Spatio-temporal Pattern and Driving Forces of Comprehensive Agricultural Productivity in Jilin Province,China

Improving comprehensive agricultural productivity is an important measure to realize agricultural modernization.Based on the data from Jilin Statistical Yearbook,this study analyzed the spatial and temporal characteristics of comprehensive agricultural productivity discrepancy in the main agricultural production areas of Jilin Province,China.The comprehensive agricultural productivity of 25 county-level administrative units were evaluated by a comprehensive index system based on five aspects which included 20 indicators from 2004 to 2017.The pattern of the discrepancy was analyzed by the spatial differentiation indices and spatial convergence theory.The results were as follows:1) the overall comprehensive agricultural productivity was in a ’W-type’ rising trend;2) the discrepancy was in’inverted W-type’ trend;3) the spatial distribution characteristics were mainly discrete plaque and ’inverted V-type’;4) the formation of differences was forced by a combination of internal and external driving forces.Our study demonstrates the effectiveness of rising agricultural productivity and the level of economic and social developments in different counties in Jilin Province.

Banking Sector Development and Agricultural Productivity in Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC)

There is high pressure for investment capital and financial services for agricultural activities necessary for poverty reduction,economic growth,sustainable development and food security.This study investigated the long-term causation between banking sector development and agricultural productivity in the six Central African Economic and Monetary Community(CEMAC)states from 1990 to 2018,hypothesizing no causation between banking sector and agriculture output.With the autoregressive distributed lag(ARDL)model and vector error correction model(VECM),the study demonstrates that banking sector and agricultural productivity in the CEMAC region are related.It implies long-run relationship exists between banking sector and agricultural productivity in the CEMAC zone.The results reveal that bidirectional causality exists between banking sector and agricultural productivity in the CEMAC region.This is insinuating that in the CEMAC region,agricultural productivity and banking sector development are operating in mutualism.The findings indicate the reason to establish the banking sector using proper macroeconomic,legal and regulatory policies to boost agricultural productivity by creating incentive systems that channel more credit to agricultural investment and promoting the banking system.

Do ICTs Boost Agricultural Productivity?

Based on panel data from the Rural Fixed Point Survey of the Ministry of Agriculture over the period 2004-2016 and supplementary survey data on information and communications technology(ICT)applications in the countryside,this paper employs the difference in differences(DID)method to analyze the effects of ICT applications on rural households’agricultural total factor productivity(TFP)with mobile phone signal,internet and 3G mobile network connections as indicators,and decomposes and evaluates the constituent factors.Our findings reveal a positive effect of ICTs on rural households’TFP,which primarily stemmed from rising agricultural technical efficiency.However,ICTs exerted no significant effect on agricultural technical progress during this paper’s data period due to limited rural human capital.These findings are consistent with robustness test results based on counterfactual and matching methods.

Mixed Integer Robust Programming Model for Multimodal Fresh Agricultural Products Terminal Distribution Network Design

The low efficiency and high cost of fresh agricultural product terminal distribution directly restrict the operation of the entire supply network.To reduce costs and optimize the distribution network,we construct a mixed integer programmingmodel that comprehensively considers tominimize fixed,transportation,fresh-keeping,time,carbon emissions,and performance incentive costs.We analyzed the performance of traditional rider distribution and robot distribution modes in detail.In addition,the uncertainty of the actual market demand poses a huge threat to the stability of the terminal distribution network.In order to resist uncertain interference,we further extend the model to a robust counterpart form.The results of the simulation show that the instability of random parameters will lead to an increase in the cost.Compared with the traditional rider distribution mode,the robot distribution mode can save 12.7%on logistics costs,and the distribution efficiency is higher.Our research can provide support for the design of planning schemes for transportation enterprise managers.

