The important role of spatial scale in exploring the geography of poverty as well as its policy implications has been noticed but with limited knowledge. To improve such limited understanding, we mainly investigated t...The important role of spatial scale in exploring the geography of poverty as well as its policy implications has been noticed but with limited knowledge. To improve such limited understanding, we mainly investigated the spatial patterns and influencing factors of rural poverty(indicated by poor population and poverty incidence) at three different administrative levels in the Liupan Mountain Region, one of the fourteen poorest regions in China. Our results show that from a global perspective, poor areas are clustered significantly at the county-, township-, and village-level, and more greatly at a lower level. Locally, there is spatial mismatch among poverty hotspots detected not only by the same indicator at different levels but also by different indicators at the same level. A scale effect can be found in the influencing factors of rural poverty. That is, the number of significant factors increases, but the degree of their association with poverty incidence decreases at a lower level. Such scale effect indicates that poverty incidence at lower levels may be affected by more complex factors, including not only the new local ones but also the already appeared non-local ones at higher levels. However, the natural conditions tend to play a scale-independent role to poverty incidence. In response to such scale-dependent patterns and factors, anti-poverty policies can be 1) a multilevel monitoring system to reduce incomplete or even misleading single-level information and understanding; 2) the village-based targeting strategy to increase the targeting efficiency and alleviate the mentioned spatial mismatch; 3) more flexible strategies responding to the local impoverishing factors, and 4) different task emphasises for multilevel policymakers to achieve the common goal of poverty reduction.展开更多
Pakistan is predominantly a mountainous country where rural development activities are characterised by inconsistency, politically motivated short-term projects without proper feedback. Since the inception of the coun...Pakistan is predominantly a mountainous country where rural development activities are characterised by inconsistency, politically motivated short-term projects without proper feedback. Since the inception of the country, the top-down approach has been followed, and the same development plans that were formulated for the plain areas have been extended to the mountains without any modification. In doing so, neither the participation of the local communities was cared for, nor the mountain specificities were considered in the planning process. Moreover, the representation of the local inhabitants was improper and contradictory to the facts. This biased approach has been one of the main causes for the failure of development projects carried out by different agencies of the Government. Contrary to the perception of the state authorities, the mountain communities proved to be more open to accept new approaches and demonstrated the capacity and capability of being a dependable development partner. In this paper, a detailed account of the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) has been presented to assess and evaluate the approach followed by this non-governmental organisation (NGO), and the response of the local inhabitants as collaborators in the development process. The achievements of the AKRSP from project planning, implementation and monitoring can be adopted as a model for rural development not only in the plains, but also in the mountainous areas of the developing countries in the world.展开更多
Agricultural village is an important rural type in China. The evolution process and mechanism of its cultural landscape are different from those of the industrialized village. The paper focuses this theme by a case st...Agricultural village is an important rural type in China. The evolution process and mechanism of its cultural landscape are different from those of the industrialized village. The paper focuses this theme by a case study of Qianzhai Village of Qufu City, Shangdong Province. In the case of Qianzhai Village, the evolution of its settlement has experienced three stages: mechanical expansion, sprawling expansion and hollowing, and recentralization. The land- scape evolution of residents' houses has undergone three phases: traditional quadrangle house, one-storied house and multistoried house. The evolution of its land use has experienced three stages: circled stratification, fragment and intensive use, and concentration and extensive use. We can see that the main driving factors of cultural landscape evolu- tion of agricultural village are the changes of rural population, society, economy and culture, which are influenced by the change of urban-rural relation, the national modernization process and economic development, the reform of family planning and land system, and the changes in governmental policies. In the future, the modernization, ecological trend, and individualization for residents' houses of agricultural villages in China will develop step by step. The recentralization of settlement and the scaled, sustainable, intensive land use are likely to be the trends of agricultural villages in China.展开更多
The agricultural land resources of China are relatively limited because of its large population.Therefore,balancing the land use for industrialization,urbanization,and food security is a big challenge.In recent years,...The agricultural land resources of China are relatively limited because of its large population.Therefore,balancing the land use for industrialization,urbanization,and food security is a big challenge.In recent years,rural hollowing in China has resulted in numerous of abandoned rural houses,and the areas with abandoned houses need to be restored into agricultural land with effective land consolidation techniques.This study used the method of benefit-cost analysis and the data collected through field surveys conducted in Yucheng City in the northwest of Shandong Province in March 2009,to examine how hollow villages (HVs) to be created and how to solve the problem.The qualitative and quantitative analyses indicate following results.1) The situation of HVs is becoming increasingly severe under rapid industrialization and urbanization in Yucheng City.2) Poor infrastructure in rural areas and incomplete urbanization are the main factors that have led to the rural hollowing in many major rural regions of China.3) In order to resolve the problem caused by HVs and increase agricultural land,reconstructing rural communities in the countryside is necessary.4) A new mechanism in the provision of compensation funds by developed regions to the villages in less-developed regions must be established.展开更多
