Strategic Agricultural Commodity Value Chains in Africa for Increased Food: The Regional Approach for Food Security

The challenge Africa faces the most is how to feed the 2.4 billion people in 2050. This will require a transformational agriculture. Africa doesn’t need subsistence agriculture, but rather agriculture linked to the market where market demand and the consuming habits are taken in consideration. Agriculture evolves in an environment where small holders are linked to markets (national and regional), where economies of complementarity and economies of scale are taken advantage of by producers and private sector. In short, Africa will need a paradigm shift to industrialise and commercialise its agriculture sector in order to increase food production, and income and to create jobs in and outside the sector. Africa needs agribusiness and agro-industries to domesticate the benefits of the sector, to create wealth in the sector and retain that wealth in the continent. Agricultural commodities regional value chains for increased food should be the target for Africa. The continent remains the region with the highest prevalence of under-nourishment. Since agriculture remains the mainstay of most African economies except the mineral producers, the sector deserves a close attention from leaders. It accounts for 65% of employment and 40% of Africa’s export earnings and accounts for 17% of the GDP. This shows how important the sector is. Agriculture needs to be seen as a conduit for farmers to get connected to markets, a conduit for revenue, for jobs and for transformation. Africa needs to come back on the international scene as food sufficient continent and even food exporter. This can be achieved only with a stable, productive agricultural resource base. Thus, achieving and sustaining food security and economic prosperity in Africa will require significant efforts to modernize the continent’s agriculture sector through injection of agribusiness and agro-industries and through the application of science and technology in agriculture. In essence, agriculture needs to be viewed as knowledge based entrepreneurial activity. Smart investments in agriculture will have multiplier effects for the whole economy and hence induce prosperity to other sectors. In recent years, a renewed focus on agriculture has been evident in policy and development agendas across the African continent. This paper outlines the status of agriculture, agribusiness and agro-industries in Africa, their role in the agenda of agricultural transformation and economic transformation and the focus on regional value chain to increase food production, transformation and trade. The paper adopts a new thinking in agriculture, which reflects a regional value chain approach. The author covers such issues as: need for agricultural transformation, the role of value chain in agricultural sector, the need for regional value chain for increased income and increased food, the role of markets and the common denominator of all, the regional integration to push forward the African agriculture agenda. Evidence shows that it is agricultural growth, through its leverage effects on the rest of the economy that typically enables poor countries, poor regions and ultimately poor households to take the first steps toward economic transformation. Therefore agricultural productivity, at the small holder’s level, has the potential to lift millions of Africa’s vulnerable out of poverty and provide sustainable jobs. Other factors, namely “the rapid urbanization” and “increased population growth”, are quoted to be of critical importance. Africa population is projected to double, attaining the 2.3 billion people mark over the next 40 years representing half of the globe’s total population. This could trigger competition for resources and can have devastating effects on natural resources if not rightly channelled.

Global Value Chain Restructuring:Challenges,Opportunities and Strategies for China

Global value chains(GVCs)have entered a new stage of restructuring characterized by trends towards localization,regionalization and diversification.These trends can be attributed to the evolution of the international division,irrational responses to crisis shocks,and trade protectionism.In this context,China’s industrial and supply chain upgrades face both opportunities and challenges which require navigating the adverse effects of industrial re-shoring,unfair technology competition,and changes in the global industrial layout.Yet,such challenges may create pressures for China to accelerate innovation,overcome the low-end lock-up effect by creating regional value chains,and broaden international cooperation.China needs to explore an effective strategy to defuse risks and seize opportunities.On one hand,China should influence the restructuring of GVCs evolution and strengthen its supply chains by playing an active role in economic globalization and the international division.On the other hand,China should proactively respond to GVCs restructuring amid rising trade protectionism,defuse risks from trade protectionism by opening wider to the outside world,and strive to upgrade industrial and supply chains while enhancing the security and stability of their nation.

