Decentralized methods for targeting poverty are widely adopted in developing countries to improve the performance of various poverty alleviation programs.A common challenge for implementing successful decentralized ta...Decentralized methods for targeting poverty are widely adopted in developing countries to improve the performance of various poverty alleviation programs.A common challenge for implementing successful decentralized targeting is the existence of elite capture.China has recently implemented a nationwide decentralized poverty targeting program,the targeted poverty alleviation(TPA)policy,to achieve the national goal of eliminating absolute poverty by the end of 2020.As the largest decentralized poverty targeting program in the world,TPA's successful implementation was believed to be threatened by elite capture in some earlier reports.Since 2015,a targeting correction mechanism,called"follow-up checks"policy,has been introduced.With the"follow-up checks"policy,the elites and other ineligible households who receive benefits under TPA were removed from the program.This paper investigates the elite capture phenomenon in TPA using village census data from a poverty-stricken county in 2017-two years after implementing the"follow-up checks"policy.We find no evidence of elite capture in TPA.The elites are unlikely to become beneficiaries or receive more benefits than non-elites.Our results contradict earlier findings that reported elite capture in TPA.We argue that the reason is the accountability emphasized by the central government in the"follow-up checks"policy.Our findings imply that having proper accountability is critical for improving targeting performance by global antipoverty initiatives.展开更多
Climate change studies are diverse with no single study giving a comprehensive review of climate change impacts,adaptation strategies,and policy development in West Africa.The unavailability of an all-inclusive study ...Climate change studies are diverse with no single study giving a comprehensive review of climate change impacts,adaptation strategies,and policy development in West Africa.The unavailability of an all-inclusive study to serve as a guide for practitioners affects the effectiveness of climate change adaptation strategies proposed and adopted in the West African sub-region.The purpose of this study was to review the impacts of climate change risks on the crop,fishery,and livestock sectors,as well as the climate change adaptation strategies and climate-related policies aimed at helping to build resilient agricultural production systems in West Africa.The review process followed a series of rigorous stages until the final selection of 56 articles published from 2009 to 2023.Generally,the results highlighted the adverse effects of climate change risks on food security.We found a continuous decline in food crop production.Additionally,the livestock sector experienced morbidity and mortality,as well as reduction in meat and milk production.The fishery sector recorded loss of fingerlings,reduction in fish stocks,and destruction of mariculture and aquaculture.In West Africa,climate-smart agriculture technologies,physical protection of fishing,and inclusion of gender perspectives in programs appear to be the major adaptation strategies.The study therefore recommends the inclusion of ecosystem and biodiversity restoration,weather insurance,replacement of unsafe vessels,and strengthening gender equality in all climate change mitigation programs,as these will help to secure enough food for present and future generations.展开更多
Clean energy is the most promising technology for sustainable growth. The development of clean energy requires a considerable amount of R ＆ D （research ＆ development） expenditure and various core technologies, and...Clean energy is the most promising technology for sustainable growth. The development of clean energy requires a considerable amount of R ＆ D （research ＆ development） expenditure and various core technologies, and therefore, international research collaboration is necessary for prompt and efficient development. The study is aimed at establishing a knowledge base that can help to prepare international research collaboration policies for solving global challenges effectively. The authors demonstrate the research capacity and international research collaboration in solar cell and fuel cell technologies, using global research network diagrams gathered from 35,322 and 33,136 academic papers, respectively. The diagrams include the data of research competency and co-authorship. More than 6,000 institutions and 100 countries are involved in each field. Based on the diagrams, the technologies are compared and international collaboration is analyzed. A valley of research collaboration in Asia is identified for both technologies. Then, science and education policies that influence the structures are discussed.展开更多
Background:Evidence regarding the effectiveness of prenatal nutritional supplements has mainly considered anthropometric pregnancy outcomes.The effect on markers of health and disease,such as offspring telomere length...Background:Evidence regarding the effectiveness of prenatal nutritional supplements has mainly considered anthropometric pregnancy outcomes.The effect on markers of health and disease,such as offspring telomere length(TL)and mitochondrial DNA content(mtDNAc)is unknown.Objectives:We assessed the efficacy of maternal multiple micronutrient(MMN)-fortified balanced-energy protein(BEP)and iron-folic acid(IFA)supplementation on newborn TL as a secondary outcome and mtDNAc as a non-declared outcome.Design:We conducted a randomized controlled trial in rural Burkina Faso,among pregnant females(15-40 years old)enrolled at<21 weeks of gestation.Mothers received either MMN-fortified BEP and IFA(intervention)or IFA only(control)throughout pregnancy.Whole arterial blood samples were collected from the umbilical cord of 104 control and 90 intervention group infants,respectively.Average relative TL and mtDNAc were measured using quantitative polymerase chain reaction.Linear regression models were fitted to assess TL and mtDNAc differences across trial arms.Results:We found that a combined daily MMN-fortified BEP supplement and IFA tablet did not affect newborn TL[β=-0.010(95%CI:-0.057,0.036);P=0.662]or mtDNAc[β=0.065(95%CI:-0.203,0.073);P=0.354],as compared to an IFA tablet alone.These findings were confirmed(P>0.05)by adjusting the regression models for potential prognostic factors of study outcomes at enrollment.Exploratory analyses indicated higher,but non-significantly different mtDNAc among children born either small-for-gestational age,low birthweight,or preterm.Conclusion:Newborns from mothers who received daily nutritional supplements across gestation did not have different relative TL or mtDNAc.展开更多
通过综合80年代初以来的农作物面积与产量统计、耕地分布、农业灌溉分布以及作物生长适宜性分布等多源数据,利用基于交叉信息熵原理的作物空间分配模型(Spatial Production Allocation Model,SPAM),获得了我国10km像元尺度的水稻分布信...通过综合80年代初以来的农作物面积与产量统计、耕地分布、农业灌溉分布以及作物生长适宜性分布等多源数据,利用基于交叉信息熵原理的作物空间分配模型(Spatial Production Allocation Model,SPAM),获得了我国10km像元尺度的水稻分布信息。在此基础上,重点分析了80年代初以来水稻种植面积与产量的时空变化特征。总体来看,在全国水稻种植区域内发生变化的地区中有超过50%的地区水稻种植面积出现缩减态势,但仍有近70%的地区水稻产量在增加。空间变化来看,种植面积缩减主要发生在东南沿海的广东、福建和浙江等省,而增加主要出现在东北地区的吉林和黑龙江等省,我国水稻种植重心因此向东北方向迁移约230km,产量重心向东北迁移约320km。同时,研究还发现我国水稻种植面积变化对产量增减具有重要影响,其中产量增加表现为面积与非面积因素的共同作用,数据显示种植面积扩展对水稻增产的平均贡献率约54.5%,而在产量减少的区域,面积缩减对减产的贡献率高达80%以上。展开更多