China has promulgated a series of policies including the Western Development Program, the Grain for Green Project, agricultural support policies and building a new countryside strategy to eliminate east-west differenc...China has promulgated a series of policies including the Western Development Program, the Grain for Green Project, agricultural support policies and building a new countryside strategy to eliminate east-west differences and urban-rural disparities since the late 1990s. This paper gives a holistic examination on local responses to the four typical macro socio-economic development policies and their effects on rural system based on a case study of a mountainous village in southern Sichuan Province. The results showed that the policies have not moved the case study village from its historically marginal status. To some extent, its socio-economic situation might have been worsened by accelerated out- migration of the youth, loss of agricultural land due to afforestation and industrial plants, increased fire hazard due to afforestation and reforestation, increased environmental pollution due to industrial enterprises attracted to the village and a steep decline in agricultural production due to loss of and inefficient use of cultivated land. Factors causing local villages' dilemmas include the nonuniformity of actors' objectives, finiteness of villagers' abilities, and the imperfect incentive and restraint mechanism for local government's activities under existing policy framework composed of uncoordinated one-size-fits- all policies. We suggest that China's rural policy in the new period should gradually shift from a sectoral to a place-based one, from top-down incentives to the development of bottom-up projects, and fully recognize the diversity of rural space, so as to lift localcapacities and make good use of the knowledge shared by different actors. Moreover, it is also necessary to integrate the various sectoral policies, and improve the interministerial and interdepartmental coordination of rural policies at regional and local levels.展开更多
This study aims to investigate two important issues: what are the determinants of public goods investment and what is the government's investment behavior in mountainous areas. The impacts of natural conditions, t...This study aims to investigate two important issues: what are the determinants of public goods investment and what is the government's investment behavior in mountainous areas. The impacts of natural conditions, target, and demand elements on public goods investment are analyzed with statistical method, and the determinants of public goods investment in the areas are obtained by using population-weighted and stepwise regression models with Eviews6.0 software with survey data in 2008 and calculated data based on GIS of 20 typical villages in mountainous regions in Sichuan, China. The results showed:(1) natural conditions are the important determinants of public investment. Mountainous villages with steep slope have relatively high levels of investment;(2) concentration of population and the educational levels of the village leaders also have important impacts on public goods investment;(3) the government is more concerned with public investment resources particularly in areas characterized by fragile ecological environment and poor agricultural output. These results suggest that the current investment strategy helps to reduce disparities in regional development.展开更多
Mountain areas are often rich in ecological diversity and recreational opportunities. Mountain tourism is thought to be an effective and important means for maintaining and expanding rural economies and, thus, improvi...Mountain areas are often rich in ecological diversity and recreational opportunities. Mountain tourism is thought to be an effective and important means for maintaining and expanding rural economies and, thus, improving the living conditions of rural societies. As mountain tourism service research is a professional field with several disciplines involved, a multi-disciplinary management pIatform is needed and it facilitates participation in sustainable mountain development by diverse stakeholders. With the source regions of the Yangtze and the Yellow River as a case study, this paper presents a conceptual framework for an adaptation management of mountain tourism services according to technical, policy, social and economic dimensions. The framework is based on a vulnerability assessment of mountain ecosystems, and can serve as a reference for the development of tourism service in other mountain areas.展开更多
China is a mountainous country,and Southwest mountain areas cover the most mountain areas in China and have the most serious problems.Taking Zhaotong city as the study area,based on 902 rural household questionnaires ...China is a mountainous country,and Southwest mountain areas cover the most mountain areas in China and have the most serious problems.Taking Zhaotong city as the study area,based on 902 rural household questionnaires of 11 villages in 2 counties and Tobit model,this paper analyzes the geographical differences and influencing factors of energy consumption for non-production purposes of rural households living in different terrain conditions.This research finds that:(1) Coal takes up the main part of energy consumption in valley areas and coal consumption is mainly affected by per capita cultivated land area,household income,proportion of rural household energy expenditure in total expenditure,coal price,and family population size.Firewood takes up the main part of energy consumption in high mountain areas and firewood consumption is mainly affected by per capita firewood forest area,distance to purchase coal,household income,electricity price,and coal price.(2) Only when the distance is greater than 20 kilometers,that is the average distance of rural households living in middle mountain areas(1,600m^1,800m) to purchase coal,the transportation condition has a significant impact on coal consumption.(3) In high mountain areas,prices of coal and electricity are the main factors influencing energy consumption choice of rural households.Too high prices of coal and electricity would to some extent lead rural households to choose firewood as the main energy consumption type.Compared to coal,rural households prefer to choose electricity.展开更多
