How Does E-Commerce Policy Affect Consumption Disparities of Rural Households?-Evidence from China

In the context of China’s ongoing efforts to promote countryside revitalization and facilitate domestic economic circulation,it is of great significance to reduce the consumption disparity among rural households and unleash the consumption potential in the countryside.Based on data from China Family Panel Studies,this paper adopts a staggered difference-in-differences method to assess the impact of the e-commerce to enter rural areas on the consumption disparity among rural households.Findings:the comprehensive demonstration work of promoting e-commerce to enter rural areas has reduced the consumption disparity among rural households through the following mechanisms.Firstly,this policy initiative has mitigated the consumption-inhibiting effect on rural household consumption due to the local market size and external market accessibility by promoting the distribution of consumer goods to villages.Secondly,this policy initiative has also increased the agricultural income of rural households and reduced their consumption disparity by distributing farm produce to cities and enhancing the agricultural income of rural households.Moreover,the work is characterized by inclusive growth and is not susceptible to the“elite capture”phenomenon.

Impact of livelihood diversification of rural households on their ecological footprint in agro-pastoral areas of northern China

Human-environment relationship is a focus of academic researches and an understanding of the rela- tionship is important for making effective policies and decisions. In this study, based on rural household survey data of Taibus Banner, Duolun county and Zhengxiangbai Banner in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region of China, we identified the impact of livelihood diversification on ecosystems in these agro-pastoral areas by using the ecological footprint theory and methodology together with the one-way analysis of variance （ANOVA） and correlation analysis methods. In 2011, the total ecological footprint of consumption （EFC） was 0.665 g hm2, and the total ecological footprint of production （EFP） was 2.045 g hm2, which was more than three times the EFC. The ecological footprint of arable land consumption （EFAC） accounted for a large proportion of the EFC, and the ecological footprint of grassland production （EFGP） occupied a large proportion of the EFP. Both the ecological footprint of grassland consumption （EFGC） and EFGP had a significant positive correlation with the income, indicating that income was mainly depended on livestock production and the households with higher incomes consumed more livestock prod- ucts. The full-time farming households （FTFHs） had the highest EFP, ecological footprint of arable land production （EFAP）, EFGP and EFGC, followed by the part-time farming households （PTFHs） and non-farming households （NFHs）, which indicated that part-time farming and non-farming employment reduced the occupancy and con- sumption of rural households on local ecosystems and natural resources to some extent. When farming households engaged in livestock rearing, both the EFAP and EFAC became smaller, while the EFP, EFC, EFGC and EFGP increased significantly. The differences in ecological footprints among different household groups should be taken into account when making ecosystem conservation policies. Encouraging the laborers who have the advantages of participating in non-farming employment to move out of the rural areas and increasing the diversification of liveli- hoods of rural households are important in reducing the environmental pressures and improving the welfare of households in the study area. Moreover, grassland should be utilized more effectively in the future.

The impact of the New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme on the“health poverty alleviation”of rural households in China

This study investigates the impact of the New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme(NRCMS)on rural households to escape poverty.We employ the instrumental variable method,the IVProbit model,to analyze the national data from the rural-resident field survey by the China Family Panel Studies(CFPS)in 2016.Based on the large-scale data,we found that,first,the hospitalization of family members is the key factor in increasing the risk of the family falling into poverty.The NRCMS has significantly reduced the likely risk of falling into poverty.Second,the impact of the NRCMS on poverty alleviation varies among groups with different levels of income.There is no impact on the upper-middle and high-income groups;in contrast,the NRCMS has substantially improved the capacity of low-income rural families to prevent poverty due to illness,especially for the lower-middle-income group.Third,there exist significant regional differences in the impact of NRCMS on the health poverty alleviation of rural households in China.The NRCMS has successfully reduced the risk of rural households in the western region falling into poverty,simultaneously,no significant impact on those in the eastern and central regions.In order to diminish and eliminate poverty eventually and boost rural residents'capacity for income acquisition,we propose the following:raise the actual compensation ratio of the NRCMS,control the rising expense of NRCMS by promoting the payment method reform,construct the comprehensive healthcare system in the western region,strengthen the medical security for the poor in remote area,and enhance the living environment for rural residents.

