Water diversion and agricultural production:Evidence from China

Water diversion can alleviate water shortages caused by the uneven distribution of water resources.China’s Southto-North Water Diversion Project(SNWD)is the largest water diversion project worldwide.Based on the prefecturelevel data of China’s Huang-Huai-Hai Plain from 2000 to 2020,this study employs an empirical strategy of Differencesin-Differences(DID)to analyze the impact of SNWD on agricultural production.The results show that SNWD has significantly increased agricultural production,measured by the agricultural value added.The estimated results of the benchmark model remain robust when the contemporaneous policy is addressed,an alternative outcome is used,subsamples are estimated,and alternative estimation techniques are employed.This study argues that the potential impact mechanism may be that SNWD significantly increases the acreage for cash crops but reduces that for grain crops.Heterogeneity analysis shows that in prefectures with high temperature or land potential,SNWD’s impact on agricultural value added is relatively low.In contrast,in areas with prolonged sunshine or high slopes,SNWD’s impact on agricultural value added is relatively large.Given the low added value of grain crops,the government should consider strengthening food security by subsidizing water supply to sustain grain production.

Impacts of Climate Change on Water and Agricultural Production in Ten Large River Basins in China

The overall goal of this paper is to examine impacts of climate change on water supply and demand balance and their consequences on agricultural production in ten river basins in China. To realize this goal, China Water Simulation Model （CWSM） is used to analyze three alternative climate scenarios （A1B, A2 and B2）. The results show that the impacts of climate change on water supply and demand balance differ largely among alternative scenarios. While significant impacts of climate change on water balance will occur under the A1B scenario, the impacts of climate change under the A2 and B2 scenarios will be marginal. Under the A1B scenario, the water shortage in the river basins located in the northern China will become more serious, particularly in Liaohe and Haihe river basins, but the other river basins in the southern China will improve their water balance situations. Despite larger impacts of climate change on water balance in the northern China, its impacts on total crops＇ production will be moderate if farmers would be able to reallocate water among crops and adjust irrigated and rainfed land. The paper concludes with some policy implications.

Agricultural Production Structure Adjustment Scheme Evaluation and Selection Based on DEA Model for Punjab(Pakistan)

DEA is a nonparametric method used in operation researches and economics fields for the evaluation of the production frontier. It has distinct intrinsic which is worth coping with assessment problems with multiple inputs in particular with multiple outputs. This paper used D~ C2 R model of DEA to assess the comparative efficiency of the multiple schemes of agricultural industrial structure, at the end we chose the most favorable also known as ＂OPTIMAL＂ scheme. In addition to this, using some functional insights from DEA model non optimal schemes or less optimal schemes had also been improved to some extent. Assessment and selection of optimal schemes of agricultural industrial structure using DEA model gave a greater and better insight of agricultural industrial structure and was the first of such researches in Pakistan.

Agricultural Production Structure Optimization: A Case Study of Major Grain Producing Areas, China

A large number of mathematical models were developed for supporting agricultural production structure optimization decisions; however, few of them can address various uncertainties existing in many factors （e.g., eco-social benefit maximization, food security, employment stability and ecosystem balance）. In this study, an interval-probabilistic agricultural production structure optimization model （IPAPSOM） is formulated for tackling uncertainty presented as discrete intervals and/or probability distribution. The developed model improves upon the existing probabilistic programming and inexact optimization approaches. The IPAPSOM considers not only food security policy constraints, but also involves rural households’income increase and eco-environmental conversation, which can effectively reflect various interrelations among different aspects in an agricultural production structure optimization system. Moreover, it can also help examine the reliability of satisfying （or risk of violating） system constraints under uncertainty. The model is applied to a real case of long-term agricultural production structure optimization in Dancheng County, which is located in Henan Province of Central China as one of the major grain producing areas. Interval solutions associated with different risk levels of constraint violation are obtained. The results are useful for generating a range of decision alternatives under various system benefit conditions, and thus helping decision makers to identify the desired agricultural production structure optimization strategy under uncertainty.

