Enlightenment of EU New Common Agricultural Policy on Protection and Sustainable Utilization of Cultivated Land in China

EU common agricultural policy is a guiding policy implemented by European member states for nearly 60 years and continuously reformed according to the international situation.At present,its reform direction is consistent with the requirements of cultivated land protection and sustainable utilization in China's"14^(th) five-year"plan,which could provide reference for China.Based on analyzing protection and sustainable utilization of cultivated land in China and the reform process of EU common agricultural policy,referring to main measures of the new common agricultural policy with advanced nature and superiority,and combining actual situation of China,three suggestions on promoting the implementation of cultivated land protection and sustainable utilization strategy in China are proposed:perfecting legal system of cultivated land protection and sustainable utilization in China,agricultural subsidies inclining to young farmers to stimulate the new vitality of cultivated land protection,taking green development as goal orientation and scientifically carrying out ecological construction of cultivated land,to provide better system guarantee for maintaining China's food security.

Present Situation of Rural Regional Development and Agricultural Extension Policy

The formulation of agricultural extension policy and the development of rural regional economy present the relationship of mutual existence,mutual influence and mutual promotion.Therefore,it is necessary to study the agricultural extension policy according to the current situation of rural regional development.Agricultural technology extension system is an organization set up at county and township levels to provide farmers with scientific research achievements and practical technical services on planting,animal husbandry,fishery,forestry,agricultural machinery and water conservancy,and it is an important carrier for implementing the strategy of developing agriculture through science and technology.On the basis of expounding the value and significance of rural regional economic development,this paper analyzes the problems existing in China s rural regional development from the aspects of rural infrastructure and public services,rural labor force s cultural and scientific level,rural grass-roots extension system,etc.,and puts forward corresponding measures against the problems.This study has certain theoretical reference value for promoting the all-round development of China s rural economy and realizing the great strategy of rural revitalization in China.

Present Situation, Problems and Strategies of Agricultural Credit Policy in Dingxi City

This paper analyzes the current situation of agricultural credit policy in Dingxi City,and further studies the problems in the implementation of credit policy in Dingxi City,and puts forward strategies and suggestions according to these problems.

Agricultural Sector and HIV/AIDS Pandemic in Africa: The Economic Retrogression Model

Objective: Agricultural activities in most African countries demand human labour, the supply of labour to agriculture may be threatened if humans could no longer farm because of HIV/AIDS pandemic. Past studies have identified the alarming situation and challenges the spread of HIV/AIDS endemic poses to human existence and agricultural growth. Examining these interactions, and their direction, is useful for informing policy directives. Therefore, the general objective of this study is to examine interactions between HIV/AIDS pandemic and agricultural growth in Africa using a model of retrogression. Methods: Twenty countries in Africa identified as HIV/AIDS ravaged countries were taken as the areas of study. These countries are spread over four zones of the Northern Africa, the Eastern, the Southern and the Sub-Saharan Africa. A combination of analytical tools was employed to meet the study objectives. Results: The results revealed that long run economic cost of HIV/AIDS had a statistical positive significant relationship with agricultural/economic growth. The results suggest that there is a curvilinear relationship between the course of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and agricultural/economic growth in terms of human capita development. Conclusions: HIV/AIDS pandemic interactions and agricultural growth have demonstrated that a more balanced approach is necessary for effective policy.

Development Stage and Evolution Cause of European Union Agriculture and Suggestions for Chinese Agricultural Development

Agriculture is a basic industry related to national economy and people’s livelihood,and is also the cornerstone of national economic development. European Union(EU) is the second largest exporter of agricultural products in the world,and its agricultural production change has international influence. In this paper,starting from two angles of EU agricultural development scale and target,development stage of its agricultural production is explored,and development and evolution causes of EU agriculture are analyzed: efficiency and benefit targets cause change of EU agricultural management model; change of agricultural product supply-demand pattern leads the evolution of EU agricultural development idea; the reflection of agricultural development target impels the transformation of EU agricultural development. On this basis,the below conclusions are obtained: agricultural development could evolve according to the changes of economic and social conditions; it is a necessary requirement of promoting internal market stability and international market harmony to actively use agricultural support policies adapting to agricultural development at each stage; it is an important measurement of impelling agricultural modernization process to promote innovation of agricultural management model and development of market integration; it is an inevitable road of realizing sustainable development of agriculture to develop ecological agriculture and emphasize equal development of agriculture and countryside. On this basis,it could provide the reference for agricultural development of China based on EU agricultural development experience.

The Poor Agricultural System in Africa, Who Is to Blame?

Although agriculture is the backbone of the African economy, it has faced considerable challenges in the past sixty years. Africa has moved from being a self-sufficiency continent before the 1960s, to net food importers, with a handful of countries facing severe food shortages from drought, desertification, climate change and wars. In this article, we use the case of Northern Ghana to explore some of the salient dynamics that have resulted in the current crisis in the African agricultural sector over time. Using historical and contemporary evidence gathered from Northern Ghana during several field trips from 2013 to 2015, we argue that practices adopted as a result of colonial influence in combination with socio-economic and biophysical factors and ineffective economic policies have contributed immensely to the poor state of agriculture in Africa. Note should be taken that most of these economic policies have origins from the Structural Adjustment Policies and the Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers. We conclude that our agricultural systems can be improved if policies are inclusive, equitable and sustainable and also if there are synergies between international or government organisations implementing agricultural projects over time and space.

