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.

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.

Possible Impacts of Climate Change on Agricultural Production in China and Its Adaptation Countermeasures

Global climate warming has discernable impacts on various natural systems and biological systems. As the most fragile ecosystem,agriculture is subjected to the most direct impacts from climate change. Of these impacts,the first one is the change in agricultural climate resources,which directly affects agricultural cultivation structure and crop variety distribution and finally results in the change in crop yield. Here,we review the advances in the impacts of climate change on crop yield,agricultural climate resources and China＇s agricultural cropping system and crop variety distribution pattern,and prospect the countermeasures for agricultural production in order to meet the future climate change,and several issues must be given high priority.

Evaluation and Effect of Agro-meteorological Disasters on Agricultural Production in Liaoning Province

Based on statistic data of agricultural production and meteorological disasters in Liaoning Province from 1971 to 2008,the effect weight,disaster rate and variance value of main agro-meteorological disasters including drought,flood,wind,hail and frozen injury were calculated,and the variation characteristic of time series of agro-meteorological disasters was further analyzed,while the grade division and comprehensive evaluation of agro-meteorological disasters were carried out in our paper.The results showed that there was a negative correlation between grain yield and the degree of agro-meteorological disasters,and agro-meteorological disasters were relatively serious in 1989,1997 and 2000,with the reduction of grain yield.Meanwhile,the occurrence frequency of light disasters was highest,accounting for 39% of total years,and the adverse effect of agro-meteorological disasters on agricultural production became more and more severe decade by decade;the effect weight of drought reached 63%,so drought was the main agro-meteorological disaster influencing agricultural production.

The Climate Change in Fushun City and Its Effect on Agricultural Production in Recent 48 Years

Based on the meteorological data in Fushun region from 1961 to 2008,the characteristics of climate change in Fushun City were concluded through statistical analysis.The results showed that the temperature increased,while there was a decrease in precipitation and sunlight.Moreover,climate change had both positive and negative influences on agricultural production and crop growth,so we should take effective measures to make use of effective accumulated temperature.

A Comparative Study of Different Methods on Quality Assessment of Soil Environment Polluted by Zinc in Agricultural Production Areas——A Case Study in Shulan City of Jilin Province

[Objective] The aim was to explore evaluated precision on quality of soil environment polluted with zinc in agricultural production areas and to provide references for verification of production area.[Method] In Shulan City in Jilin Province,soils were sampled and analyzed in a laboratory using single-factor pollution index and GIS based spatial interpolation.The quality of environment polluted with zinc was assessed and related methods were compared according to Environment Quality Standard of Green Food Production Area.[Result] Spatial interpolation of zinc in soils based on GIS proved more precise than traditional methods;cokriging method with co-factors was higher in precision than common cokriging;cokriging method with zinc and organic matter was higher in precision than cokriging with zinc alone.[Conclusion] Quality assessment on environment polluted with zinc based on GIS interpolation is more scientific and reasonable than traditional methods.

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.

Changes in Land Use and Agricultural Production Structure Before and After the Implementation of Grain for Green Program in Western China–Taking Two Typical Counties as Examples

Soil erosion becomes a serious environmental problem in the world, especially in western China. An effective management practice called the Grain for Green Program(GGP), which was launched in 1999, aims to reduce soil and water loss and alleviate the ecological environment problem in western China. Two typical counties in western China, the Zhongxian(in Chongqing Municipality) and Ansai(in Shaanxi Province) were chosen to evaluate the dynamic changes of land use and agricultural production structure before and after the implementation of the Program in this paper. The results showed that the cultivated land area was reduced by 7.08% from 1989 to 2003. The cultivated land per person was decreased by 8.42% during 1999-2003. Moreover, the stability index of the secondary sector of the economy was increased from 0.91 in the period 1990-1999 to 0.94 in the following ten years. In addition, the stability index of tertiary economic sector increased from 0.88 to 0.92 in Zhongxian county. Meanwhile, the cultivated land area was reduced by 15.48% from 1990 to 1999. The soil erosion modulus was decreased by 33.33% from 1999 to 2006. Also, the stability index of secondary and tertiary economic sectors was 0.86 in the period 1998-2002. However, it decreased by 77% during 2002 to 2007 in Ansai County. These results imply that the Grain for Green Program had different impact on the two regions. Several effective strategies of soil and water conservation have been carried out to ameliorate the sustainable development of ecological environment and economy in these two counties of western China.

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.

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.

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.

Environmental Impact of Climate Change on Agricultural Production in Ekiti State, Nigeria

Climate change will impact agriculture and food production around the world due to the effects of elevated CO2 in the atmosphere, higher temperature, altered precipitation and transpiration regimes, increased frequency of extreme events, and modified weed, pest and pathogen pressure. Data of this study were collected from primary and secondary sources. Primary sources of data were collected using two sets of structured questionnaires. A total number of three hundred （300） questionnaires were administered on categories of respondents in this study. Results of this study revealed that food crops are the major crops cultivated in the study area, and the effects of climate change on agricultural production results in soil loss, plant nutrient loss, textural change, increase in pest and diseases and poor yield germination etc.. This study therefore recommended that cover trees should be planted, which will provide shade and reduce heat, due to climate change and the preservation of underground water.

Impacts of Agricultural Mechanization on Agricultural Production in Guangdong Province

Agricultural machinery represents modern method and modern condition of production, and Agricultural mechanization is the key basis and symbol of modern agriculture. Based on analyses of agricultural mechanization development in Guangdong Province from 1988 to 2008, production function was developed to estimate the effects of agricultural mechanization on agricultural production. The results indicated that the contribution of agricultural mechanization to production continues to increase. The agricultural mechanization increased by 1%, and grain production by0.35%. Therefore, government should encourage development of agricultural mechanization in order to improve agricultural production in Guangdong Province.

Effects of Agricultural Meteorological Disasters on Agricultural Production in Chuzhou City of Anhui Province

According to data of agricultural disasters in Chuzhou City of Anhui Province during 1988-2012, types, characteristics and effects on agricultural produc- tion of major major meteorological disasters in the city were analyzed, and then measures to prevent meteorological disasters adopted by meteorological departments of the city in recent years were discussed.

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.

Association between Agricultural Production Value and the Use of Rural Area within the Municipalities in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil

Rural economic development can differ intensely among municipalities within the same region. The economic activity disparity among them makes public policy actions difficult. It is possible to find highly efficient and globally competitive producers, as well as those producing for subsistence, in the same area. This disparity stands out the total productivity importance of the factors of production in the agricultural sector, especially the productivity of the land. The way the land is occupied in the rural area, namely crops, pastures, reforestation and other areas, can be indicative of the productivity of the land factor and the value of agricultural production. The products that compose the value of the agricultural production present different land occupation through their own productive characteristic. The main objective of this work was to measure the association between the production value of groups of agricultural products and the diversified uses of the rural area in the production of the municipalities in the state of Sao Paulo. In this research, 52 agricultural products produced in 2008 were used, grouped in five production value variables and other nine variables of the land use in production of the municipalities in Sao Paulo. The multivariate statistical technique of canonical correlation was used to measure the association between the product variables group of the production value with the land use group in agricultural activities. It was concluded that there is a strong correlation （94.3%） in the first pair of canonical variables, representing the production value and the land use, allowing groups of municipalities to be formed at different stages of development in agricultural production. It can be verified that 61.8% of the municipalities in the state were below the average in the production group and land use and that only 4.8% were above average for the production variables group and with values below the average in land use. The stages of agricultural development in the municipalities of Sao Paulo and the association between the production and use of the area can contribute to identify the direction of public policies to increase the productivity of the agricultural sector.