yield increase. Farmers were not willing to manage their lands to protect pollination services, particularly because they considered pollination service as an unsolicited “free service”, or as a “public good”. Farmers were not aware of the role of semi- natural habitats serving as reservoir (hiding points) for pollinators in the surrounding of coffee fields. However, they were aware of some ecosystem services delivered in the coffee- banana farming system such as planting shading trees. Only 3.3% of respondents believed that placing beehives in coffee farms could increase the yield. The study recommended the increase of the awareness of small-scale coffee growers on the importance of pollinators to increase coffee production. It is recommended that future management of pollination services are built on improving farmers’ indigenous knowledge and on adequate understanding of the ecology of the local pollinator species. There is a need to broadly scale-up best field, habitat and landscape management strategies and practices that are friendly to coffee pollinators in rural landscapes of
基金partly funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (71273268)
文摘Soil fertility management （SFM） has important implications for sustaining agricultural development and food self-sufifciency. Better understanding the determinants of farmers’ SFM can be a great help to the adoption of effective SFM practices. Based on a dataset of 315 plots collected from a typical rice growing area of South China, this study applied statistical method and econometric models to examine the impacts of land characteristics on farmers’ SFM practices at plot scale. Main results showed that in general land characteristics affected SFM behaviors. Securer land tenure arrangements facilitated effective practices of SFM through more diversiifed and more soil-friendly cropping pattern choices. Plot size signiifcantly reduced the intensities of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer application. Given other factors, 1 ha increase in plot size might reduce 3.0 kg ha-1 P2O5 and 1.8 kg ha-1 K2O. Plots far from the homestead were paid less attention in terms of both chemical fertilizers and manure applications. Besides, plots with better quality were put more efforts on management by applying more nitrogen and manure, and by planting green manure crops. Signiifcant differences existed in SFM practices between the surveyed villages with different socio-economic conditions. The ifndings are expected to provide important references to the policy-making incentive for improving soil quality and crop productivity.
文摘By recognizing the gap in the literature in examining the effects of financial resources and development outcomes at the household level,this paper examines whether the poorest income quintile would benefit most from programs aimed at increasing their access to financial services in rural northern Nigeria.Most households from this part of the world consist of farmers and,hence,are exposed to the vagaries of climate change.The data from 320 questionnaires administered in two rural communities(Rijau and Fakai)were analyzed using an ordered logit regression model.The results showed that access to financial services by using formal financial institutions and farmer savings clubs benefits vulnerable farmers(mostly women).The robustness check using the Brant test also confirmed that the parallel regression assumption of the model was not violated.A policy scenario that seeks to increase the delivery of financial services to rural farm households using community savings clubs and microfinance institution reforms for reaching the financially underserved was also found to benefit the poorest income quintile,hence,bringing them out of poverty.
基金supported by the China Agriculture Research System of MOF and MARA(CARS-08-G21)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(71904190)。
文摘Whether promoting cash crop production can increase household welfare has long been the focus of the food policy debate.This study first investigated the determinants of household behavior in commercial pulse farming.It then examined how households'commercial pulse production improves their economic welfare.We used a dataset of 848 households collected from 2018 to 2019 to estimate the determinants of household behavior in commercial pulse farming by the Heckman two-step model.The endogenous treatment regression(ETR)method was employed to examine the impact of commercial pulse farming on household economic welfare.The results showed that factors such as market purchase prices,agricultural technology services,farmers'access to loans,and government subsidies promoted smallholders'commercial pulse farming;production costs and perceptions of climate change risks constrained smallholders'commercial pulse production.Overall,commercial pulse production has increased household farm income but there was a limited impact on household off-farm income.Our findings suggest that policies aiming to increase households'cash crop production and market access could significantly improve the economic welfare of pulse farmers.