Land Consolidation Model Implemented by Cooperated Rural Households——A Case of Hubin Village, Baijia Town of Dianjiang County

In view of the problems faced by implementation model of cooperated rural households in terms of limited use scope, insufficient governmental policy and one-sided participation of rural households, the comprehensive evaluation index system of the feasibility of implementation model of cooperated rural households is established. From the macro-perspective, seven indexes including urban land use, township economic development stage, urbanization and township enterprise structure are selected. From the micro-perspective, 12 indexes including location situation, governance capability and economic developmental level at village level are selected. Besides, the multiple factors evaluation model is established. Taking implementation items of cooperated rural households in Hubin Village, Baijia Town of Dianjiang County as an example, the implantations items are analyzed by using the comprehensive evaluation model and the evaluation results are in accordance with actual situation. The effectiveness of the comprehensive evaluation method is proved. However, affected by the limited application scope of implementation model, insufficient policy and one-sided farmers' participation, in order to avoid copying the successful experience of completed pilot blindly, farmers are suggested to adopt the implementation model of cooperated rural households.

Differentiation of Rural Households′ Consciousness in Land Use Activities: A Case from Bailin Village, Shapingba District of Chongqing Municipality, China

What rural households think and what kind of strategies they take, the basic driving force in land use activities, contribute greatly to the increase of their own revenues, the development of agricultural yields, and even the prosperity of rural areas. Differentiation in rural household behaviors and their consciousness in land use activities is widespread in rural China nowadays. It is important to understand the changing characteristics and laws of land use behaviors of rural households driven by their consciousness, so as to regulate their land use activities. In most empirical studies of land use change at rural household level, the land use consciousness, which acts directly on land use behaviors, is often neglected. In our research, the changes of land use behaviors of rural households are analyzed, through identifying how the land use consciousness affect the land use objectives, land management scales and land inputs of all the rural households in Bailin Village of Chongqing Municipality in the western mountainous China. Also, how the land use consciousness of different rural households comes into being under external stimuli is examined and the self-adjustment process of their consciousness according to their own conditions is also discussed. Finally, broad policy instruments are suggested to promote the rationalization of rural households′ land use consciousness and the standardization of their land use behaviors.

Comparative Study on Energy Consumption Structure of Ordinary Rural Households and Rural Tourism Households in Zhejiang Province, China

With the rapid development of rural tourism in China, more and more rural households operate a rural tourism business. The purpose of this study is to understand the energy consumption characteristic of ordinary rural households (ORHs) and rural tourism households (RTHs) in the mountainous area and islands area in Zhejiang province. 225 households were surveyed, including 185 ORHs and 40 RTHs, based on a field survey in Quzhou (mountainous area) and Zhoushan (islands area). Results reveal that energy consumption of ORHs is low, but energy comsumption of RTHs is high, about 3 to 5 times higher than that of ORHs. Given the results, the government and RTHs should pay more attention to take measures to reduce energy comsumption. Meanwhile, the factors affecting households’ energy consumption are also analyzed. Energy consumption of ORHs is affected by frequently used area, family income level and permanent population. Then energy consumption of RTHs is mainly related to the total building area, number of air conditioner (AC), number of guestrooms and family income level.

Can Labor Out-Migration Reduce Firewood Consumption by Rural Households in Western Mountainous China

The relationship between out-migration of labor in the Qinling mountain area and households' firewood consumption is explored. Migration and remittances reduce households' firewood consumption due to increases in both income and opportunity cost of firewood collection. Previous studies have been equivocal because they ignored uncertainty in household economy, which is widespread in forest areas of less developed countries. This study provides additional insight by considering vulnerability and subjective assessment of poverty generated by unstable income and an uncertain future. We provide evidence that the amount of firewood consumed depends on income and opportunity cost of firewood collection, but also on a prudent consumption strategy, due to farmers' subjective assessment of their future possible poverty. We also find out-migration of labor can reduce per capita firewood consumption but subjective poverty also acts against reduction of firewood consumption.

Current Situation and Approaches Relating to Construction of Agricultural Production and Operation Development Capacity for Rural Households in Hubei Province

The main body of household operation in the rural household contract responsibility system of our country has developed to the present stage,and has formed the situation that three kinds of rural households coexist,namely,ordinary rural households,major professional households and family farms. The agricultural production and operation of three kinds of household plays an important role in supporting the rapid development of modern agriculture in China. Under the new situation of deepening the rural reform and realizing the goal of well-off society in an all-round way,it is of great practical significance to make a thorough investigation and study on the present situation and approaches relating to the construction of the agricultural production and operation capacity for the three kinds of rural households.

Empirical study on the financial repression of rural households＇ debit and credit and the effects on their welfare in less developed regions --Take Suqian city of Jiangsu province as an example

This paper carries out empirical analysis of the ration behavior of rural credit cooperatives in less developed regions in providing loan services to rural households. It also inspects the interaction between rural households＇ demand for credit and the loan supply from rural credit cooperatives with simultaneous discrete model. The performance of supporting agriculture through a new round reform of rural credit cooperatives is doubtable in this sample region.