Comprehensive analysis of Perilla frutescens(L.)Britt.along the value chain in northeast Inner Mongolia

Objective:To ensure the quality of Perilla frutescens(L.)Britt.and improve the associated benefits for stakeholders,this study analyzed the influences of different circulation channels and stakeholders on the quality,price,and other factors of P.frutescens with consideration to P.frutescens distribution.Method:We interviewed the local stakeholders and e-commerce platforms in Oroqen Autonomous Banner and Morin Dawa Daur Autonomous Banner regarding the origin,circulation,distribution,and prices of different medicinal parts of P.frutescens.In addition,the maximumentropymodel was used to predict the potential distribution of P.frutescens in the study area.According to the Chinese Pharmacopeia(2020 edition),we measured the content of index components in the collected Perillae Folium,Perillae Caulis,and Perillae Fructus samples and evaluated the quality of the samples by quantitative and cluster analyses.Remote sensing was employed to distinguish and calculate the P.frutescens area in highly suitable regions.The autoregressive integrated moving average model was adopted to analyze the Perillae Fructus price in the study area.Result:The results showed 8 value chains for P.frutescens.The cooperation chain between farmers and enterprises in the study area could maximize the benefits for all stakeholders and guarantee the quality of the medicinal materials.The results of the regionalization analysis showed that themost suitable area for planting P.frutescens was the junction between Oroqen Autonomous Banner and Morin Dawa Daur Autonomous Banner.Chemical results showed that Perillae Fructus and Perillae Caulis samples were unqualified andmostly purchased from e-commerce platforms.We identified 5 land types,among which the cultivated land area was 3247.7501 km2.The price of Perillae Fructus in the study area showed a rising trend,although this trend slowed down.Conclusion:This study involved various links in the production and circulation of medicinal materials from planting to consumption by consumers,which can help to facilitate the future research on any link.The findings help to guarantee the quality of medicinal materials and benefits of all stakeholders and promote the development of the P.frutescens industry in the study area.

The relationship between China and regional economic agreement in global value chain:An analysis based on gravity model

Global value chain has become a new and dominant pattern of international division of labor in the world.Meanwhile,international cooperation has turned from multilateralism to regionalization.This paper intends to use gravity model to explore the connections between the two trajectories.As a political and economic major power in the world,China should set about employing a comprehensive,self-oriented and well-functioning strategy of regional economic integration,either out of considerations for its global and regional strategies or the need to transform economic development model.In the process of implementation,China should be selective in choosing partners,choosing competitive ones at different levels of the global value chain.

嘉兴跨境电商产业的高质量发展——基于价值链模型的实证分析

基于价值链理论,从主体活动、技术开发、政策制度、人力资源和基础设施五个层面分析嘉兴跨境电商产业的价值要素,剖析跨境电商高质量发展的内在机理。基于调查问卷的实证结果表明,嘉兴跨境电商存在产业生态系统不完善、信息技术使用不充分、政策支持体系不完备、人力资源要素不匹配和基础设施不齐全等问题,嘉兴应加大培育跨境电商产业主体,全面推动业务数字化改革,持续完善立体化政策体系,大力引育高素质技能人才,全力打造基础设施保障网。

经济制裁对两岸价值链关联的影响研究

文章运用亚洲开发银行的多区域投入产出表数据,测算经济体价值链关联、经济体生产距离和销售距离,在此基础上实证检验了经济制裁对价值链关联的影响,并基于“台湾地区—内地—美国”三角贸易,考察了美国经济制裁对三角贸易和两岸价值链关联的影响。结果表明,两岸价值链关联不断深化,经济体在GVC活动中的生产和销售并未出现明显的“近岸”特征;经济制裁对经济体价值链关联具有显著的负向作用;聚焦于三角贸易,美国经济制裁显著降低了美国与中国内地和台湾地区的价值链关联,并且促进了两岸价值链融合。最后,文章从创新驱动机制提升两岸价值链关联、以两岸携手嵌入内地内循环应对经济制裁、两岸携手开拓外部市场塑造新型贸易关系等方面提出了相应政策建议。

RCEP框架下的区域价值链构建及可能路径

通过测算全球价值链参与的相关指标,刻画RCEP框架下各国的增加值贸易现状并重点考察了中国在区域价值链中的地位演变;同时,深入剖析了RCEP协定中原产地区域累积制度、投资促进规则和电子商务、知识产权保护相关条款对于促进区域产业链深度融合的积极意义。为加快构建RCEP框架下的区域价值链,中国应有效利用区域大市场,推动中国价值链地位跃升;加强产业政策配套实施,积极应对产业链竞争;推进RCEP与“一带一路”倡议互动发展,加大区域产业链空间整合范围;依托自贸试验区优势对接高水平国际经贸规则,为加入CPTPP提供助力;抓住数字经济发展机遇,推进数字贸易规则的完善。