作物时空分布变化是农业研究的重要内容。近30a来,东北地区水稻种植面积显著增加,为探讨东北地区水稻时空变化特征,进一步丰富和完善作物空间分布信息获取方法,研究作物空间分布对包括气候变化在内的多种影响因素的响应关系,该研究综合8...作物时空分布变化是农业研究的重要内容。近30a来,东北地区水稻种植面积显著增加,为探讨东北地区水稻时空变化特征,进一步丰富和完善作物空间分布信息获取方法,研究作物空间分布对包括气候变化在内的多种影响因素的响应关系,该研究综合80年代以来的作物面积与产量统计数据、耕地数据、农业灌溉数据以及作物生长适宜性分布等多源数据,利用基于交叉信息熵原理的作物空间分配模型(spatial production allocation model,SPAM)构建了针对中国作物分布特点的SPAM-China模型,模拟了中国东北地区1980-2008年像元尺度上水稻空间分布信息。结果表明,模拟结果能较好地反映出东北地区水稻主要种植区域,近30a东北地区水稻种植时空变化特征显著,水稻种植区域向北向东扩展,种植重心北移了约1.76个纬度,中北部地区水稻种植面积增加且趋势明显,南部地区变化趋势不显著。展开更多
Food safety has received a great deal of attention in both developed and developing countries in recent years. In China, the numerous food scandals and scares that have struck over the past decade have spurred signifi...Food safety has received a great deal of attention in both developed and developing countries in recent years. In China, the numerous food scandals and scares that have struck over the past decade have spurred significant food safety regulatory reform, which has been increasingly oriented towards the public-private partnership model adopted by the Europe Union＇s （EU） food safety regulatory system. This paper analyzes the development of both the EU＇s and China＇s food safety regu- latory systems, identifies the current challenges for China and additionally considers the role of public-private partnership. The success of co-regulation in the food regulatory system would bring significant benefits and opportunities for China. Finally, this paper recommends additional measures like training and grants to improve the private＇s sector effectiveness in co-regulating China＇s food safety issues.展开更多
To feed the increasing world population, more food needs to be produced from agricultural land systems. Solutions to produce more food with fewer resources while minimizing adverse environmental and ecological consequ...To feed the increasing world population, more food needs to be produced from agricultural land systems. Solutions to produce more food with fewer resources while minimizing adverse environmental and ecological consequences require sustainable agricultural land use practices as supplementary to advanced biotechnology and agronomy. This review paper, from a land system perspective, systematically proposed and analyzed three interactive strategies that could possibly raise future food production under global change. By reviewing the current literatures, we suggest that cropland expansion is less possible amid iferce land competition, and it is likely to do less in increasing food production. Moreover, properly allocating crops in space and time is a practical way to ensure food production. Climate change, dietary shifts, and other socio-economic drivers, which would shape the demand and supply side of food systems, should be taken into consideration during the decision-making on rational land management in respect of sustainable crop choice and allocation. And ifnally, crop-speciifc agricultural intensiifcation would play a bigger role in raising future food production either by increasing the yield per unit area of individual crops or by increasing the number of crops sown on a particular area of land. Yet, only when it is done sustainably is this a much more effective strategy to maximize food production by closing yield and harvest gaps.展开更多
Developing and developed countries alike are increasingly facing the dififcult question of how to feed more people amidst a host of emerging demographic, environmental, and health challenges. At the same time, in addi...Developing and developed countries alike are increasingly facing the dififcult question of how to feed more people amidst a host of emerging demographic, environmental, and health challenges. At the same time, in addition to food quantity, increased attention is being given to food quality attributes, in particular nutrition and safety. This is especially evident in China, where concerns are on the rise regarding the ability of China’s food production systems to deliver nutritious and safe food to a growing, urbanizing and more aflfuent population. These food and nutrition concerns come at a time when China is an increasingly inlfuential actor within the global food security network through activities such as production, consumption and trade. We argue that China has the opportunity to increase food and nutrition security both nationally and globally through a comprehensive policy agenda that focuses on institutional reforms, investments for and in agriculture, productive social safety nets, mutually beneifcial trade, and the exchange of know-how and technologies among developing countries and donors. This agenda will help China adapt its food production systems to the changing face of agriculture and to play a vital role in addressing the emerging challenges facing food and nutrition security within and beyond China in the coming decades.展开更多
Understanding the spatial and temporal variations of cropping systems is very important for agricultural policymaking and food security assessment, and can provide a basis for national policies regarding cropping syst...Understanding the spatial and temporal variations of cropping systems is very important for agricultural policymaking and food security assessment, and can provide a basis for national policies regarding cropping systems adjustment and agricultural adaptation to climate change. With rapid development of society and the economy, China＇s cropping structure has profoundly changed since the reform and opening up in 1978, but there has been no systematic investigation of the pattern, process and characteristics of these changes. In view of this, a crop area database for China was acquired and compiled at the county level for the period 1980-2011, and linear regression and spatial analysis were employed to investigate the cropping structure type and cropping proportion changes at the national level. This research had three main findings： （1） China＇s cropping structure has undergone significant changes since 2002; the richness of cropping structure types has increased significantly and a diversified-type structure has gradually replaced the single types. The single-crop types--dominated by rice, wheat or maize--declined, affected by the combination of these three major food crops in mixed plantings and conversion of some of their planting area to other crops. （2） In the top 10 types, 82.7% of the county-level cropping structure was rice, wheat, maize and their combinations in 1980; however, this proportion decreased to 50.7% in 2011, indicating an adjustment period of China＇s cropping structure. Spatial analysis showed that 63.8% of China＇s counties adjusted their cropping structure, with the general change toward reducing the main food types and increasing fruits and vegetables during 1980-2011. （3） At the national level, the grain-planting pattern dominated by rice shifted to coexistence of rice, wheat and maize during this period. There were significant decreasing trends for 47% of rice, 61% of wheat and 29.6% of maize cropping counties. The pattern of maize cropping had the most significant change, with the maize proportion decreasing in the zone from north- eastern to southwestern China during this period. Cities and their surroundings were hotspots for cropping structural adjustment. Urbanization has significantly changed cropping structure, with most of these regions showing rapid increases in the proportion of fruit and vegetables.Our research suggests that the policy of cropping structural adjustment needs to consider geographical characteristics and spatial planning of cropping systems. In this way, the future direction of cropping structural adjustment wilt be appropriate and scientifically based, such as where there is a need to maintain or increase rice and wheat cropping, increase soybean and decrease maize, and increase the supply of fruit and vegetables.展开更多