In this study, the current situation of pluriactivity in mountainous and hilly rural areas of Sichuan province was analyzed using representative sample survey data and natural factor data calculated based on 30 m-reso...In this study, the current situation of pluriactivity in mountainous and hilly rural areas of Sichuan province was analyzed using representative sample survey data and natural factor data calculated based on 30 m-resolution DEM and GIS. Moreover, using logistic regression model, a quantitative analysis was conducted on factors influencing pluriactivity in terms of individuals, households, communities and natural environmental conditions. The results showed that, (1) only 17.77% of rural laborers in mountainous and hilly areas of Sichuan province were engaged in pluriactivity. Geographically, pluriactivity was mainly chosen according to the "proximity principle", and was concentrated in construction and service industries; (2) the following factors have a significant influence on whether rural laborers in hilly areas engage in pluriactivity: gender, number of years of education, marriage, number of laborers and time to towns. Those with little influence include: age, health, family size, arable land per capita and per capita income, whether there are elderly people over 75 years and children less than 3 years. According to the main factors affecting pluriaetivity, the government should enhance vocational skills training for rural laborers in mountainous and hilly areas, especially for female laborers, further improve transport accessibility and encourage rural laborers, especially female laborers to move into pluriactivity to increase the income of farm households.展开更多
This study examines gender differences in rural laborers‘ employment patterns in the mountainous and upland areas of Sichuan, China. The analysis employs both representative survey data of 400 households and geograph...This study examines gender differences in rural laborers‘ employment patterns in the mountainous and upland areas of Sichuan, China. The analysis employs both representative survey data of 400 households and geographical data. Multinomial logistic regression models are used to analyze the influences of gender, among other factors, on employment decisions of rural males and females, where the factors considered include personal, household, community natural environmental characteristics. Dividing laborers into four categories, we find that the proportions of males who participating in on-farm, pluriactive, and off-farm work, and unemployment were 24.41%, 28.64%, 46.27%, and 0.68% respectively, while that of females who participating in on-farm, pluriactive, and offfarm work, and unemployment were 43.20%, 13.95%, 30.95%, and 11.90% respectively. As to individual characteristics, age(AGE) and physical condition(PHY) effects appeared to be more pronounced for men, while education(EDU) and marital status(MAR)effects appeared to be more pronounced for women. Regarding household and community characteristics, the effects of the presence in the household of children aged 6-(CHI), number of persons in the household(POP), and labor force(LAB), per capitaincome in village(INCV), and the development status of village enterprises(ENT) on women were greater than that on men. In addition, the presence in the household of elderly individuals aged 65+(OLD) and time to reach the nearest township(TIME) are shown to have opposite impacts on men and women. While the presence in the household of pupils(PUP) and per capital gross value of industrial output(GVIO) was found to be irresponsive to men and women taking pluriavtivity and off-farm job. With respect to natural environments characteristics, the effects on men were opposite of those on women. Unemployment of women was found to be particularly responsive to household characteristics. A multinomial regression approach is undertaken to analyze rural males‘ and females‘ decisions of the four employment patterns considered, an approach that reveals considerable heterogeneity that is concealed by the dichotomous approach employed in most previous studies. The study thus contributes to our understanding of rural employment patterns and gender difference in mountainous and upland areas.展开更多
Based on the custom of stone bridge and village, by categorizing and interpreting the relationship between Lufeng Bridge (鲁封桥) and Luqiao Village (鲁桥村) in Southern Shandong Province, China, this paper focuse...Based on the custom of stone bridge and village, by categorizing and interpreting the relationship between Lufeng Bridge (鲁封桥) and Luqiao Village (鲁桥村) in Southern Shandong Province, China, this paper focuses on discussing the dynamic of rural society change in China and the practice of village life world. It provides detailed materials of field research about folk life of stone bridge and village in North China. Here village life world not only includes the folk integration of their everyday life, but also covers local villagers cognitive attitude towards village, such as village history, legend, belief, ritual, clan and other everyday life styles. Expounding and reconstructing of village life world, shows the essential meanings and categories of bridge folklore, it also demonstrates the consequence of shifting connection between stone bridge and village life. Firstly, the crucial context of understanding village life world is still promising. Secondly, folklore fieldwork is an significant part to comprehend the connotation of village life world.展开更多
Taking Shandong Province as the research object,this paper uses the principal component analysis method to evaluate the status of the rural human settlement in Shandong Province.It establishes the evaluation index sys...Taking Shandong Province as the research object,this paper uses the principal component analysis method to evaluate the status of the rural human settlement in Shandong Province.It establishes the evaluation index system of the rural residential environment in Shandong Province,including living environment,economy,infrastructure,public service facilities,and ecological environment,in total five comprehensive index,and 20 secondary indexes.Through measurement and sorting of rural human environment development level of Shandong Province in 2010,the 17 cities are divided into-excellent,good,ordinary,poor-four development areas and are analyzed based on the restriction factor in the development of the region.展开更多
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...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.展开更多