基金funded by the scholarship offered by the Free University of BozenBolzano。
文摘Non-farm income sources are important for livelihood sustenance,especially in the mountainous regions of developing countries.To implement effective policies to improve economic development,policymakers need insights at the grassroots level.Yet,there is a lack of empirical evidence in the context of Pakistan.This study examines the current situation and the factors influencing the decision by farmers to engage in other gainful activities(OGAs)such as farm diversification and off-farm work in the northern mountainous regions of Pakistan.The study is based on quantitative survey data obtained from 459 farm managers and qualitative data from 24 key informants from five different districts in GilgitBaltistan.Utilizing a logistic regression model,a statistical analysis is conducted on farmer and farm characteristics to investigate the probability of farm managers to engage in OGAs.The survey results show that around 71%of farm managers are engaged in OGAs(with 24%in farm diversification,61%in offfarm work and 15%in both).The share of female farm managers is 51%in farm diversification while male farm managers dominate off-farm activities(69%).The most prevalent types of farm diversification are the processing of farm products and tourism-related farm work,while the main off-farm activities are setting up grocery stores outside the farm,having salaried jobs or engaging in other non-agricultural business.There are significant differences between farmers with and without OGAs particularly regarding farmer characteristics,agricultural income and some other variables.The logit model results show that farmer characteristics mainly determine off-farm work activities while farm(and other)characteristics mostly explain farm diversification.These findings suggest that OGAs primarily exist as livelihood strategies.Farm diversification is linked with the long-term sustenance of agricultural activities while off-farm work is predominantly driven by economic needs.Both types of OGAs require specific support policies while attention needs to be given not to threaten regional food supply.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(72003082 and 71573130)the Project of Philosophy and Social Science Research in Colleges and Universities in Jiangsu Province of China(2020SJA1015)+1 种基金the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions,China(PAPD)the China Center for Food Security Studies,Nanjing Agricultural University,China。
文摘Farmers’contract breach behavior is cited as one of the major stumbling blocks in the sustainable expansion of contract farming in many developing countries.This paper examines farmers’contract breach decisions from the perspective of time preferences.The empirical analysis is based on a household survey and economic field experiments of poultry households participating in contract farming conducted in Jiangsu Province,China.A discounted utility model and a maximum likelihood technique are applied to estimate farmers’time preferences and the effect of time preferences on contract breach in the production and sales phases are explored with a bivariate probit model.The results show that,on average,the poultry farmers in the sample are generally present biased and impatient regarding future utility.The regression results show that farmers with a higher preference for the present and a higher discount rate are more likely to breach contracts,and time preferences play a greater role in the production phase than in the sales phase.When considering heterogeneity,specific investments and transaction costs promote contract stability only for farmers with a low degree of impatience.Moreover,compared with large-scale farmers,small-scale farmers’contract breach decisions are more significantly affected by their time preferences.These results have implications for contract stability policies and other issues that are impacted by the linking of behavioral preferences to agricultural decisions.
基金The National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.72071039)Major Science and Technology Projects in Yunnan Province(No.202102AC080003)。
文摘To investigate contract stability in the company and farmer mode and to explore control measures of market price risk and production risk,a multiperiod game model was established in this study.Considering multiple periods and losses caused by deaths simultaneously,a stable contract price interval depending on the breaching penalty,transaction cost,spot market price,and quantity of pigs was observed.Results indicate that the higher the penalty and transaction cost savings,the better the stability of the contract;the contract price should be negotiated around the weighted average of the spot market price.When the production risk is higher,hog insurance can significantly improve the contract stability;when the market price is lower,hog price index insurance improves the contract stability by guaranteeing the company income;when the market price is higher,the profit-returning mechanism improves the stability by protecting farmers incomes.Applying three measures simultaneously results in the best stability.Examples based on data from 2014 to 2018 in Henan Province,China,were given.
基金This paper benefits from the Graduate Research Programme in Climate Change Economics fund provided by the German Federal Ministry of Education(BMBF)in collaboration with the Zentrum für Entwicklungsforschung(ZEF)/Centre for Development Research,Department for Economic and Technological,Universität Bonn,Bonn-Germany under the West African Science Service Center on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use(WASCAL)hosted at the Universite Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar,Senegal.
文摘This paper examines farmers’perceptions of their exposure to climate change in rural northern Nigeria.It also examines whether there is a significant relationship between the exposure of farmers to climate change and their need for financial access as an adaptation strategy.Questionnaires were administered to 320 respondents in rural communities in northern Nigeria.Descriptive analysis shows that rural farmers are affected by climate change through increased temperature,prolonged dry seasons,floods,and drought,which lead to low harvest and,in turn,low income.An estimate from a non-parametric test also shows a significant relationship between farmers’perceived exposure to climate change and their need for credit.Although the Spearman correlation results show a 63%association between exposure to climate change and the need for finance,96%of those seeking credit to mitigate these impacts would be unable to do so due to financial exclusiveness.The paper recommends that the Central Bank of Nigeria should ensure that microfinance institutions refocus their products/services to those who need them the most in order to enhance access to financial resources and enable farmers to build resilience that will maximize post-harvest gains.Lastly,considering that climate change is a global phenomenon with local effects,perhaps the international community could support lending to smallholder farmers through central banks by insuring the loans that banks give to farmers towards financing climate change adaptation strategies.
文摘This paper focuses on techniques in utilizing remote sensor technology for precision crop production by farmers as climate change adaptation strategy in Nigeria. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study and was carried out between August 2013 and May 2014. The findings of the study revealed that 32 items were needed by farmers in utilizing sensory technology for precision crop production. The study recommended that the 32 items identified by the study should be utilized by extension agent in teaching the farmers the use of sensor technology for precision crop production while the farmers should make themselves available for the training.