Rice＇s spatial-temporal distributions, which are critical for agricultural, environ- mental and food security research, are affected by natural conditions as well as socio-eco- nomic developments. Based on multi-sour...Rice＇s spatial-temporal distributions, which are critical for agricultural, environ- mental and food security research, are affected by natural conditions as well as socio-eco- nomic developments. Based on multi-source data, an effective model named the Spatial Production Allocation Model （SPAM） which integrates arable land distribution, administrative unit statistics of crop data, agricultural irrigation data and crop suitability data, was used to get a series of spatial distributions of rice area and production with 10-km pixels at a national scale -it was applied from the early 1980s onwards and used to analyze the pattern of spatial and temporal changes. The results show that significant changes occurred in rice in China during 1980-2010. Overall, more than 50% of the rice area decreased, while nearly 70% of rice production increased in the change region during 1980-2010. Spatially, most of the increased area and production were in Northeast China, especially, in Jilin and Heilongjiang; most of the decreased area and production were located in Southeast China, especially, in regions of rapidly urbanization in Guangdong, Fujian and Zhejiang. Thus, the centroid of rice area was moved northeast approximately 230 km since 1980, and rice production about 320 km, which means rice production moved northeastward faster than rice area because of the significant rice yield increase in Northeast China. The results also show that rice area change had a decisive impact on rice production change. About 54.5% of the increase in rice pro- duction is due to the expansion of sown area, while around 83.2% of the decrease in rice production is due to contraction of rice area. This implies that rice production increase may be due to area expansion and other non-area factors, but reduced rice production could largely be attributed to rice area decrease.展开更多
This paper presents a scenario-based assessment of global future food security. To do that,the socio-economic and climate change scenarios were defined for the future and were linked to an integrated modeling framewor...This paper presents a scenario-based assessment of global future food security. To do that,the socio-economic and climate change scenarios were defined for the future and were linked to an integrated modeling framework. The crop yields simulated by the GIS-based Environmental Policy Integrated Climate （EPIC） model and crop areas simulated by the crop choice decision model were combined to calculate the total food production and per capita food availability,which was used to represent the status of food availability and stability. The per capita Gross Domestic Product （GDP） simulated by IFPSIM model was used to reflect the situation of food accessibility and affordability. Based on these two indicators,the future food security status was assessed at a global scale over a period of approximately 20 years,starting from the year 2000. The results show that certain regions such as South Asia and most African countries will likely remain hotspots of food insecurity in the future as both the per capita food availability and the capacity of being able to import food will decrease between 2000 and 2020. Low food production associated with poverty is the determining factor to starvation in these regions,and more efforts are needed to combat hunger in terms of future actions. Other regions such as China,most Eastern European countries and most South American countries where there is an increase in per capita food availability or an increase in the capacity to import food between 2000 and 2020 might be able to improve their food security situation.展开更多
China is experiencing rapid urbanization, changes in diets, and modernization of food retailing and production. In this context, food safety can become a greater concern for a variety of reasons. The purpose of this a...China is experiencing rapid urbanization, changes in diets, and modernization of food retailing and production. In this context, food safety can become a greater concern for a variety of reasons. The purpose of this article is to review the international experiences and lessons regarding food safety management, regulation, and consumer behavior, with the goal of identifying how to improve food safety in middle income countries such as China. International experience in addressing food safety provides two general kinds of lessons. First, a middle-income country such as China needs to develop the capacity to carry out risk analysis in order to better focus public resources on the most important risks. Second, it will be important to leverage market incentives so as to make the best use of limited public capacity to enforce standards. Inter- national experiences show that food safety management is feasible where market incentives exist, and that public-private partnerships can support the process of improving food safety management. Market incentives require effective consumer or buyer demand, mechanisms to identify and reward quality, and supply chain coordination. Public efforts can be targeted to supporting these market developments for the risks that are the greatest burden to public health.展开更多
Understanding crop patterns and their changes on regional scale is a critical re- quirement for projecting agro-ecosystem dynamics. However, tools and methods for mapping the distribution of crop area and yield are st...Understanding crop patterns and their changes on regional scale is a critical re- quirement for projecting agro-ecosystem dynamics. However, tools and methods for mapping the distribution of crop area and yield are still lacking. Based on the cross-entropy theory, a spatial production allocation model （SPAM） has been developed for presenting spa- tio-temporal dynamics of maize cropping system in Northeast China during 1980-2010. The simulated results indicated that （1） maize sown area expanded northwards to 48~N before 2000, after that the increased sown area mainly occurred in the central and southern parts of Northeast China. Meanwhile, maize also expanded eastwards to 127°E and lower elevation （less than 100 m） as well as higher elevation （mainly distributed between 200 m and 350 m）; （2） maize yield has been greatly promoted for most planted area of Northeast China, espe- cially in the planted zone between 42°N and 48°N, while the yield increase was relatively homogeneous without obvious longitudinal variations for whole region; （3） maize planting density increased gradually to a moderately high level over the investigated period, which reflected the trend of aggregation of maize cultivation driven by market demand.展开更多