Financial Knowledge,Capability to Guard Against Risks,and Rural Households’Selection of Financial Assets:An Empirical Study Based on Rural Households in China

Based on rural household data collected in two rounds of the China Household Finance Survey(CHFS)in 2015 and 2017,respectively,this paper presents the likely impact of financial literacy and capability against risks on the breadth and depth of participation by rural households in risky financial markets.After instrumental variables are used to solve endogenous problems,we find that a good command of financial knowledge and a higher risk management level could significantly increase the probability and proportion of rural households investing in risky financial assets.A mechanism analysis further reveals that financial knowledge motivates rural households to engage in financial investments by helping them evaluate their capability to guard against risks.After multiple dimensions of indicators are employed to measure financial knowledge,the estimated results remain stable.In view of this,we have put forward some policy suggestions to increase the property income of rural households and promote the rural financial market.

Measurement and Analysis of Production Performance of Rural Households in Jinzhai County, Anhui Province

Using a multi-input multi-output production technology and survey data from Jinzhai County, western Anhui Province, China, the author first measured the production performance of rural households their efficiency, economy of scale, and productivity during 19781997, and then related the measured production performance with institutional change, market access, and other factors. Preliminary results show that: 1) performance differs a great deal across households and over time; 2) institutional changes and market accessibility have played a major role in improving performance; 3) depending on the specific resources, their effects are variable.

Determinants of Adoption of Agricultural Extension of Green River Project among Rural Households of Niger Delta, Nigeria

This study analyzed the determinants of adoption of agricultural extension of Green River Project among rural households of Niger Delta, Nigeria. Questionnaire, which was randomly distributed, was used for data collection from 270 direct beneficiaries of the project. Frequency, percentage and multiple regression were used for data analyses. For the beneficiaries, the results indicated a mean age of 48 years, 9 years of formal education, annual net farm income of N115, 681.48 and 2.8 times of monthly contact with Project Extension Officers. The mean adoption status of the project was 56.6%. The relationship between socio-economic characteristics of beneficiaries and adoption status gave an R2 of 0.668. Age, education, farming, experience, farm income and extension contact were significant determinants of adoption. The study recommends improvement in formal education, farm income, extension contact and inclusion of younger farmers as beneficiaries to enhance adoption status.

Empirical Analysis on Inequity of Rural Tax and Fee Burden Distribution： A Case from Rural Households of China from 1986 to 2000

This paper analyzes the distribution of rural in the eastern, mid and western China and in five income tax and fee burden and income of the rural households groups from the lowest income group to the highest group from 1986 to 1999. After the analyses, the paper thinks that the distribution of tax and fee between the rural households is inequitable whatsoever it is in the different income groups or in the different regions. The higher the income of the rural household is, the lighter the rural tax and fee burden is. The poorer the rural household is, the heavier the tax and fee burden of the rural household is. The more developed the economy of the region is, the less the rural tax and fee burden of rural household is. In the region that the agriculture is the leading industry, the rural tax and fee burden of the rural household is heavier than that in the region that the agriculture is not dominant. All mentioned above show the regressive characters of the agricultural taxation in rural China. At present the distribution of rural tax and fee burden between the rural household is inequitable.

Air pollution and inhalation exposure to particulate matter of different sizes in rural households using improved stoves in central China

Household air pollution is considered to be among the top environmental risks in China.To examine the performance of improved stoves for reduction of indoor particulate matter（PM） emission and exposure in rural households, individual inhalation exposure to size-resolved PM was investigated using personal portable samplers carried by residents using wood gasifier stoves or improved coal stoves in a rural county in Central China.Concentrations of PM with different sizes in stationary indoor and outdoor air were also monitored at paired sites. The stationary concentrations of size-resolved PM in indoor air were greater than those in outdoor air, especially finer particles PM0.25. The daily averaged exposure concentrations of PM0.25, PM1.0, PM2.5 and total suspended particle for all the surveyed residents were 74.4 ± 41.1, 159.3 ± 74.3, 176.7 ± 78.1 and 217.9 ± 78.1 μg/m3,respectively. Even using the improved stoves, the individual exposure to indoor PM far exceeded the air quality guideline by WHO at 25 μg/m3. Submicron particles PM1.0 were the dominant PM fraction for personal exposure and indoor and outdoor air. Personal exposure exhibited a closer correlation with indoor PM concentrations than that for outdoor concentrations. Both inhalation exposure and indoor air PM concentrations in the rural households with gasifier firewood stoves were evidently lower than the reported results using traditional firewood stoves. However, local governments in the studied rural areas should exercise caution when widely and hastily promoting gasifier firewood stoves in place of improved coal stoves, due to the higher PM levels in indoor and outdoor air and personal inhaled exposure.