Study on the Climate Changes Characteristics in the Hilly Region of the Loess Plateau and Its Influence on Agricultural Production

[Objective] The aim was to study the climate changes characteristics in the hilly region of the loess plateau and its influence on agricultural production.[Method] Taking Yan’an City as an example,and by dint of temperature and precipitation in nine meteorological stations from 1957 to 2007 and accumulated anomaly curve,linear regression and relevant analysis,the climate changes characteristics in 51 years in Yan’an were expounded.The climate changes in the hilly region of the loess plateau were studied and its influences on agricultural production were concluded.[Result] The characteristics of climate changes in the hilly region were as follow:high temperature in winter and warm winter trend was clearly;the temperature in spring enhanced fast and the drought disaster was increasing worse;rainy days occurred now and then in autumn.The climate changes had different levels of influences on agricultural production in Yan’an City.Because of rising temperature in winter,facility agriculture was vigorously developed and the apple range expanded;in the meantime,because of rising temperature in spring,drought was worsen and sowing in spring can not proceed;constant rain in autumn damaged the quality of date.[Conclusion] The study provided theoretical basis for the regional agricultural production and agricultural structure adjustment.

Agricultural production structure,market conditions and farmers’nutritional intake in rural China

Nutrition poverty alleviation is an effective measure to improve the nutritional status of economically disadvantaged individuals,fundamentally improving their health and reducing poverty.Based on the Entitlement Theory and using the China Health and Nutrition Survey(CHNS)data,this paper examines the relationship between farmers’nutritional intake,production structure and regional market conditions.Results show that farmers with diversified production have better nutritional intake than those who specialize.Furthermore,the correlation between regional market conditions and nutritional intake varies between economically disadvantaged and non-economically disadvantaged households.Market conditions significantly influence the carbohydrate and fat intake of economically disadvantaged households and are positively associated with the dietary structure and nutritional intake of non-economically disadvantaged ones.Moreover,income is positively correlated with the nutritional intake of non-economically disadvantaged households but not with economically disadvantaged ones.

Optimal Scheme Selection of Agricultural Production Structure Adjustment——Based on DEA Model; Punjab(Pakistan)

This paper used the modern evaluation method of DEA （Data Envelopment Analysis） to assess the comparative efficiency and then on the basis of this among multiple schemes chose the optimal scheme of agricultural production structure adjustment. Based on the results of DEA model, we dissected scale advantages of each discretionary scheme or plan. We examined scale advantages of each discretionary scheme, tested profoundly a definitive purpose behind not-DEA efficient, which elucidated the system and methodology to enhance these discretionary plans. At the end, another method had been proposed to rank and select the optimal scheme. The research was important to guide the practice if the modification of agricultural production industrial structure was carded on.

Designing and Realization of Database Platform of County Agricultural Production Technology in Yunnan Province

According to the objective reality in Yunnan Province,such as great difference of weather,a great proportion of minorities,technological backwardness of agricultural production,low conversion rate of research accomplishments,and a limited number of agricultural technical personnel,ASP.NET technique and SQL Server 2005 database technique are adopted.Database platform of county agricultural production technology in Yunnan Province is established by using B/S structure.This platform includes presentation layer,application layer,and data layer,involving regional information,technology column information,technology classification information,technology content and other databases.It has six functional modules,namely information browse,system management,regional maintenance,technical section maintenance,category maintenance and technical information release,integrating crop cultivation,livestock breeding,economic forest management,plant protection,agricultural products processing,agricultural machinery use and other agricultural technical information.This platform can exchange information dynamically with the client,perform the query request from users,and send the result to users.This database platform has friendly interface,profuse information,high pertinency and so on,which offers rich and reliable information resources to farmers,agricultural technical personnel,and government.At present,this platform has been popularized in some areas of Yunnan Province and has obtained good results.

Cerrado:Agricultural Production and Areas Designated for Environmental Preservation Registered in the Brazilian Rural Environmental Registry(Cadastro Ambiental Rural)

In this study,authors analyzed value,production and area used for producing Cerrado’s main agricultural products,and data on the farms located within this biome and registered in CAR up until April 2019,by microregion.The territory considered here comprised all microregions with at least 25%of its area covered by the Cerrado biome.The production,agricultural production,and planted area values used were the averages of the 2015 to 2017 harvests,and are shown in graphs and tables,as are maps of planted areas and groups of main annual crops,semi-perennial and perennial crops.The areas designated for environmental preservation(ADPs)are the result of the sum of permanent preservation areas(APP),legal reserves(RL)and additional vegetation areas within the farms.Authors’study shows that most of Brazilian cotton,eucalyptus for charcoal,orange,sugarcane,maize and soybean are produced in Cerrado,that 28%of Cerrado are ADPs within farms,and that 16%are areas planted with cotton,eucalyptus,orange,sugarcane,maize,soybean,coffee,beans,and potatoes.The territory occupied by agricultural areas and ADPs required by the Brazilian Forest Code shows that agricultural production and environmental preservation do coexist,and gather the maintenance of essential ecosystem services provided by the ADPs together with the development of the country’s relevant agricultural production.