Although climate change impacts and agricultural adaptations have been studied extensively, how smallholder farmers perceive climate change and adapt their agricultural activities is poorly understood. Survey-based da...Although climate change impacts and agricultural adaptations have been studied extensively, how smallholder farmers perceive climate change and adapt their agricultural activities is poorly understood. Survey-based data （presents farmers＇ personal perceptions and adaptations to climate change） associated with external biophysical-socioeconomic data （presents real-world climate change） were used to develop a farmer-centered framework to explore climate change impacts and agricultural adaptations at a local level. A case study at Bin County （1980s-2010s）, Northeast China, suggested that increased annual average temperature （0.6＆#176;C per decade） and decreased annual precipitation （46 mm per decade, both from meteorological datasets） were correctly perceived by 76 and 66.9%, respectively, of farmers from the survey, and that a longer growing season was conifrmed by 70%of them. These reasonably correct perceptions enabled local farmers to make appropriate adaptations to cope with climate change：Longer season alternative varieties were found for maize and rice, which led to a signiifcant yield increase for both crops. The longer season also affected crop choice：More farmers selected maize instead of soybean, as implicated from survey results by a large increase in the maize growing area. Comparing warming-related factors, we found that precipitation and agricultural disasters were the least likely causes for farmers＇ agricultural decisions. As a result, crop and variety selection, rather than disaster prevention and infrastructure improvement, was the most common ways for farmers to adapt to the notable warming trend in the study region.展开更多
The global community has committed,as the first priority of the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs),to end poverty in all its forms everywhere.While the decline of global poverty continues,progress has slowed and rema...The global community has committed,as the first priority of the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs),to end poverty in all its forms everywhere.While the decline of global poverty continues,progress has slowed and remains uneven through different parts of the world.To ensure that no one is left behind in China and beyond,research will be critical to inform paths out of poverty.In this regard,it is valuable to take stock of international experiences and the various pathways out of poverty with a focus on agriculture.Africa's agricultural growth has been largely driven by land expansion and poverty reduction has been the slowest among all regions.South Asia agriculture has been led by diversification of smallholder agriculture and its poverty reduction impact has been large,but its future poverty reduction is limited by rural–urban migration and lack of formal jobs in urban centers.Social protection programs have been used by many Latin American countries as the region is more urbanized than any other developing regions.China's agricultural and economic success was driven by agriculture-led reforms and rural development.These changes brought significantly higher incomes among rural residents,which accounted for highest initial levels of poverty and hunger,and in increased availability of food at affordable prices.Investments in nutrition,health,education,clean water,and good sanitation also complemented progress.The foremost lesson is that smallholder-led agriculture growth in land scarce countries often have the largest impact on poverty reduction.Secondly,nonfarm employment and rural–urban migration must follow once agricultural productivity has reached a certain level.However,premature exiting from agriculture can do more harm.Thirdly,even before large scale poverty reduction through sectoral and regional development is exhausted,social safety nets must be established to cover those who have not benefited from growth and development.Productive social safety nets have proven to be cost-effective in many countries.Urban poverty should also be part of the protection scheme when large proportion of rural population moves to cities.展开更多
Propelled by urbanization,rising incomes,and changing diets,food markets have been expanding in Africa and South Asia,creating the vast potential for job and income opportunities along food supply chains and,hence,for...Propelled by urbanization,rising incomes,and changing diets,food markets have been expanding in Africa and South Asia,creating the vast potential for job and income opportunities along food supply chains and,hence,for poverty reduction.The novel coronavirus(COVID-19)that spread to a pandemic in early 2020 provokes enormous setbacks to this expansion.This,however,should provide lessons regarding the importance of resilient and inclusive food systems.Emergency responses to COVID-19 should consider interventions towards that end and leverage the opportunities provided by food markets growth as economies recover from the present economic recession.This paper assesses options of how this could be done by facilitating the better functioning and interconnectedness of the many small and medium-sized enterprises that are proliferating along the"hidden middle"of food value chains in storage,logistics,transportation,and wholesale and retail distribution.It also explores how policies can help smallholder farmers connect to this"hidden middle"in more gainful ways and help them climb out of poverty as well.展开更多
This paper briefly reviews different debates about approaches for paths out of poverty,considering several views,from the analysis of specific policies to more general or systemic considerations.The contribution of th...This paper briefly reviews different debates about approaches for paths out of poverty,considering several views,from the analysis of specific policies to more general or systemic considerations.The contribution of this paper is to present a broad outline of those debates and to serve as an illustration of the complexity of analyzing paths out of poverty.It discusses in sequence,the more microeconomic approach of evaluation of individual policies for poverty alleviation;then it moves to broader issues of growth and development strategies,and macroeconomic policies,and their links to the persistence or reduction of poverty;and finally discusses the topic of institutions,related to how policy decisions are made and enforced in societies at the previous three levels.Finally,the concluding section argues that a successful program to eliminate poverty must integrate all levels of individual policies,macroeconomic programs,development strategies and good institutions.This paper hopes to contribute to that crucial work.展开更多