Evolving patterns of agricultural production space in China:A network-based approach

The agricultural production space,as where and how much each agricultural product grows,plays a vital role in meeting the increasing and diverse food demands.Previous studies on agricultural production patterns have predominantly centered on individual or specific crop types,using methods such as remote sensing or statistical metrological analysis.In this study,we characterize the agricultural production space(APS)by bipartite network connecting agricultural products and provinces,to reveal the relatedness between diverse agricultural products and the spatiotemporal characteristic of provincial production capabilities in China.The results show that core products are cereal,pork,melon,and pome fruit;meanwhile the milk,grape,and fiber crop show an upward trend in centrality,which is in line with diet structure changes in China over the past decades.The little changes in community components and structures of agricultural products and provinces reveal that agricultural production patterns in China are relatively stable.Additionally,identified provincial communities closely resemble China's agricultural natural zones.Furthermore,the observed growth in production capabilities in North and Northeast China implies their potential focus areas for future agricultural production.Despite the superior production capa-bilities of southern provinces,recent years have witnessed a notable decline,warranting special attentions.The findings provide a comprehensive perspective for understanding the complex relationship of agricultural prod-ucts'relatedness,production capabilities and production patterns,which serve as a reference for the agricultural spatial optimization and agricultural sustainable development.

Research of Blockchain Technology in the Traceability of Characteristic Agricultural Products

With the increasingly prominent problem of food safety,the quality traceability of characteristic agricultural products has become a pressing issue.This study focuses on the application of blockchain technology in the traceability of characteristic agricultural products,aiming to explore its potential and practical value in improving the efficiency and transparency of the traceability system of agricultural products.Through the combination of case analysis and model construction,a blockchain-based traceability system for characteristic agricultural products was established.The results showed that the traceability system could effectively record the whole process information of agricultural products from production and processing to sales,and greatly improve the immutability and traceability of data.Lastly,this paper also points out that the use of blockchain technology can improve the market trust in characteristic agricultural products,provide consumers with authentic and reliable product information,and provide new technical means for the quality management of agricultural products.

Impacts of ecological restoration projects on agricultural productivity in China

The changes in cropland quantity and quality due to land use are critical concerns to national food security, particularly for China. Despite the significant ecological effects, the ecological restoration program （ERP）, started from 1999, has evidently altered the spatial patterns of China＇s cropland and agricultural productivity. Based on cropland dynamic data from 2000 to 2008 primarily derived from satellite images with a 30-m resolution and satel- lite-based net primary productivity models, we identified the impacts on agricultural produc- tivity caused by ERP, including ＂Grain for Green＂ Program （GFGP） and ＂Reclaimed Cropland to Lake＂ （RCTL） Program. Our results indicated that the agricultural productivity lost with a rate of 132.67×104 t/a due to ERP, which accounted for 44.01% of the total loss rate caused by land use changes during 2000-2005. During 2005-2008, the loss rate due to ERP de- creased to 77.18×104 t/a, which was equivalent to 58.17% of that in the first five years and 30.22% of the total loss rate caused by land use changes. The agricultural productivity loss from 2000-2008 caused by ERP was more attributed to GFGP （about 70%） than RCTL. Al- though ERP had a certain influence on cropland productivity during 2000-2008, its effect was still much less than that of urbanization; moreover, ERP was already converted from the project implementation phase to the consolidation phase.

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.

Evaluation on the Influencing Factors of Agricultural Land Productivity in Huang-Huai Plain,China

Taking Huang-Huai Plain as an example,evaluation index system is established from four aspects,including the resources condition,the social and economic condition,the agricultural science and technology condition,and the disaster resistant and sustainable production condition.Correlation coefficient method and expert consultation method are used to determine the weight of evaluation index.After the standardization of extreme value,weighted sum method and multiple regression method are adopted to evaluate the influencing factors of agricultural land productivity in Huang-Huai Plain,China.Evaluation result shows that agricultural science and technology condition has a lower contribution rate to the productivity of Huang-Huai Plain than that to Henan Province.Resources condition has a higher contribution rate to the productivity of Huang-Huai Plain than that to Henan Province.Both the social and economic condition and the disaster control and sustainable production condition show relatively small contribution rate to the productivity of Huang-Huai Plain.It can be concluded that the main factors affecting the productivity of Huang-Huai Plain are the backward agricultural science and technology level,the poor farmland quality and the farmland infrastructure.Based on this,relevant suggestions are put forward to improve the farmland productivity of Huang-Huai Plain.