Small Farm Households’ Vulnerabilities in South Cotabato, Philippines

Low-productivity subsistence agriculture still prevails in many areas in the Philippines such as in the Municipality of Lake Sebu in the Province of South Cotabato in Mindanao. This study employs primary data collection methods, namely key informant interview (KII), focus group discussion (FGD) and a household survey to assess the conditions and problems constraining farming households in Lake Sebu. The study finds that constraints on sourcing and financing of farm inputs and on marketing of produce have perpetuated the dominating role of middlemen in agricultural financing and marketing that result in high input prices and low farm-gate output prices, and hence minimal net income for the farmers. The paper concludes with specific policy and program recommendations to achieve maximum and sustainable farming benefits, namely, an expansive farm-to-market infrastructure program, an institution and business support intervention program to link farmers and markets, conditional cash farming subsidies in lieu of direct provision of farm inputs, and crop diversification promotion and support programs.

Measure of Multifunctional Agriculture-Syrian Experts’ Perception

Multifunctionality, as a feature of agriculture, is subject to different interpretations, depending on the state and context. The core concept of Multifunctionality of Agriculture (MFA) is that the agricultural sector has multiple roles. These roles are not confined to food and fiber production, but also to the provision of several non-market commodities. In this study, we have interviewed 30 Syrian experts from different fields of sciences so as to examine their understanding of the concept of multifunctional agriculture and its elements and look closely into the importance of the elements of MFA in Syrian agricultural policy context from an expert’s point of view. The results show that wider roles of agriculture are highly acknowledged among the chosen experts but few of them are working on it. In its broadest sense, no undivided acceptance of the concept of multifunctionality has been found. The Syrian agriculture policies have elements which support and improve MFA, but it is not clearly recognized as such.

Analysis of the System of Direct Subsidy for Grain Production in China

This paper introduces the status quo of the system structure of direct subsidy for grain production in China,and analyses the function and essence of direct subsidy for grain production in China as follows:the function of direct subsidy for grain production in China is to protect and promote the development of food industry,ensure food supply and national food security,protect grain growers' interests,and maintain the dominant position of national food trade;the essence of direct subsidy for grain production is the compensation for grain producers' reasonable interests,the compensation for positive externality of grain production,and social costs of adjusting equilibrium between food supply and demand.We discuss the problems existing in the system of direct subsidy for grain production in China and put forward corresponding countermeasures as follows:first,adhere to improving synergetic system of direct subsidy for grain production;second,adjust the direct subsidy method of grain production;third,establish long-term mechanism of subsidy for grain production;fourth,promote the information-based service level of the system of direct subsidy for grain production.

The Regeneration of a Silent Rural Community Case Study onSan Xing Community,Wujie Township,Yilan County

When the government implemented a series of land reform policies,take the“rural land owned by farmers and used as agricultural aims”as the core of agricultural land policy,and exactly make the farmlands to increase the quantity of crops and the peasants have raised their income.But let the rural communities gradually decline and the agricultural output value continued to decline;the rural population moved outwards.When the rural regions are in decline,which tend to experience high rates of unemployment and outmigration,how to develop the agriculture and countryside to maintain the vitality of rural community becomes the focus of government.This article is to explore the vitality of rural communities from the regeneration plan,selecting the Yilan County,Wujie Township,San Xing Community,and interviews with in-path interview about the problems and the view of community.Discuss with the rural community how to overcome the problems of the ever-changing social,economic,environment.In addition,provide some suggestions for the development of the rural community.

Towards the sustainable intensification of agriculture——a systems approach to policy formulation

The sustainable intensification of agriculture involves providing sufficient food and other ecosystem services without going beyond the limits of the earth’s system.Here a project management approach is suggested to help guide agricultural policy to deliver these objectives.The first step is to agree measurable outcomes,integrating formal policy goals with the often much less formal and much more diverse goals of individual farmers.The second step is to assess current performance.Ideally,this will involve the use of farm-scale metrics that can feed into process models that address social and environmental domains as well as production issues that can be benchmarked and upscaled to landscape and country.Some policy goals can be delivered by supporting ad hoc interventions,while others require the redesign of the farming system.A pipeline of research,knowledge and capacity building is needed to ensure the continuous increase in farm performance.System models can help prioritise policy interventions.Formal optimization of land use is only appropriate if the policy goals are clear,and the constraints understood.In practice,the best approach may depend on the scale of action that is required,and on the amount of resource and infrastructure available to generate,implement and manage policy.

Compatible package-based agriculture systems:an urgent need for agro-ecological balance and climate change adaptation

Besides contributing majorly in the growth of a country,agriculture is one of the severely affected sectors at present.Several modifications and adaptations are being made in agricultural practices to cope-up with the declining soil fertility and changing climate scenarios across the world.However,the development and adoption of a single agricultural practice may not help in the holistic mitigation of the impacts of climate change and may result in economic vulnerability to farmers.Therefore,it is high time to develop and recommend a group of agricultural practices i.e.,package-based agriculture system having some compatibility for one another in the long term.In this article,a viewpoint has been given on some emergent agronomic practices adopted in the tropical agroecosystems which have potential to be developed as compatible agricultural package in combination.Moreover,we also emphasized on exploring some key indicators/environmental factors to assess the compatibility of different agronomic practices.For identifying the research transition from single to combined agricultural practices,a bibliometric analysis was performed by using conservation agriculture(CA),the system of rice intensification(SRI),organic agriculture and soil(biochar)amendment as the major agronomic practices being used for improving agroecological services such as improving nutrient cycling,soil fertility and crop productivity as well as climate change mitigation.The results revealed that scientific communities are now paying attention to exploring the role of combined agricultural practices for agro-ecological balance and climate change adaptation.Moreover,the limitations of the adoption of agronomic packages under different agro-climatic zones have also been highlighted.The recommendations of the study would further help the environmental decision-makers to develop potential measures for climate change mitigation without compromising the agro-ecological balance.