This study analyses the possibilities for optimal land use structure in mountainous areas of rural Serbia, which is faced with problems such as unfavorable terrain characteristics and inadequate land use patterns caus...This study analyses the possibilities for optimal land use structure in mountainous areas of rural Serbia, which is faced with problems such as unfavorable terrain characteristics and inadequate land use patterns causing economic underdevelopment and increasing population migration. In the case of a small privately owned farm in Western Serbia, optimal land use pattern is determined using the linear programming model. The objective function-cost-effectiveness or soil erosion reduction, as well as constraints, are formulated using the benefit-cost ratio(BCR) for a 15-year production period and soil losses data calculated using the Universal Soil Loss Equation(USLE). The best results are achieved using the scenario with the aim to minimize soil erosion, considering the BCR in the constraints. This scenario is proposed since it was registered that the benefit for landowners would increase by five times, while the losses of land would decline about 80%. The sensitivity analysis of investments is performed to check whether the price variation affects the cost-effectiveness of proposed land use. Results show that market changes(nine cases are considered) do not lead to significant changes in land use allocation. Proposed land use pattern improves the environmental condition, strengthens the rural economy and thus offers the greatest potential for sustainable development of mountainous rural areas.展开更多
Rural off-farm employment,rapid loss of agricultural land,and advanced technology popularization had led agricultural production in Chinese typical rural areas come at a critical transformation and upgrade stage.Based...Rural off-farm employment,rapid loss of agricultural land,and advanced technology popularization had led agricultural production in Chinese typical rural areas come at a critical transformation and upgrade stage.Based on sample survey data gathered from 401 households in Yucheng City,Shandong Province,this paper focuses on the characteristics and mechanism of agricultural transformation in typical rural areas of the eastern China.It was found that 74.3% of households surveyed kept at least one member engaging in off-farm employment,and 57.1% looked forward to expanding the operational scale of arable land,while just 13.7% had actually transferred their agricultural land.Since growing off-farm employment does not result in the collapse of traditional subsistence agriculture,therefore,agricultural production in Yucheng City is at an incomplete transformation phase from traditional small-holder farming to modern scale economy.It is caused by both macro environments and family characteristics,while urban-rural dual structure,imperfect rural development policy and agricultural technology popularization make peasant economy strengthen upon maintenance,and small-holder farming becomes peasant's natural response owing to pluriactivity,local off-farm employment,reverse elimination,etc.In order to achieve smooth agricultural transformation of typical rural areas in the eastern China,it needs to promote professional differentiation among peasants,under clear policies adopted by central government.Providing comprehensive services for agricultural production and improving production skills and knowledge of farmers who are still living in the countryside will effectively stimulate the process of agricultural transformation.展开更多
In the Uplands of Southeast Asia, poor and near-poor farm households endure considerable livelihood vulnerability. Access to formal insurance services is scarce. Rural farm households in mountainous Northern Vietnam h...In the Uplands of Southeast Asia, poor and near-poor farm households endure considerable livelihood vulnerability. Access to formal insurance services is scarce. Rural farm households in mountainous Northern Vietnam have developed alternative risk management strategies. This article investigates the theoretical links between poverty, vulnerability and risk. The concept of vulnerability to poverty lays the analytical framework. Based on empirical evidence from more than 200 ethnic minority households, major risks and risk management strategies are presented and analyzed. Results suggest that households suffer from limited endowment with and access to capital assets and service institutions. Human and economic risks (e.g. illness of family members and loss of livestock) were identified as the main components affecting rural livelihoods. Constrained access to adequate risk management strategies increase household's vulnerability, drowning them more and more in poverty. Major policy implications are that anti-poverty programs should focus on a broader target group, the currently poor as well as the vulnerable households.展开更多
A household survey was carried out in Central Malawi to evaluate the goat marketing structure and systems in the rural areas using Nsundwe and Nkhoma areas in Lilongwe District as a case study. The analysis focused on...A household survey was carried out in Central Malawi to evaluate the goat marketing structure and systems in the rural areas using Nsundwe and Nkhoma areas in Lilongwe District as a case study. The analysis focused on identifying marketing systems of goats in Malawi by investigating the role of goats in an average Malawian rural household and how the current goat marketing systems affects that role. Goats play important role in Malawian rural households by way of providing food, income and as a capital reserve to be used in times critical times of food scarcity. The findings indicate that there is potential for goats to generate more income for the rural farmers, which can in turn help to improve household food security. The marketing system however apparently does not favour the farmers. The farmers seem not to know goat prices beyond the rural markets and hence have inadequate negotiating power to sell at optimum prices. Middlemen bought from farmers and finally sold the goats to urban consumers and retail shops. From the analysis, middlemen seemed to control the goat marketing system. Urban butchers sold the goats at 58% more than the value of farmers while retail shops sold at 137% more than the value of farmers. The differences reflect value-adding activities done at butchers and retail shops levels as well as transportation costs and profit margins. Though farmers may not engage in value adding, the finding implies that they would fetch more money if they supplied directly to the retail shops than to the middlemen. With access to more market information, they could also increase their bargaining power information with middlemen and sell the goats at relatively higher prices than the current. This paper details the results of the study.展开更多