创新价值链视角下西北地区农业技术创新效率研究

提高农业技术创新效率对驱动西北地区农业高质量发展,乃至实现我国农业现代化战略目标意义重大。文章通过构建农业技术创新效率测算模型和Tobit回归模型,对西北地区农业技术创新效率进行评价分析,并探究其主要影响因素。研究表明:西北地区整体农业技术创新效率值较低,且区域差距明显;政府支持力度、涉农企业技术创新水平、农业生产力发展水平均正向影响农业技术创新效率;农村劳动力素质无显著影响;农村经济发展水平对农业技术创新效率具有显著抑制作用。西北地区政府应采取有效措施,提升农业技术创新效率。

技术密集型产业区域产业链建构路径研究

签署《区域全面经济伙伴关系协定》(RCEP)等自由贸易协定,不仅能够提高成员国间货物、技术、投资、人员往来频率,也可为域内国家技术密集型产业自主发展提供重要机会。然而,构建区域自主产业链存在技术创新资源、全产业链资源、大市场资源开发利用不足,政策及市场资源组织调配能力发挥不充分,各环节价值累积减少等问题。为此,针对技术密集型产业区域产业链建构的关键要素与实现路径,采取案例研究方法,对我国新能源汽车产业东亚地区产业链建构过程进行研究,从创新链、产业链、价值链、企业培育及市场拓展角度分析其形成机制。研究发现,我国新能源汽车区域产业链建构经历基础技术攻关、国内市场及产业链培育、国内外区域产业链及产业集群建立3个阶段;政策、创新链及产业链协同发展,形成政策主导到市场主导、国内创新链到区域协同创新体系、传统产业到区域产业链的全路径。研究可为具有特定产业结构和产品特性的技术密集型产业实现区域产业链建构提供理论框架和实践启示。

中国—东盟区域价值链的塑造与挑战

当前,美国通过地缘政治手段介入亚洲区域价值链重构,试图构建以美国为核心、依托日韩盟友与链接东盟国家的战略价值链,其本质上延续了里卡多式增长模式。在美国战略价值链塑造中,东盟将是美国战略布局中取代中国的关键角色。而在大国博弈争夺价值链主导权的背景下,中国—东盟区域价值链的塑造将保障中国式现代化发展道路下中国的区域中心地位,不仅是中国与东盟共同塑造亚洲发展与繁荣的重要举措,同时也是亚洲区域经济突破传统增长模式壁垒,未来迈向熊彼得式增长的关键一步。实证分析表明,中国与东盟具有深厚的政治经济合作基础,中国与东盟在亚洲区域价值链的发展中链接日趋紧密,推动了亚洲区域价值链的地位提升与影响力扩大。但不可忽视的是,全球价值链重构、美国战略价值链构建、中国在“双向挤压”下转型升级等系列挑战,也将影响未来中国—东盟区域价值链的塑造。由此,中国与东盟必须通过紧密合作,寻找符合新一代区域价值链的发展推进路径,通过产业链链接和关键技术领域合作实现突破,进而塑造中国—东盟区域价值链合作的熊彼得式增长,以应对共同的地缘政治挑战。

区域数字贸易规则与全球数字价值链

数字贸易规则体系是国际贸易规则领域的核心议题,也是新一轮国际竞争的焦点。区域数字贸易规则在推动全球价值链向数字化转型的过程中,可能会对全球价值链倡导的多边贸易体系产生影响。本文基于区域数字贸易规则条款特征构建数字贸易规则指标,研究其对全球数字价值链的影响。研究发现,区域数字贸易规则通过降低贸易成本、减少贸易壁垒和完善数字贸易网络机制显著提高了各经济体参与全球数字价值链的增加值。进一步分析发现,区域数字贸易规则具有显著的区域主义特征,呈现邻近偏好,更有利于发达国家和新兴经济体参与全球数字价值链。本研究对我国加快推动构建兼顾效率与公平的新型数字贸易规则体系,提升我国在全球数字价值链的竞争力具有重要的参考作用。

区域贸易协定对全球价值链参与度的影响——基于区域贸易协定深度水平的视角

针对全球价值链分工日益深化与区域贸易协定(RTA)不断增加的局面,在测算全球价值链参与度的基础上,利用WTO区域贸易协定数据库的资料,参照对RTA条款深度的划分,实证检验了RTA对经济体全球价值链参与度的影响。整体上,RTA对经济体的全球价值链参与度具有显著促进作用,但不同深度水平的RTA影响效应有所差别。其中,“WTO+”比“WTO-X”条款对经济体价值链参与度的影响更大,且RTA对发展中经济体价值链地位提升的影响大于发达经济体。地理距离、区域竞争在RTA对经济体价值链参与度影响中发挥着一定的调节作用。地理距离越近,RTA对价值链分工参与度的影响越大;RTA达成得越早,越有利于发挥RTA建立的竞争优势,保护本经济体在其他经济体的市场地位。机制检验表明,RTA可通过降低关税壁垒和促进对外投资推动经济体价值链地位的提升。