Characteristics of B,Zn and Se in stream sediments of Tanzania and their agricultural applications:Based on 1∶1000000 geochemical survey

Tanzania is located in eastern Africa with a predominantly agricultural ecomomy,the potential for developing and utilizing cultivated land are promising,but scientific guidance is required.B,Zn and Se are essential micronutrients for plants and human body with crucial biological functions,in particular,Se is significant for human health and considered as“the king of anti-cancer”.As these elements required by human or plants are mainly absorbed from soil directly or indirectly,therefore,it is important to understand the contents and distributions of them in the soil of cultivated land for guiding agricultural production.In this work,low-density geochemical survey at the scale of 1∶1000000 was carried out in Tanzania,and the results show that the concentrations of B,Zn and Se in stream sediments are low and their distributions are heterogeneous.According to the distributions of geological units,the existing cultivated land resources can be divided into five regions in Tanzania.Compared with the national background values,the concentrations of B,Zn and Se are insufficient overall but enriched locally in these regions.In general,element concentrations in stream sediments and soil have a positive correlation because of their similar sources,which is essential in agriculture application.Based on the information provided by low-density geochemical data and maps,the Se-sufficient and Se-rich regions were delineated in Tanzania,where can be used to develop Se-rich industries.Finally,this paper believes that geochemical survey is a powerful tool for cultivated land evaluation,agriculture management and land development.

Marketing Strategies for Chinese Specialty Agricultural Products under the Internet Environment : Taking Tianshui Qinzhou Big Cherry Industry as an Example

Combined with the current situation of marketing of Chinzhou big cherries in Tianshui,we find out the problems in the development of network marketing of Chinzhou big cherries and put forward corresponding countermeasures and suggestions to improve its marketing level and solve the problem of imbalance between supply and demand of Qinzhou big cherries.

Analysis on the Problems and Strategies of Marketing Channels of Agricultural Products : Taking Liujun Lotus Root as an Example

Marketing channels are an important part of the circulation of agricultural products.With the development of China s agricultural industry,the marketing channels of agricultural products are continuously innovated and optimized.Taking Liujun Lotus Root as an example,on the basis of studying the existing model of marketing channels of agricultural products,this paper analyzes the problems in the existing marketing channels of Liujun Lotus Root,and puts forward relevant strategies.

Analysis of Agricultural Product Marketing Channels with Tashan Pomegranate as an Example

In the context of the digital economy, agricultural product marketing has also undergone new development, and the models of agricultural product marketing are constantly innovating. Based on the current sales situation of Tashan Pomegranate, this paper analyzed the existing sales channels of Tashan Pomegranate. It found that Tashan Pomegranate currently has insufficient online marketing channels, incomplete logistics system, and a lack of comprehensive talents in online marketing. In response to the existing problems, constructive recommendations are proposed for the online marketing channels of agricultural products in Lieshan District, and a network marketing path suitable for Tashan Pomegranate in Lieshan District was explored.

Pathways for Expediting Joint Agricultural Development of China and BRI Countries

Based on the agricultural panel data of 107 countries from 1962 to 2016,this paper establishes a global agricultural spatial production model,and explores pathways for mutually beneficial cooperation between China and the Belt and Road Initiative(BRI)countries in the agricultural sector.As shown in the empirical results,two-way spillover effects between China and BRI countries are all positive and significantly above world average of its kind,which builds the foundation of cooperation between both sides and reflects the BRI’s vision and foresight.In the context of the BRI,there are two pathways for expediting agricultural development in China and BRI countries:First,both sides may benefit from greater spillover effects from each other’s agricultural growth by promoting agricultural trade;second,China may gain from the overall spillover effects from agricultural development in BRI countries by promoting two-way trade,agri-technology aid and assistance in infrastructure projects for the common good of humanity.