Recurrent selection is an important breeding method for population improvement and selecting elite inbreds or fixed lines from the improved germplasm.Recently,a computer simulation tool called QuMARS has been develope...Recurrent selection is an important breeding method for population improvement and selecting elite inbreds or fixed lines from the improved germplasm.Recently,a computer simulation tool called QuMARS has been developed,which allows the simulation and optimization of various recurrent selection strategies.Our major objective in this study was to use the QuMARS tool to compare phenotypic recurrent,marker-assisted recurrent,and genomic selections(abbreviated respectively as PS,MARS and GS)for both short-and long-termbreeding procedures.ForMARS,twomarker selection models were considered,i.e.,stepwise(Rstep)and forward regressions(Forward).For GS,three prediction models were considered,i.e.,genomic best linear unbiased predictors(GBLUP),ridge regression(Ridge),and regression by Moore-Penrose general inverse(InverseMP).To generate genotypes and phenotypes for a given individual during simulation,one additive and two epistasis genetic models were considered with three levels of heritability.Results demonstrated that selection responses from GBLUP-based GS and MARS(Forward)were consistently greater than those from PS under the additive model,particularly in early selection cycles.In contrast,selection response from PS was consistently superior over MARS and GS under epistatic models.For the two epistasis models,total genetic variance and the additive variance component were increased in some cases after selection.Through simulation,we concluded that GS and PS were effective recurrent selection methods for improved breeding of targeted traits controlled by additive and epistatic quantitative trait loci(QTL).QuMARS provides an opportunity for breeders to compare,optimize and integrate new technology into their conventional breeding programs.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(71661147001 and 71603228)the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2018M630687 and 2018T110607)the Zhejiang University-IFPRI Center for International Development Studies。
文摘Decentralized methods for targeting poverty are widely adopted in developing countries to improve the performance of various poverty alleviation programs.A common challenge for implementing successful decentralized targeting is the existence of elite capture.China has recently implemented a nationwide decentralized poverty targeting program,the targeted poverty alleviation(TPA)policy,to achieve the national goal of eliminating absolute poverty by the end of 2020.As the largest decentralized poverty targeting program in the world,TPA's successful implementation was believed to be threatened by elite capture in some earlier reports.Since 2015,a targeting correction mechanism,called"follow-up checks"policy,has been introduced.With the"follow-up checks"policy,the elites and other ineligible households who receive benefits under TPA were removed from the program.This paper investigates the elite capture phenomenon in TPA using village census data from a poverty-stricken county in 2017-two years after implementing the"follow-up checks"policy.We find no evidence of elite capture in TPA.The elites are unlikely to become beneficiaries or receive more benefits than non-elites.Our results contradict earlier findings that reported elite capture in TPA.We argue that the reason is the accountability emphasized by the central government in the"follow-up checks"policy.Our findings imply that having proper accountability is critical for improving targeting performance by global antipoverty initiatives.
文摘Climate change studies are diverse with no single study giving a comprehensive review of climate change impacts,adaptation strategies,and policy development in West Africa.The unavailability of an all-inclusive study to serve as a guide for practitioners affects the effectiveness of climate change adaptation strategies proposed and adopted in the West African sub-region.The purpose of this study was to review the impacts of climate change risks on the crop,fishery,and livestock sectors,as well as the climate change adaptation strategies and climate-related policies aimed at helping to build resilient agricultural production systems in West Africa.The review process followed a series of rigorous stages until the final selection of 56 articles published from 2009 to 2023.Generally,the results highlighted the adverse effects of climate change risks on food security.We found a continuous decline in food crop production.Additionally,the livestock sector experienced morbidity and mortality,as well as reduction in meat and milk production.The fishery sector recorded loss of fingerlings,reduction in fish stocks,and destruction of mariculture and aquaculture.In West Africa,climate-smart agriculture technologies,physical protection of fishing,and inclusion of gender perspectives in programs appear to be the major adaptation strategies.The study therefore recommends the inclusion of ecosystem and biodiversity restoration,weather insurance,replacement of unsafe vessels,and strengthening gender equality in all climate change mitigation programs,as these will help to secure enough food for present and future generations.
文摘Clean energy is the most promising technology for sustainable growth. The development of clean energy requires a considerable amount of R ＆ D （research ＆ development） expenditure and various core technologies, and therefore, international research collaboration is necessary for prompt and efficient development. The study is aimed at establishing a knowledge base that can help to prepare international research collaboration policies for solving global challenges effectively. The authors demonstrate the research capacity and international research collaboration in solar cell and fuel cell technologies, using global research network diagrams gathered from 35,322 and 33,136 academic papers, respectively. The diagrams include the data of research competency and co-authorship. More than 6,000 institutions and 100 countries are involved in each field. Based on the diagrams, the technologies are compared and international collaboration is analyzed. A valley of research collaboration in Asia is identified for both technologies. Then, science and education policies that influence the structures are discussed.
基金supported by the Bill&Melinda Gates Foundation(OPP1175213)supported by the Research Foundation Flanders(12X9620N and 12X9623N)the European Research Council(ERC)under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program(946192,HUMYCO)。
文摘Background:Evidence regarding the effectiveness of prenatal nutritional supplements has mainly considered anthropometric pregnancy outcomes.The effect on markers of health and disease,such as offspring telomere length(TL)and mitochondrial DNA content(mtDNAc)is unknown.Objectives:We assessed the efficacy of maternal multiple micronutrient(MMN)-fortified balanced-energy protein(BEP)and iron-folic acid(IFA)supplementation on newborn TL as a secondary outcome and mtDNAc as a non-declared outcome.Design:We conducted a randomized controlled trial in rural Burkina Faso,among pregnant females(15-40 years old)enrolled at<21 weeks of gestation.Mothers received either MMN-fortified BEP and IFA(intervention)or IFA only(control)throughout pregnancy.Whole arterial blood samples were collected from the umbilical cord of 104 control and 90 intervention group infants,respectively.Average relative TL and mtDNAc were measured using quantitative polymerase chain reaction.Linear regression models were fitted to assess TL and mtDNAc differences across trial arms.Results:We found that a combined daily MMN-fortified BEP supplement and IFA tablet did not affect newborn TL[β=-0.010(95%CI:-0.057,0.036);P=0.662]or mtDNAc[β=0.065(95%CI:-0.203,0.073);P=0.354],as compared to an IFA tablet alone.These findings were confirmed(P>0.05)by adjusting the regression models for potential prognostic factors of study outcomes at enrollment.Exploratory analyses indicated higher,but non-significantly different mtDNAc among children born either small-for-gestational age,low birthweight,or preterm.Conclusion:Newborns from mothers who received daily nutritional supplements across gestation did not have different relative TL or mtDNAc.