数字经济、企业家精神与区域创新

文章从企业家精神视角切入,利用2006—2020年中国省级面板数据,基于创新价值链维度考察数字经济驱动区域创新的影响效应和作用机制。研究结果表明:数字经济显著促进了区域研发创新能力和区域转化创新能力的提升,且这种影响存在明显的空间异质性,中部地区的研发创新溢出效应最高,东部地区的转化创新溢出效应最为显著。从影响机制来看,激发企业家精神是数字经济驱动区域创新的重要机制,其中转化创新阶段的中介效应更强。进一步研究发现,数字经济与区域研发创新能力和区域转化创新能力之间的关系分别呈现正向的边际报酬递增和“N”型的非线性特征,同时这种非线性影响受到企业家精神的门槛约束。

全球数字贸易的发展特征、中国的发展现状及建议

数字贸易概念范围随着数字经济发展逐步扩大,在贸易标的范围和主体、交付模式和运作环节、数据化平台和数据要素作用上与传统贸易显著不同,数字可交付服务贸易指标是现阶段度量数字贸易的合适指标。数字技术作为生产要素的特殊性决定了全球数字贸易呈现高增长、强韧性,细分行业领域分化发展,发达经济体绝对主导与发展中经济体高增长并存,美、英等国全面领跑,爱尔兰、新兴国家特定细分领域追赶等特征。中国数字贸易发展迅速,但综合竞争力不强,面临软硬件基础设施国际制衡、制度对接壁垒问题。需有针对性地挖掘细分领域数字贸易潜力,以技术创新提升数字贸易软硬件保障,发挥好在国内国际市场中的比较优势,加快制度型开放,减少数字贸易发展阻碍。

适用于多虚拟电厂交易的改进拜占庭容错算法共识机制

分布式能源投资主体的多样性,使各资源在互动过程中的信任构建更加困难,因此需要探究多虚拟电厂交互模式并构建相应信任体系。基于主侧区块链技术构建了多虚拟电厂交易模型总体架构,明确了多虚拟电厂交易流程。通过主侧锚定技术构建跨链通道,实现多虚拟电厂链上协同运行模式。针对节点维护区块链网络环境积极性不高导致的信任环境缺失和区块链性能下降的问题,基于节点功能不同提出了一种差异化信用评价指标来规范节点行为,同时利用该指标对拜占庭容错算法(practical byzantine fault tolerance,PBFT)进行改进。实验结果表明使用差异化信用评价指标改进的共识算法在所提多虚拟电厂架构下能构建信任环境并提升共识效率。

RCEP框架下东亚经济体嵌入双重价值链的特征及影响分析

近年来,逆全球化进程的加快导致东亚经济体嵌入全球价值链活动减少。在区域全面经济伙伴关系协定(RCEP)框架下,东亚经济体将选择不同路径嵌入区域价值链和全球价值链。文章使用2010一2017年ADB-MRIO数据研究东亚国家嵌入全球价值链和区域价值链的特征,并对其在全球价值链地位攀升的影响机制进行实证检验。结果表明:1)东亚经济体嵌入全球价值链时受到明显地“低端锁定”效应。除中、日、韩外,东亚国家(地区)产业增加值占其最终产出的比重越高,这些国嵌入全球价值链的地位越低。2)嵌入区域价值链能够显著提升东亚国家(地区)在全球价值链的地位。为应对逆全球化带来的挑战,东亚各国(地区)应高度重视东亚区域统一市场地构建,根据外部环境针对性的选择嵌入价值链的路径以实现全球价值链地位地攀升。

数字经济发展与全球价值链区域分工地位——基于行业制度创新的中介效应研究

选取2011—2021年中国31个省级行政区35个部门的面板数据,测度各省数字经济发展水平和全球价值链区域分工地位,深入研究数字经济发展对全球价值链区域分工地位的影响效应及作用机制。研究发现:数字经济发展及其子维度均会促进全球价值链区域分工地位攀升。机制检验结果表明,制度创新在数字经济发展提升全球价值链区域分工地位中发挥正向中介作用。异质性分析结果显示,数字经济发展对全球价值链区域分工地位的提升作用在东部地区更明显。据此,应加强数字基础设施建设、营造良好的制度环境、实施动态差异化数字经济发展战略,借力数字经济提升全球价值链区域分工地位。

跨文化视角下中国地域武术文化内容的国际传播策略

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