Application of organic fertilizer for improving soybean production under acidic stress

The presence of acidic soil in rural areas poses difficulties for agricultural production.One factor regulating soil pH is the overuse of inorganic fertilizer.The increased use of fertilizers in soybean production not only raises sustainability concerns but also contributes to soil acidity.Therefore,the use of organic fertilizer could offer a solution for addressing both issues related to soil acidity and sustainability.The purpose of this study was to investigate the manipulation of soil pH using organic fertilizer for soybean production under acidic stress.The planting medium,consisting of a mixture of topsoil,rice husk charcoal,and organic fertilizer(in a ratio of 2:1:1),was supplemented with 0.5 g of NPK fertilizer as a basal treatment in each planting medium.To regulate the soil acidity to pH 4,we added FeSO_(4) and allowed the mixture to incubate for 30 days.The results demonstrate that the application of three types of organic fertilizers chicken manure(P1),oil palm empty bunch fertilizer(P2),and vermicompost(P3)positively impacts the growth of three soybean varieties.The findings indicate that the application of P2 organic fertilizer can increase vegetative growth almost 50%in soybeans on acidic soil,including plant height,leaf count,and root length.Meanwhile,applying P3 organic fertilizer can boost reproductive growth responses in soybeans on acidic soil,such as pod number(from around 0-4 unit to 42-51 unit),grain number(from around 0-5 unit to 88-90 unit),and grain weight(from around 0-0.37 g to 12-25 g).Organic fertilizer has the potential to regulate soil pH,promoting higher yields of soybeans under acidic stress.

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.

Simulating Microbial Functional Diversity Dynamics in Agricultural Soils: An Individual Based Modeling Approach

New agricultural soil model approaches based on the microbiome dynamics must be considered as they can contribute to understand microbiological soil processes directly linked to substrate metabolism and the influence of these processes on plant growth. The present work presents an approach to the modelling of the interactions of the soil microbial functional diversity with the plant in terms of functions associated to specific processes of organic Carbon and Nitrogen metabolism. The substrates transformations arising in the organic matter that enters as a part of an agricultural scheme are the base for define this metabolism. As result, it has been possible to simulate a rhizospheric soil based on the concept of complex system dynamics and Individual Based Modeling known too as Agent-Based Modeling in an agricultural management context. The explicit definition of the microbiome functional diversity and the processing of the structural elements Carbon and Nitrogen, allowed representing the functional dynamics of this complex system composed by microorganisms, Carbon, Nitrogen and the plant. The variables that reflect the biology and the adaptation to the rhizospheric environment characterized the microorganisms and the assemblage community patterns in time. The main simulations output are system glucose and nitrate levels and an approach to plant growth, all resultant from the metabolic process of the considered Carbon and Nitrogen consortia. The results indicate that the microorganism’s diversity assemblages and its functional expression have a fundamental role in terms of plant growth.

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.

Using Quantile Regression Approach to Analyze Price Movements of Agricultural Products in China

This paper studies how the price movements of pork,chicken and egg respond to those of related cost factors in short terms in Chinese market.We employ a linear quantile approach not only to explore potential data heteroscedasticity but also to generate confidence bands for the purpose of price stability study.We then evaluate our models by comparing the prediction intervals generated from the quantile regression models with in-sample and out-of-sample forecasts.Using monthly data from January 2000 to October 2010,we observed these findings：（i） the price changes of cost factors asymmetrically and unequally influence those of the livestock across different quantiles;（ii） the performance of our models is robust and consistent for both in-sample and out-of-sample forecasts;（iii） the confidence intervals generated from 0.05th and 0.95th quantile regression models are good methods to forecast livestock price fluctuation.