Effect of water fluctuation on agricultural production in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain, China

The biggest load of water resources for agricultural economy in the Huang-Huai Plainwill only arcount for 67.1 % of the forecasted irrigated area in 2010. The irrigated area and thequantity of water diverting from the Huanghe River was 2.2 million hm2 and 10.8 billion m3respectively in the lowe reaches of the river in the 1990s. The annual amount of yield increase forgrain is 6.3 billion kg calculated by converting and the annual benefit of yield-increase is 4.4 billionRMB yuan in the irrigated area of the region. The daily economic losses of industry and agricultureby absence of flow in the area in the 1990s is 44. 1 million RMB yuan. The annual water quantity willbe increased by 9.9 billion m3 after diverting water from the Huanghe River and 12.6 billion m3 afterdiverting water from the Changjiang River respectively in the plain in 2010.

Prevention of Agricultural Market Risks by Agricultural Production Entities in Hubei Province

Different agricultural production and operation entities face the same market risks.Since there is a huge gap in market risk prevention ability between agricultural market operation entities,the gap of risk prevention effect is huge.Using statistical analysis and comparative analysis methods,this paper analyzed characteristics and influencing factors of agricultural market risks and pointed out characteristics of agricultural market and special characteristics of agricultural production and operation entities in Hubei Province.Based on SWOT analysis on market risk prevention ability of agricultural production and operation entities in Hubei Province,it came up with three recommendations,including upgrading agricultural production and operation entities,enlarging the production and operation scale,and strengthening the ability of balancing the market demand and supply and bargaining power and pricing power.

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.

A Decision Support System for Spatial Analysis of Agricultural Production in Madagascar

In this article, our research aims to set up a geo-decisional system, more precisely we are particularly interested in the spatial analysis system of agricultural production in Madagascar. For this, we used the spatial data warehouse technique based on the SOLAP spatial analysis tool. After having defined the concepts underlying these systems, we propose to address the research issues related to them from four points of view: needs study of the Malagasy Ministry of Agriculture, modeling of a multidimensional conceptual model according to the MultiDim model and the implementation of the system studied using GeoKettle, PostGIS, GeoServer, SPAGO BI and Géomondrian technologies. This new system helps improve the decision-making process for agricultural production in Madagascar.

Research Progress of Application of Microbial Inoculants in Agricultural Production

Microbial inoculants have received increasing attention in strengthening plant biological barriers,antagonizing and inhibiting harmful microorganisms,and ensuring the safe production of agricultural products.This paper summarized the research status of agricultural microbial inoculants,the application of microbial inoculants in agriculture,and the trends and prospects of agricultural microbial research.

The Relationship between Religious Belief and Agricultural Production of the Miao People

Religious belief is an important part of the Miao People culture.The agricultural economic situation in the Miao region is an essential factor for determining the generation and development of its religious belief.Religious belief also has a tremendous impact on the agricultural production of the Miao people.This paper summarized the religious belief form and the agricultural situation of Miao People,and analyzed the relationship between the religious belief and agricultural production of Miao People.

Brief Analysis of Religious Sacrificial Activities in Agricultural Production of Ethnic Minorities in China

China is vast in territory and there are 55 ethnic minorities. Due to the geographical location,the experience in the development process and the stage of cultural development,ethnic minorities show great differences with Han people in many aspects,so that in the process of obtaining food,they manifest different cultural characteristics,especially the religious sacrifices and taboos present in the agricultural production process show more uniqueness and retain more primitive features.

Calculation of Agricultural Production Efficiency Based on a Three-stage Data Envelopment Analysis Model and Analysis of the Spatial-temporal Characteristics: A Case Study of the Yangtze River Economic Belt