In this paper it has been investigated the issue of the dynamics of the rural population in villages in the mountainous areas of the municipality of Prilep height distribution of the mountainous villages, the area siz...In this paper it has been investigated the issue of the dynamics of the rural population in villages in the mountainous areas of the municipality of Prilep height distribution of the mountainous villages, the area size, absolute density and agrarian population in hilly-mountainous villages, the distance of the hill-mountain villages of the municipality center and institutional infrastructure hilly-mountainous areas in Prilep. Despite the demographic decline that was made in the past 45 years, the municipality and the country will have even more incentive in the coming years to invest in infrastructure to improve little very bad living conditions and foremost here we think of infrastructure, roads, water drinking, clinics, veterinary stations, public transportation, gas stations, stores, construction of ethnic restaurants and small hotels so that at least the older generations of the cities as the least retirement to spend at home, to create minimum conditions for living and so that villages in hilly and mountainous villages to be attractive to younger generations of the cities and migrant workers from European countries and America Australia frequently to visit home, and to be able to invest in small commercial buildings in the area of tourism.展开更多
基金Under the auspices of National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41401204,41471462)Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(No.lzujbky-2013-128)
文摘The important role of spatial scale in exploring the geography of poverty as well as its policy implications has been noticed but with limited knowledge. To improve such limited understanding, we mainly investigated the spatial patterns and influencing factors of rural poverty(indicated by poor population and poverty incidence) at three different administrative levels in the Liupan Mountain Region, one of the fourteen poorest regions in China. Our results show that from a global perspective, poor areas are clustered significantly at the county-, township-, and village-level, and more greatly at a lower level. Locally, there is spatial mismatch among poverty hotspots detected not only by the same indicator at different levels but also by different indicators at the same level. A scale effect can be found in the influencing factors of rural poverty. That is, the number of significant factors increases, but the degree of their association with poverty incidence decreases at a lower level. Such scale effect indicates that poverty incidence at lower levels may be affected by more complex factors, including not only the new local ones but also the already appeared non-local ones at higher levels. However, the natural conditions tend to play a scale-independent role to poverty incidence. In response to such scale-dependent patterns and factors, anti-poverty policies can be 1) a multilevel monitoring system to reduce incomplete or even misleading single-level information and understanding; 2) the village-based targeting strategy to increase the targeting efficiency and alleviate the mentioned spatial mismatch; 3) more flexible strategies responding to the local impoverishing factors, and 4) different task emphasises for multilevel policymakers to achieve the common goal of poverty reduction.
文摘Pakistan is predominantly a mountainous country where rural development activities are characterised by inconsistency, politically motivated short-term projects without proper feedback. Since the inception of the country, the top-down approach has been followed, and the same development plans that were formulated for the plain areas have been extended to the mountains without any modification. In doing so, neither the participation of the local communities was cared for, nor the mountain specificities were considered in the planning process. Moreover, the representation of the local inhabitants was improper and contradictory to the facts. This biased approach has been one of the main causes for the failure of development projects carried out by different agencies of the Government. Contrary to the perception of the state authorities, the mountain communities proved to be more open to accept new approaches and demonstrated the capacity and capability of being a dependable development partner. In this paper, a detailed account of the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) has been presented to assess and evaluate the approach followed by this non-governmental organisation (NGO), and the response of the local inhabitants as collaborators in the development process. The achievements of the AKRSP from project planning, implementation and monitoring can be adopted as a model for rural development not only in the plains, but also in the mountainous areas of the developing countries in the world.
基金Under the auspices of Natural Science Youth Foundation of Northeast Normal University (No. 20070501)National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 40635030)Geographical Frontiers Foundation of Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. KZCX3-SW-NA3-19)
文摘Agricultural village is an important rural type in China. The evolution process and mechanism of its cultural landscape are different from those of the industrialized village. The paper focuses this theme by a case study of Qianzhai Village of Qufu City, Shangdong Province. In the case of Qianzhai Village, the evolution of its settlement has experienced three stages: mechanical expansion, sprawling expansion and hollowing, and recentralization. The land- scape evolution of residents' houses has undergone three phases: traditional quadrangle house, one-storied house and multistoried house. The evolution of its land use has experienced three stages: circled stratification, fragment and intensive use, and concentration and extensive use. We can see that the main driving factors of cultural landscape evolu- tion of agricultural village are the changes of rural population, society, economy and culture, which are influenced by the change of urban-rural relation, the national modernization process and economic development, the reform of family planning and land system, and the changes in governmental policies. In the future, the modernization, ecological trend, and individualization for residents' houses of agricultural villages in China will develop step by step. The recentralization of settlement and the scaled, sustainable, intensive land use are likely to be the trends of agricultural villages in China.