Understanding livelihood vulnerability:a perspective from Western Sichuan’s ethnic rural settings

To explore the livelihood status and key influencing factors of rural households in the minority areas,we collected flat data from 284 rural households in 32 villages across 12 counties of Western Sichuan from 2021 to 2022.We conducted participatory household survey on the livelihood status of the rural households and try to identify the key factors to influence their livelihood vulnerability using multiple linear regression.The results showed that:the livelihood situation of the rural households is relatively vulnerable.The vulnerability varies significantly with the income levels,education levels,and income sources.The vulnerability of farm households,categorized from low to high livelihood types,follows the sequence:non-agricultural dominant households,non-agricultural households,agricultural dominant households,and pure agricultural households.The degree of damage to the natural environment,education costs,loan opportunities,the proportion of agricultural income to annual household income,and the presence of sick people in the household have significant positive effects on the livelihood vulnerability index(LVI)of rural households;while help from relatives and friends,net income per capita,household size,household education,agricultural land area,participation in industrial organizations,number of livestock,purchase of commercial houses,drinking water source,and self-supply of food have significant negative effects.Based on the findings,we believe that local rural households operate in a complex livelihood system and recommend continuous interventions targeting key influences to provide empirical research support for areas facing similar situations.

Reassessing the Lewis Turning Point in China： Evidence from 70,000 Rural Households

There is no convincing evidence to prove that China＇s Lewis turning point （LTP） arrived in 2004-2005, as suggested in some of the existing literature. Employing data from the National Bureau of Statistics of China for 70,000 rural households and following the method proposed by Minami （1968） to identify the Lewis turning point in Japan, the present study reassessed the reaching of the LTP in China and found that China＇s economy reached the LTP around 2010. From a regional perspective, China ＂s eastern region reached the LTP in 2010 and its central and western regions are now approaching the turning point. After arriving at the LTP, China＇s rural economy will face three key tasks.＂ safeguarding grain security, promoting economic restructuring and realizing agricultural modernization. To cope with the shortage of human capital in agriculture production and the challenge of the tight balance between grain supply and demand, the Chinese Government should improve the human capital training system, accelerate agricultural modernization and guarantee national grain security.

Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on rural poverty and policy responses in China

Given the sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic,a timely study on the impacts of and policy response to the pandemic on rural poverty in China is critically important because China has aimed to completely eradicate extreme poverty by the end of 2020.This paper uses data from the latest round of a nationally representative household panel survey to examine the impacts of the pandemic on rural poverty in China.Our data show that 11.9%of sample households were ever officially registered as poor households between 2013 and 2019,and this poverty incidence fell to 2.7%by the end of 2019.In the middle February of 2020,23%of the households who have graduated from poverty since 2013 perceived that they would fall back into poverty due to the COVID-19.Among those never poor households,7.1%perceived that they would possibly fall into poverty due to the pandemic.Results from both descriptive and multivariate analyses consistently show the interruptions that the pandemic caused in off-farm employment is an important channel that led households to perceive of falling back into or falling into poverty.We also find households in the bottom four quintiles when ranked in terms of household income per capita are much more likely to perceive themselves of falling back into or falling into poverty during this pandemic than those in the richest quintile.Meanwhile,our results show that the education and age of household heads,as well as being from Hubei Province matter in explaining household perception about falling back into or falling into poverty in some cases but not all.The paper concludes with a set of policy responses that China has taken to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on poverty alleviation.

Estimating the effects of financial access on poor farmers in rural northern Nigeria

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.

Contribution of Rural Roads to Access to-and Participation in Markets:Theory and Results from Northern Ethiopia

Road accessibility is considered to be one of the major factors influencing (or correlated to) rural households’ access to- and participation in markets. However, there are few studies that investigate this important topic. This paper, therefore, explores the issue from both theoretical and practical perspectives with household and village level data from Northern Ethiopia. It is generally assumed that road accessibility significantly contributes to both access to- and participation in markets by rural households. The results in this study, however, suggest that neither participation in major markets nor the amount of purchased agricultural inputs use are significantly different for households with respect to the degree of road accessibility in the study area. Nevertheless, the situation seems somewhat better in locations with good access to roads. On the other hand, the results in this study confirm that road accessibility significantly contributes to reducing farm gate prices of manufactured goods and increasing farm gate prices of agricultural goods.