In response to the strategic call for the " Great Protection" of the Yangtze River Economic Belt and to fulfill the important historical tasks assigned by the state to the provinces and cities of the area,the Yangtze River Economic Belt is adjusting the agricultural industry structure,optimizing the input-output ratio,and ensuring stable and sustainable agricultural production. Based on the combination of the three-stage Data Envelopment Analysis( DEA) model and cluster analysis,this study examined the Yangtze River Economic Belt from 2008 to 2018 to measure its agricultural production efficiency and to analyze its temporal and spatial characteristics. Studies showed that exogenous environmental factors significantly( P < 5%) impacted agricultural production efficiency in the Yangtze River Economic Zone,and there were temporal and spatial differences. These included:(1) after excluding environmental factors,the overall agricultural production efficiency of the Yangtze River Economic Zone had improved. Sichuan Province and Jiangsu Province were at the forefront of efficiency,whereas the agricultural production efficiency of Shanghai had declined obviously.(2) The agricultural production efficiency of the Yangtze River Economic Belt varied year by year,with fluctuating development. The middle reaches of the Yangtze River had advanced agricultural production efficiency more than the upstream and downstream regions,and the agricultural production efficiency of the individual provinces did not match their economic and social development.(3) Increases in labor,land,irrigation,and other input factors increased agriculture production efficiency,and there was no correlation between fiscal investment,per capita gross domestic product( GDP) and agricultural production efficiency,while the disaster-affected area had a significantly negative impact on agricultural production efficiency.

Characterization and Classification of Agricultural Production Systems in the Galapagos Islands (Ecuador)

The low level of agricultural productivity within the production systems in the insular region of Galapagos is caused by the lack of sustainable technologies accordingly to the insular conservation regime. As a consequence, producers face low productivity and economic losses, which result in low levels of incomes and hasten the change from agricultural to tourist activities. With consequent abandonment of productive lands, the presence of invasive species and pathogens has become a growing threat to the biodiversity of the Galapagos National Park. For this reason, it is necessary to generate and disseminate technologies adapted to the prevalent production systems in the islands. Primary data were collected through face-to-face surveys in a sample of 208 producers from 4 islands during the period from July to November 2018. Multivariate analyses (principal components and cluster) were applied to characterize and classify typical agricultural production systems. The results show three types of systems, differentiated mainly by the technology used in the management of agricultural production, that influence the yields of crops and of animal products such as beef and milk, which cannot satisfy the demand for food on the islands, which has created the dependence on imports to cover the production gap. The definition of the types of agricultural production systems can help in identifying sustainable production alternatives that integrate local social and environmental needs. This is one of the very few technical descriptions of farms on the islands and should be used by policymakers to plan interventions.

Influences of greenhouse effect on agricultural production in China

An obvious warming in China induced by doubled carbon, dioxide as simulated by the climatic models have been found. It is also noticed that there might be drying or wetting in some parts of China induced by doubled CO2 as simulated by the general circulation models(GCMs). Agricultural productivity mainly depends on the temperature, rainfall and soil moisture in China. The changes of agricultural productivity in the different parts of China induced by doubled CO2 have been estimated in this paper. It is shown that the greenhouse effect might cause increasing production in some parts of China and decreasing production in other parts of China.

Impact of climate change on agricultural production: A case of Rasuwa District, Nepal

Climate change is expected to threaten the developing countries the most. Nepal is considered one of the five countries most vulnerable to climate change in the world. The mountainous area such as Rasuwa District in Nepal is more vulnerable due to complex topography, human activity(tourism), and climate change. In this context, we carried out this study to assess the climate change and its impact on agriculture production as well as people’s perceptions on the impact of climate change. The long-term(1980–2014) observed climate data(temperature and precipitation) and field-based survey data on people’s perceptions were analyzed. Mann-Kendall trend test and Sen’s slope estimation were used to analyze the temperature and precipitation trends. Furthermore, key informant interviews(KIIs) and focal group discussions(FGDs) were conducted to understand people’s perceptions of the impact of climate change on agricultural production. Further, ERA5 and Asian Precipitation-Highly Resolved Observational Data Integration Towards Evaluation of Water Resources(APHRODITE) datasets were used to compare the in situ climate data. The maximum temperature and total precipitation in summer monsoon(June–September) were found increasing significantly at rates of 0.07℃/a and 19.89 mm/a, respectively. But the minimum winter temperature and winter precipitation were found decrease by 0.05℃/a and 4.89 mm/a, respectively. Moreover, a large number of respondents reported a decrease in millet and wheat productions while an increase in potato production over the considered time duration(1990–2014). It is noteworthy that the respondents from the mid-elevation regions perceived an increasing trend in crop production compared to those from the low elevation regions. In recent years, people living in the high elevation regions of Rasuwa District have started to shift their cropping calendar to increase agricultural production. This study will provide useful information for policymakers in formulating adaptation strategies in mountainous areas of Nepal.