基金Under the auspices of Knowledge Innovation Programs of Chinese Academy of Sciences (No.KZCX2-EW-304)National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.40635029,40871257)
文摘The agricultural land resources of China are relatively limited because of its large population.Therefore,balancing the land use for industrialization,urbanization,and food security is a big challenge.In recent years,rural hollowing in China has resulted in numerous of abandoned rural houses,and the areas with abandoned houses need to be restored into agricultural land with effective land consolidation techniques.This study used the method of benefit-cost analysis and the data collected through field surveys conducted in Yucheng City in the northwest of Shandong Province in March 2009,to examine how hollow villages (HVs) to be created and how to solve the problem.The qualitative and quantitative analyses indicate following results.1) The situation of HVs is becoming increasingly severe under rapid industrialization and urbanization in Yucheng City.2) Poor infrastructure in rural areas and incomplete urbanization are the main factors that have led to the rural hollowing in many major rural regions of China.3) In order to resolve the problem caused by HVs and increase agricultural land,reconstructing rural communities in the countryside is necessary.4) A new mechanism in the provision of compensation funds by developed regions to the villages in less-developed regions must be established.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.41201176,41130748and41171149)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(Grant Nos.2011M500029 and 2012T50126)
文摘China has promulgated a series of policies including the Western Development Program, the Grain for Green Project, agricultural support policies and building a new countryside strategy to eliminate east-west differences and urban-rural disparities since the late 1990s. This paper gives a holistic examination on local responses to the four typical macro socio-economic development policies and their effects on rural system based on a case study of a mountainous village in southern Sichuan Province. The results showed that the policies have not moved the case study village from its historically marginal status. To some extent, its socio-economic situation might have been worsened by accelerated out- migration of the youth, loss of agricultural land due to afforestation and industrial plants, increased fire hazard due to afforestation and reforestation, increased environmental pollution due to industrial enterprises attracted to the village and a steep decline in agricultural production due to loss of and inefficient use of cultivated land. Factors causing local villages' dilemmas include the nonuniformity of actors' objectives, finiteness of villagers' abilities, and the imperfect incentive and restraint mechanism for local government's activities under existing policy framework composed of uncoordinated one-size-fits- all policies. We suggest that China's rural policy in the new period should gradually shift from a sectoral to a place-based one, from top-down incentives to the development of bottom-up projects, and fully recognize the diversity of rural space, so as to lift localcapacities and make good use of the knowledge shared by different actors. Moreover, it is also necessary to integrate the various sectoral policies, and improve the interministerial and interdepartmental coordination of rural policies at regional and local levels.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China’s General Program (Grant NO. 41071350)the Main Direction Program of Knowledge Innovation of Chinese Academy of Sciences (KZCX2-EW-317)+1 种基金the Chinese Academy of Western Light (09R2340340) "Hundred Talents" project of Chinese Academy of Sciences: "Community Governance, Rural Tax Reform and Public Investment in Rural Areas" for their funding
文摘This study aims to investigate two important issues: what are the determinants of public goods investment and what is the government's investment behavior in mountainous areas. The impacts of natural conditions, target, and demand elements on public goods investment are analyzed with statistical method, and the determinants of public goods investment in the areas are obtained by using population-weighted and stepwise regression models with Eviews6.0 software with survey data in 2008 and calculated data based on GIS of 20 typical villages in mountainous regions in Sichuan, China. The results showed:(1) natural conditions are the important determinants of public investment. Mountainous villages with steep slope have relatively high levels of investment;(2) concentration of population and the educational levels of the village leaders also have important impacts on public goods investment;(3) the government is more concerned with public investment resources particularly in areas characterized by fragile ecological environment and poor agricultural output. These results suggest that the current investment strategy helps to reduce disparities in regional development.
基金supported by the grant from the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program, No. 2007CB411507)Open Fund from the State Key Laboratory of Cryosphere Science (SKLCS 08-05)
文摘Mountain areas are often rich in ecological diversity and recreational opportunities. Mountain tourism is thought to be an effective and important means for maintaining and expanding rural economies and, thus, improving the living conditions of rural societies. As mountain tourism service research is a professional field with several disciplines involved, a multi-disciplinary management pIatform is needed and it facilitates participation in sustainable mountain development by diverse stakeholders. With the source regions of the Yangtze and the Yellow River as a case study, this paper presents a conceptual framework for an adaptation management of mountain tourism services according to technical, policy, social and economic dimensions. The framework is based on a vulnerability assessment of mountain ecosystems, and can serve as a reference for the development of tourism service in other mountain areas.
基金support provided by National Natural Sciences Foundation of China (No. 41271146)National Key Technology R&D Program (No. 2008BAH31B01)
文摘China is a mountainous country,and Southwest mountain areas cover the most mountain areas in China and have the most serious problems.Taking Zhaotong city as the study area,based on 902 rural household questionnaires of 11 villages in 2 counties and Tobit model,this paper analyzes the geographical differences and influencing factors of energy consumption for non-production purposes of rural households living in different terrain conditions.This research finds that:(1) Coal takes up the main part of energy consumption in valley areas and coal consumption is mainly affected by per capita cultivated land area,household income,proportion of rural household energy expenditure in total expenditure,coal price,and family population size.Firewood takes up the main part of energy consumption in high mountain areas and firewood consumption is mainly affected by per capita firewood forest area,distance to purchase coal,household income,electricity price,and coal price.(2) Only when the distance is greater than 20 kilometers,that is the average distance of rural households living in middle mountain areas(1,600m^1,800m) to purchase coal,the transportation condition has a significant impact on coal consumption.(3) In high mountain areas,prices of coal and electricity are the main factors influencing energy consumption choice of rural households.Too high prices of coal and electricity would to some extent lead rural households to choose firewood as the main energy consumption type.Compared to coal,rural households prefer to choose electricity.