文摘通过综合80年代初以来的农作物面积与产量统计、耕地分布、农业灌溉分布以及作物生长适宜性分布等多源数据,利用基于交叉信息熵原理的作物空间分配模型(Spatial Production Allocation Model,SPAM),获得了我国10km像元尺度的水稻分布信息。在此基础上,重点分析了80年代初以来水稻种植面积与产量的时空变化特征。总体来看,在全国水稻种植区域内发生变化的地区中有超过50%的地区水稻种植面积出现缩减态势,但仍有近70%的地区水稻产量在增加。空间变化来看,种植面积缩减主要发生在东南沿海的广东、福建和浙江等省,而增加主要出现在东北地区的吉林和黑龙江等省,我国水稻种植重心因此向东北方向迁移约230km,产量重心向东北迁移约320km。同时,研究还发现我国水稻种植面积变化对产量增减具有重要影响,其中产量增加表现为面积与非面积因素的共同作用,数据显示种植面积扩展对水稻增产的平均贡献率约54.5%,而在产量减少的区域,面积缩减对减产的贡献率高达80%以上。
文摘作物时空分布变化是农业研究的重要内容。近30a来,东北地区水稻种植面积显著增加,为探讨东北地区水稻时空变化特征,进一步丰富和完善作物空间分布信息获取方法,研究作物空间分布对包括气候变化在内的多种影响因素的响应关系,该研究综合80年代以来的作物面积与产量统计数据、耕地数据、农业灌溉数据以及作物生长适宜性分布等多源数据,利用基于交叉信息熵原理的作物空间分配模型(spatial production allocation model,SPAM)构建了针对中国作物分布特点的SPAM-China模型,模拟了中国东北地区1980-2008年像元尺度上水稻空间分布信息。结果表明,模拟结果能较好地反映出东北地区水稻主要种植区域,近30a东北地区水稻种植时空变化特征显著,水稻种植区域向北向东扩展,种植重心北移了约1.76个纬度,中北部地区水稻种植面积增加且趋势明显,南部地区变化趋势不显著。
基金provided by the CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions, and Marketsby the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) Program on "Food Value Chain Upgrading for Food Safety in Transforming Food Markets" (71273269)
文摘Food safety has received a great deal of attention in both developed and developing countries in recent years. In China, the numerous food scandals and scares that have struck over the past decade have spurred significant food safety regulatory reform, which has been increasingly oriented towards the public-private partnership model adopted by the Europe Union＇s （EU） food safety regulatory system. This paper analyzes the development of both the EU＇s and China＇s food safety regu- latory systems, identifies the current challenges for China and additionally considers the role of public-private partnership. The success of co-regulation in the food regulatory system would bring significant benefits and opportunities for China. Finally, this paper recommends additional measures like training and grants to improve the private＇s sector effectiveness in co-regulating China＇s food safety issues.
基金supported and financed by the National Basic Research Program of China(973 Program,2010CB951504)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41271112)the National Non-Profit Institute Research Grant of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences,China(IARRP-2014-2)
文摘To feed the increasing world population, more food needs to be produced from agricultural land systems. Solutions to produce more food with fewer resources while minimizing adverse environmental and ecological consequences require sustainable agricultural land use practices as supplementary to advanced biotechnology and agronomy. This review paper, from a land system perspective, systematically proposed and analyzed three interactive strategies that could possibly raise future food production under global change. By reviewing the current literatures, we suggest that cropland expansion is less possible amid iferce land competition, and it is likely to do less in increasing food production. Moreover, properly allocating crops in space and time is a practical way to ensure food production. Climate change, dietary shifts, and other socio-economic drivers, which would shape the demand and supply side of food systems, should be taken into consideration during the decision-making on rational land management in respect of sustainable crop choice and allocation. And ifnally, crop-speciifc agricultural intensiifcation would play a bigger role in raising future food production either by increasing the yield per unit area of individual crops or by increasing the number of crops sown on a particular area of land. Yet, only when it is done sustainably is this a much more effective strategy to maximize food production by closing yield and harvest gaps.
文摘Developing and developed countries alike are increasingly facing the dififcult question of how to feed more people amidst a host of emerging demographic, environmental, and health challenges. At the same time, in addition to food quantity, increased attention is being given to food quality attributes, in particular nutrition and safety. This is especially evident in China, where concerns are on the rise regarding the ability of China’s food production systems to deliver nutritious and safe food to a growing, urbanizing and more aflfuent population. These food and nutrition concerns come at a time when China is an increasingly inlfuential actor within the global food security network through activities such as production, consumption and trade. We argue that China has the opportunity to increase food and nutrition security both nationally and globally through a comprehensive policy agenda that focuses on institutional reforms, investments for and in agriculture, productive social safety nets, mutually beneifcial trade, and the exchange of know-how and technologies among developing countries and donors. This agenda will help China adapt its food production systems to the changing face of agriculture and to play a vital role in addressing the emerging challenges facing food and nutrition security within and beyond China in the coming decades.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.41571172Ministry of Finance of China through the Non-Profit National Research Institute,No.2017-CAAS-30
文摘Understanding the spatial and temporal variations of cropping systems is very important for agricultural policymaking and food security assessment, and can provide a basis for national policies regarding cropping systems adjustment and agricultural adaptation to climate change. With rapid development of society and the economy, China＇s cropping structure has profoundly changed since the reform and opening up in 1978, but there has been no systematic investigation of the pattern, process and characteristics of these changes. In view of this, a crop area database for China was acquired and compiled at the county level for the period 1980-2011, and linear regression and spatial analysis were employed to investigate the cropping structure type and cropping proportion changes at the national level. This research had three main findings： （1） China＇s cropping structure has undergone significant changes since 2002; the richness of cropping structure types has increased significantly and a diversified-type structure has gradually replaced the single types. The single-crop types--dominated by rice, wheat or maize--declined, affected by the combination of these three major food crops in mixed plantings and conversion of some of their planting area to other crops. （2） In the top 10 types, 82.7% of the county-level cropping structure was rice, wheat, maize and their combinations in 1980; however, this proportion decreased to 50.7% in 2011, indicating an adjustment period of China＇s cropping structure. Spatial analysis showed that 63.8% of China＇s counties adjusted their cropping structure, with the general change toward reducing the main food types and increasing fruits and vegetables during 1980-2011. （3） At the national level, the grain-planting pattern dominated by rice shifted to coexistence of rice, wheat and maize during this period. There were significant decreasing trends for 47% of rice, 61% of wheat and 29.6% of maize cropping counties. The pattern of maize cropping had the most significant change, with the maize proportion decreasing in the zone from north- eastern to southwestern China during this period. Cities and their surroundings were hotspots for cropping structural adjustment. Urbanization has significantly changed cropping structure, with most of these regions showing rapid increases in the proportion of fruit and vegetables.Our research suggests that the policy of cropping structural adjustment needs to consider geographical characteristics and spatial planning of cropping systems. In this way, the future direction of cropping structural adjustment wilt be appropriate and scientifically based, such as where there is a need to maintain or increase rice and wheat cropping, increase soybean and decrease maize, and increase the supply of fruit and vegetables.