基金supported and funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(General Program) (Grant NO. 41071350)the Chinese Academy of Sciences Important Directional Knowledge Innovation Project (Grant NO. KZCX2-EW-317)the Chinese Academy of Sciences Western Light Project (Grant NO.09R2340340)
文摘In this study, the current situation of pluriactivity in mountainous and hilly rural areas of Sichuan province was analyzed using representative sample survey data and natural factor data calculated based on 30 m-resolution DEM and GIS. Moreover, using logistic regression model, a quantitative analysis was conducted on factors influencing pluriactivity in terms of individuals, households, communities and natural environmental conditions. The results showed that, (1) only 17.77% of rural laborers in mountainous and hilly areas of Sichuan province were engaged in pluriactivity. Geographically, pluriactivity was mainly chosen according to the "proximity principle", and was concentrated in construction and service industries; (2) the following factors have a significant influence on whether rural laborers in hilly areas engage in pluriactivity: gender, number of years of education, marriage, number of laborers and time to towns. Those with little influence include: age, health, family size, arable land per capita and per capita income, whether there are elderly people over 75 years and children less than 3 years. According to the main factors affecting pluriaetivity, the government should enhance vocational skills training for rural laborers in mountainous and hilly areas, especially for female laborers, further improve transport accessibility and encourage rural laborers, especially female laborers to move into pluriactivity to increase the income of farm households.
基金supported and funded by the Chinese Academy of Sciences Important Directional Knowledge Innovation Project (Grant No.KZCX2-EW-317)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No.41101552)the Chinese Academy of Sciences Western Light Project (2013 Yuhui)
文摘This study examines gender differences in rural laborers‘ employment patterns in the mountainous and upland areas of Sichuan, China. The analysis employs both representative survey data of 400 households and geographical data. Multinomial logistic regression models are used to analyze the influences of gender, among other factors, on employment decisions of rural males and females, where the factors considered include personal, household, community natural environmental characteristics. Dividing laborers into four categories, we find that the proportions of males who participating in on-farm, pluriactive, and off-farm work, and unemployment were 24.41%, 28.64%, 46.27%, and 0.68% respectively, while that of females who participating in on-farm, pluriactive, and offfarm work, and unemployment were 43.20%, 13.95%, 30.95%, and 11.90% respectively. As to individual characteristics, age(AGE) and physical condition(PHY) effects appeared to be more pronounced for men, while education(EDU) and marital status(MAR)effects appeared to be more pronounced for women. Regarding household and community characteristics, the effects of the presence in the household of children aged 6-(CHI), number of persons in the household(POP), and labor force(LAB), per capitaincome in village(INCV), and the development status of village enterprises(ENT) on women were greater than that on men. In addition, the presence in the household of elderly individuals aged 65+(OLD) and time to reach the nearest township(TIME) are shown to have opposite impacts on men and women. While the presence in the household of pupils(PUP) and per capital gross value of industrial output(GVIO) was found to be irresponsive to men and women taking pluriavtivity and off-farm job. With respect to natural environments characteristics, the effects on men were opposite of those on women. Unemployment of women was found to be particularly responsive to household characteristics. A multinomial regression approach is undertaken to analyze rural males‘ and females‘ decisions of the four employment patterns considered, an approach that reveals considerable heterogeneity that is concealed by the dichotomous approach employed in most previous studies. The study thus contributes to our understanding of rural employment patterns and gender difference in mountainous and upland areas.
文摘Based on the custom of stone bridge and village, by categorizing and interpreting the relationship between Lufeng Bridge (鲁封桥) and Luqiao Village (鲁桥村) in Southern Shandong Province, China, this paper focuses on discussing the dynamic of rural society change in China and the practice of village life world. It provides detailed materials of field research about folk life of stone bridge and village in North China. Here village life world not only includes the folk integration of their everyday life, but also covers local villagers cognitive attitude towards village, such as village history, legend, belief, ritual, clan and other everyday life styles. Expounding and reconstructing of village life world, shows the essential meanings and categories of bridge folklore, it also demonstrates the consequence of shifting connection between stone bridge and village life. Firstly, the crucial context of understanding village life world is still promising. Secondly, folklore fieldwork is an significant part to comprehend the connotation of village life world.
基金founded by the Social Science Planning and Research Project of Shandong Province (Grant No.09CJGZ45)
文摘Taking Shandong Province as the research object,this paper uses the principal component analysis method to evaluate the status of the rural human settlement in Shandong Province.It establishes the evaluation index system of the rural residential environment in Shandong Province,including living environment,economy,infrastructure,public service facilities,and ecological environment,in total five comprehensive index,and 20 secondary indexes.Through measurement and sorting of rural human environment development level of Shandong Province in 2010,the 17 cities are divided into-excellent,good,ordinary,poor-four development areas and are analyzed based on the restriction factor in the development of the region.
基金supported by the National Social Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 09CJY071)Program for Innovative Talents of Higher Learning Institutions of Shanxi
文摘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.