基金National Natural Science Foundation, No.41171382 National Basic Program of China （973 Program）, No.2010CB951502
文摘Rice＇s spatial-temporal distributions, which are critical for agricultural, environ- mental and food security research, are affected by natural conditions as well as socio-eco- nomic developments. Based on multi-source data, an effective model named the Spatial Production Allocation Model （SPAM） which integrates arable land distribution, administrative unit statistics of crop data, agricultural irrigation data and crop suitability data, was used to get a series of spatial distributions of rice area and production with 10-km pixels at a national scale -it was applied from the early 1980s onwards and used to analyze the pattern of spatial and temporal changes. The results show that significant changes occurred in rice in China during 1980-2010. Overall, more than 50% of the rice area decreased, while nearly 70% of rice production increased in the change region during 1980-2010. Spatially, most of the increased area and production were in Northeast China, especially, in Jilin and Heilongjiang; most of the decreased area and production were located in Southeast China, especially, in regions of rapidly urbanization in Guangdong, Fujian and Zhejiang. Thus, the centroid of rice area was moved northeast approximately 230 km since 1980, and rice production about 320 km, which means rice production moved northeastward faster than rice area because of the significant rice yield increase in Northeast China. The results also show that rice area change had a decisive impact on rice production change. About 54.5% of the increase in rice pro- duction is due to the expansion of sown area, while around 83.2% of the decrease in rice production is due to contraction of rice area. This implies that rice production increase may be due to area expansion and other non-area factors, but reduced rice production could largely be attributed to rice area decrease.
基金National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program),No.2010CB951504National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.40930101+1 种基金No.40971218Foundation for National Non-Profit Scientific Institution,Ministry of Finance of China,No.IARRP-2010-02
文摘This paper presents a scenario-based assessment of global future food security. To do that,the socio-economic and climate change scenarios were defined for the future and were linked to an integrated modeling framework. The crop yields simulated by the GIS-based Environmental Policy Integrated Climate （EPIC） model and crop areas simulated by the crop choice decision model were combined to calculate the total food production and per capita food availability,which was used to represent the status of food availability and stability. The per capita Gross Domestic Product （GDP） simulated by IFPSIM model was used to reflect the situation of food accessibility and affordability. Based on these two indicators,the future food security status was assessed at a global scale over a period of approximately 20 years,starting from the year 2000. The results show that certain regions such as South Asia and most African countries will likely remain hotspots of food insecurity in the future as both the per capita food availability and the capacity of being able to import food will decrease between 2000 and 2020. Low food production associated with poverty is the determining factor to starvation in these regions,and more efforts are needed to combat hunger in terms of future actions. Other regions such as China,most Eastern European countries and most South American countries where there is an increase in per capita food availability or an increase in the capacity to import food between 2000 and 2020 might be able to improve their food security situation.
文摘China is experiencing rapid urbanization, changes in diets, and modernization of food retailing and production. In this context, food safety can become a greater concern for a variety of reasons. The purpose of this article is to review the international experiences and lessons regarding food safety management, regulation, and consumer behavior, with the goal of identifying how to improve food safety in middle income countries such as China. International experience in addressing food safety provides two general kinds of lessons. First, a middle-income country such as China needs to develop the capacity to carry out risk analysis in order to better focus public resources on the most important risks. Second, it will be important to leverage market incentives so as to make the best use of limited public capacity to enforce standards. Inter- national experiences show that food safety management is feasible where market incentives exist, and that public-private partnerships can support the process of improving food safety management. Market incentives require effective consumer or buyer demand, mechanisms to identify and reward quality, and supply chain coordination. Public efforts can be targeted to supporting these market developments for the risks that are the greatest burden to public health.
基金Foundation： National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.41171328, No.41201184, No.41101537 National Basic Program of China, No.2010CB951502
文摘Understanding crop patterns and their changes on regional scale is a critical re- quirement for projecting agro-ecosystem dynamics. However, tools and methods for mapping the distribution of crop area and yield are still lacking. Based on the cross-entropy theory, a spatial production allocation model （SPAM） has been developed for presenting spa- tio-temporal dynamics of maize cropping system in Northeast China during 1980-2010. The simulated results indicated that （1） maize sown area expanded northwards to 48~N before 2000, after that the increased sown area mainly occurred in the central and southern parts of Northeast China. Meanwhile, maize also expanded eastwards to 127°E and lower elevation （less than 100 m） as well as higher elevation （mainly distributed between 200 m and 350 m）; （2） maize yield has been greatly promoted for most planted area of Northeast China, espe- cially in the planted zone between 42°N and 48°N, while the yield increase was relatively homogeneous without obvious longitudinal variations for whole region; （3） maize planting density increased gradually to a moderately high level over the investigated period, which reflected the trend of aggregation of maize cultivation driven by market demand.
基金financed by the National Basic Research Program of China(2010CB951504)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41271112 and 40930101)the National Nonprofit Institute Research Grant of CAAS(IARRP-2014-16)
文摘Although climate change impacts and agricultural adaptations have been studied extensively, how smallholder farmers perceive climate change and adapt their agricultural activities is poorly understood. Survey-based data （presents farmers＇ personal perceptions and adaptations to climate change） associated with external biophysical-socioeconomic data （presents real-world climate change） were used to develop a farmer-centered framework to explore climate change impacts and agricultural adaptations at a local level. A case study at Bin County （1980s-2010s）, Northeast China, suggested that increased annual average temperature （0.6＆#176;C per decade） and decreased annual precipitation （46 mm per decade, both from meteorological datasets） were correctly perceived by 76 and 66.9%, respectively, of farmers from the survey, and that a longer growing season was conifrmed by 70%of them. These reasonably correct perceptions enabled local farmers to make appropriate adaptations to cope with climate change：Longer season alternative varieties were found for maize and rice, which led to a signiifcant yield increase for both crops. The longer season also affected crop choice：More farmers selected maize instead of soybean, as implicated from survey results by a large increase in the maize growing area. Comparing warming-related factors, we found that precipitation and agricultural disasters were the least likely causes for farmers＇ agricultural decisions. As a result, crop and variety selection, rather than disaster prevention and infrastructure improvement, was the most common ways for farmers to adapt to the notable warming trend in the study region.
基金support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(71661147001)。
文摘The global community has committed,as the first priority of the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs),to end poverty in all its forms everywhere.While the decline of global poverty continues,progress has slowed and remains uneven through different parts of the world.To ensure that no one is left behind in China and beyond,research will be critical to inform paths out of poverty.In this regard,it is valuable to take stock of international experiences and the various pathways out of poverty with a focus on agriculture.Africa's agricultural growth has been largely driven by land expansion and poverty reduction has been the slowest among all regions.South Asia agriculture has been led by diversification of smallholder agriculture and its poverty reduction impact has been large,but its future poverty reduction is limited by rural–urban migration and lack of formal jobs in urban centers.Social protection programs have been used by many Latin American countries as the region is more urbanized than any other developing regions.China's agricultural and economic success was driven by agriculture-led reforms and rural development.These changes brought significantly higher incomes among rural residents,which accounted for highest initial levels of poverty and hunger,and in increased availability of food at affordable prices.Investments in nutrition,health,education,clean water,and good sanitation also complemented progress.The foremost lesson is that smallholder-led agriculture growth in land scarce countries often have the largest impact on poverty reduction.Secondly,nonfarm employment and rural–urban migration must follow once agricultural productivity has reached a certain level.However,premature exiting from agriculture can do more harm.Thirdly,even before large scale poverty reduction through sectoral and regional development is exhausted,social safety nets must be established to cover those who have not benefited from growth and development.Productive social safety nets have proven to be cost-effective in many countries.Urban poverty should also be part of the protection scheme when large proportion of rural population moves to cities.
基金supported by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research(CGIAR)research program on Policies,Institutions and Markets(PIM)Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations。
文摘Propelled by urbanization,rising incomes,and changing diets,food markets have been expanding in Africa and South Asia,creating the vast potential for job and income opportunities along food supply chains and,hence,for poverty reduction.The novel coronavirus(COVID-19)that spread to a pandemic in early 2020 provokes enormous setbacks to this expansion.This,however,should provide lessons regarding the importance of resilient and inclusive food systems.Emergency responses to COVID-19 should consider interventions towards that end and leverage the opportunities provided by food markets growth as economies recover from the present economic recession.This paper assesses options of how this could be done by facilitating the better functioning and interconnectedness of the many small and medium-sized enterprises that are proliferating along the"hidden middle"of food value chains in storage,logistics,transportation,and wholesale and retail distribution.It also explores how policies can help smallholder farmers connect to this"hidden middle"in more gainful ways and help them climb out of poverty as well.
文摘This paper briefly reviews different debates about approaches for paths out of poverty,considering several views,from the analysis of specific policies to more general or systemic considerations.The contribution of this paper is to present a broad outline of those debates and to serve as an illustration of the complexity of analyzing paths out of poverty.It discusses in sequence,the more microeconomic approach of evaluation of individual policies for poverty alleviation;then it moves to broader issues of growth and development strategies,and macroeconomic policies,and their links to the persistence or reduction of poverty;and finally discusses the topic of institutions,related to how policy decisions are made and enforced in societies at the previous three levels.Finally,the concluding section argues that a successful program to eliminate poverty must integrate all levels of individual policies,macroeconomic programs,development strategies and good institutions.This paper hopes to contribute to that crucial work.
基金This work was financially supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2015BAD02B01-2-2)the HarvestPlus Challenge Program(www.harvestplus.org).
文摘Recurrent selection is an important breeding method for population improvement and selecting elite inbreds or fixed lines from the improved germplasm.Recently,a computer simulation tool called QuMARS has been developed,which allows the simulation and optimization of various recurrent selection strategies.Our major objective in this study was to use the QuMARS tool to compare phenotypic recurrent,marker-assisted recurrent,and genomic selections(abbreviated respectively as PS,MARS and GS)for both short-and long-termbreeding procedures.ForMARS,twomarker selection models were considered,i.e.,stepwise(Rstep)and forward regressions(Forward).For GS,three prediction models were considered,i.e.,genomic best linear unbiased predictors(GBLUP),ridge regression(Ridge),and regression by Moore-Penrose general inverse(InverseMP).To generate genotypes and phenotypes for a given individual during simulation,one additive and two epistasis genetic models were considered with three levels of heritability.Results demonstrated that selection responses from GBLUP-based GS and MARS(Forward)were consistently greater than those from PS under the additive model,particularly in early selection cycles.In contrast,selection response from PS was consistently superior over MARS and GS under epistatic models.For the two epistasis models,total genetic variance and the additive variance component were increased in some cases after selection.Through simulation,we concluded that GS and PS were effective recurrent selection methods for improved breeding of targeted traits controlled by additive and epistatic quantitative trait loci(QTL).QuMARS provides an opportunity for breeders to compare,optimize and integrate new technology into their conventional breeding programs.