基金a part of the Project No.43007,subproject No.16 funded by the Ministry of Education,Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia
文摘This study analyses the possibilities for optimal land use structure in mountainous areas of rural Serbia, which is faced with problems such as unfavorable terrain characteristics and inadequate land use patterns causing economic underdevelopment and increasing population migration. In the case of a small privately owned farm in Western Serbia, optimal land use pattern is determined using the linear programming model. The objective function-cost-effectiveness or soil erosion reduction, as well as constraints, are formulated using the benefit-cost ratio(BCR) for a 15-year production period and soil losses data calculated using the Universal Soil Loss Equation(USLE). The best results are achieved using the scenario with the aim to minimize soil erosion, considering the BCR in the constraints. This scenario is proposed since it was registered that the benefit for landowners would increase by five times, while the losses of land would decline about 80%. The sensitivity analysis of investments is performed to check whether the price variation affects the cost-effectiveness of proposed land use. Results show that market changes(nine cases are considered) do not lead to significant changes in land use allocation. Proposed land use pattern improves the environmental condition, strengthens the rural economy and thus offers the greatest potential for sustainable development of mountainous rural areas.
基金Under the auspices of National Natural Science Foundation of China (No 40635029, 40771014)National Key Technologies R&D Program of China (No 2006BAB15B05)
文摘Rural off-farm employment,rapid loss of agricultural land,and advanced technology popularization had led agricultural production in Chinese typical rural areas come at a critical transformation and upgrade stage.Based on sample survey data gathered from 401 households in Yucheng City,Shandong Province,this paper focuses on the characteristics and mechanism of agricultural transformation in typical rural areas of the eastern China.It was found that 74.3% of households surveyed kept at least one member engaging in off-farm employment,and 57.1% looked forward to expanding the operational scale of arable land,while just 13.7% had actually transferred their agricultural land.Since growing off-farm employment does not result in the collapse of traditional subsistence agriculture,therefore,agricultural production in Yucheng City is at an incomplete transformation phase from traditional small-holder farming to modern scale economy.It is caused by both macro environments and family characteristics,while urban-rural dual structure,imperfect rural development policy and agricultural technology popularization make peasant economy strengthen upon maintenance,and small-holder farming becomes peasant's natural response owing to pluriactivity,local off-farm employment,reverse elimination,etc.In order to achieve smooth agricultural transformation of typical rural areas in the eastern China,it needs to promote professional differentiation among peasants,under clear policies adopted by central government.Providing comprehensive services for agricultural production and improving production skills and knowledge of farmers who are still living in the countryside will effectively stimulate the process of agricultural transformation.
文摘In the Uplands of Southeast Asia, poor and near-poor farm households endure considerable livelihood vulnerability. Access to formal insurance services is scarce. Rural farm households in mountainous Northern Vietnam have developed alternative risk management strategies. This article investigates the theoretical links between poverty, vulnerability and risk. The concept of vulnerability to poverty lays the analytical framework. Based on empirical evidence from more than 200 ethnic minority households, major risks and risk management strategies are presented and analyzed. Results suggest that households suffer from limited endowment with and access to capital assets and service institutions. Human and economic risks (e.g. illness of family members and loss of livestock) were identified as the main components affecting rural livelihoods. Constrained access to adequate risk management strategies increase household's vulnerability, drowning them more and more in poverty. Major policy implications are that anti-poverty programs should focus on a broader target group, the currently poor as well as the vulnerable households.
文摘A household survey was carried out in Central Malawi to evaluate the goat marketing structure and systems in the rural areas using Nsundwe and Nkhoma areas in Lilongwe District as a case study. The analysis focused on identifying marketing systems of goats in Malawi by investigating the role of goats in an average Malawian rural household and how the current goat marketing systems affects that role. Goats play important role in Malawian rural households by way of providing food, income and as a capital reserve to be used in times critical times of food scarcity. The findings indicate that there is potential for goats to generate more income for the rural farmers, which can in turn help to improve household food security. The marketing system however apparently does not favour the farmers. The farmers seem not to know goat prices beyond the rural markets and hence have inadequate negotiating power to sell at optimum prices. Middlemen bought from farmers and finally sold the goats to urban consumers and retail shops. From the analysis, middlemen seemed to control the goat marketing system. Urban butchers sold the goats at 58% more than the value of farmers while retail shops sold at 137% more than the value of farmers. The differences reflect value-adding activities done at butchers and retail shops levels as well as transportation costs and profit margins. Though farmers may not engage in value adding, the finding implies that they would fetch more money if they supplied directly to the retail shops than to the middlemen. With access to more market information, they could also increase their bargaining power information with middlemen and sell the goats at relatively higher prices than the current. This paper details the results of the study.
文摘In this paper it has been investigated the issue of the dynamics of the rural population in villages in the mountainous areas of the municipality of Prilep height distribution of the mountainous villages, the area size, absolute density and agrarian population in hilly-mountainous villages, the distance of the hill-mountain villages of the municipality center and institutional infrastructure hilly-mountainous areas in Prilep. Despite the demographic decline that was made in the past 45 years, the municipality and the country will have even more incentive in the coming years to invest in infrastructure to improve little very bad living conditions and foremost here we think of infrastructure, roads, water drinking, clinics, veterinary stations, public transportation, gas stations, stores, construction of ethnic restaurants and small hotels so that at least the older generations of the cities as the least retirement to spend at home, to create minimum conditions for living and so that villages in hilly and mountainous villages to be attractive to younger generations of the cities and migrant workers from European countries and America Australia frequently to visit home, and to be able to invest in small commercial buildings in the area of tourism.