E-commerce development in rural and remote areas of BRICS countries

E-commerce plays an essential role in modern trade today.It is expected that e-commerce volume amounted to 29 trillion USD in the world in 2017,and would grow with the spread of the Internet and information and communication technologies(ICTs).Brazil,Russia,India,China and South Africa(BRICS),together with many others,consider e-commerce a means to facilitate rapid,inclusive and sustainable economic growth,improving the living standards and alleviating poverty.This article examines areas for potential cooperation by BRICS countries in e-commerce development across rural and remote areas to fight poverty.It analyses the current state of e-commerce development in rural and remote areas in each of the BRICS countries,including cases of public and private initiatives to support it.The article also defines the opportunities which e-commerce brings to people living in rural and remote areas.Moreover,it evaluates the existing challenges and risks.The article concludes that despite the rapid e-commerce development in BRICS countries,and significant opportunities created,there are still issues of disproportionate e-commerce in varied regions and the lack of BRICS cooperation in this sphere.Based on a comparative and normative in-depth,systematic analysis,the article develops a set of recommendations for deepening BRICS countries'cooperation in the following areas:infrastructure in rural and remote regions;education;consumer protection;online dispute resolution;coordinated policy in the international scene,including representation of BRICS countries in international indexes,such as the Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development(OECD)Digital Services Trade Restrictiveness Index(STRI).

Current Situation of E-commerce Entering Rural Areas in Datong County of Qinghai Province

Datong County has been developed for nearly 5 years since it was selected as a comprehensive demonstration county of e-commerce entering rural areas in 2017.In this context,this paper analyzes the development status of e-commerce in rural areas of Datong County,and provides feasible suggestions for the development of e-commerce entering rural areas in demonstration counties.

How Does E-Commerce Policy Affect Consumption Disparities of Rural Households?-Evidence from China

In the context of China’s ongoing efforts to promote countryside revitalization and facilitate domestic economic circulation,it is of great significance to reduce the consumption disparity among rural households and unleash the consumption potential in the countryside.Based on data from China Family Panel Studies,this paper adopts a staggered difference-in-differences method to assess the impact of the e-commerce to enter rural areas on the consumption disparity among rural households.Findings:the comprehensive demonstration work of promoting e-commerce to enter rural areas has reduced the consumption disparity among rural households through the following mechanisms.Firstly,this policy initiative has mitigated the consumption-inhibiting effect on rural household consumption due to the local market size and external market accessibility by promoting the distribution of consumer goods to villages.Secondly,this policy initiative has also increased the agricultural income of rural households and reduced their consumption disparity by distributing farm produce to cities and enhancing the agricultural income of rural households.Moreover,the work is characterized by inclusive growth and is not susceptible to the“elite capture”phenomenon.

Exploring well-being disparities between urban and rural areas:A case study in the Stavropol Territory,Russia

Rural areas are crucial for a country’s sustainable economy.New strategies are needed to develop rural areas to improve the well-being of rural population and generate new job opportunities.This is especially important in countries where agricultural production accounts for a significant share of the gross product,such as Russia.In this study,we identified the key indicators of satisfaction and differences between rural and urban citizens based on their social,economic,and environmental backgrounds,and determined whether there are well-being disparities between rural and urban areas in the Stavropol Territory,Russia.We collected primary data through a survey based on the European Social Survey framework to investigate the potential differences between rural and urban areas.By computing the regional well-being index using principal component analysis,we found that there was no statistically significant difference in well-being between rural and urban areas.Results of key indicators showed that rural residents felt psychologically more comfortable and safer,assessed their family relationships better,and adhered more to traditions and customs.However,urban residents showed better economic and social conditions(e.g.,infrastructures,medical care,education,and Internet access).The results of this study imply that we can better understand the local needs,advantages,and unique qualities,thereby gaining insight into the effectiveness of government programs.Policy-makers and local authorities can consider targeted interventions based on the findings of this study and strive to enhance the well-being of both urban and rural residents.

Employment and development levels in rural areas of the Russian Federation

The development of agro-industrial complex is important for ensuring national food security and national health.The development of rural areas is subject to the development of agriculture and local infrastructure,as well as the availability of various services.This study selected 15 indicators in 2021 to analyze the employment and development levels in rural areas of 71 regions of the Russian Federation using the analytical grouping method.The results indicated that 20 regions(Group 1)had the highest percentage of rural population(33.10%).The percentage of population engaged in agriculture had the highest value(12.40%)in 31 regions(Group 2).Moreover,20 regions(Group 3)had the highest investments in fixed assets at the expense of municipal budget(11.80 USD/person).Increasing the investments in fixed assets carried out from the budget of the municipality can improve the employment level in rural areas.Then,we used cluster analysis to divide 14 regions of the Volga Federal District in the Russian Federation into 3 clusters.Cluster 1 covered Kirov Region and Republic of Mari El;Cluster 2 included Ulyanovsk Region,Saratov Region,Nizhny Novgorod Region,Perm Territory,Orenburg Region,Chuvash Region,and Republic of Mordovia;and Cluster 3 contained Republic of Tatarstan,Samara Region,Udmurtian Republic,Penza Region,and Republic of Bashkortostan.Results indicated that the 2 regions of Cluster 1 need to increase the availability of resources and natural gas and improve the investment attractiveness of rural areas.The 7 regions of Cluster 2 needed to develop infrastructure,public services,and agricultural production.We found the highest employment level in rural areas,the largest investments in fixed assets at the expense of municipal budget,the largest residential building area per 10,000 persons,and the largest individual residential building area in the 5 regions of Cluster 3.This study makes it possible to draw up a comprehensive regional development program and proves the need for the development of rural areas,which is especially important for the sustainable development of the Russian Federation.

Research on Evaluation of Spatial Vitality and Influencing Factors of Guesthouses Public Areas Based on Rural Tourism Development

In recent years,China has continued to promote the strategy of rural revitalization.The rural tourism industry has developed rapidly in the context of rural revitalization.Now the rural B&B industry has become an important pillar in solving the problem of rural tourism accommodation.Most of the villages in China have begun to carry out the construction of rural lodging,for example,there are residents who use idle houses to carry out construction on their own initiative and projects developed by village collectives,so the rural lodging industry has been vigorously developed.The vitality of supporting industries and landscape resources around the distribution of rural lodging has become a hot spot of rural issues research in recent years.Therefore,we can use the method of data analysis to analyze the industry and function of the public area around the distribution of rural B&B.Through the comparison of data and the interpretation of related cases,the core elements affecting the spatial vitality of B&B public areas can be identified.We will analyze and improve the related elements to find a reasonable way to enhance the spatial vitality value.Finally,the article will put forward suggestions to improve the related spatial vitality as a way to promote the development of rural B&B industry and the progress of rural tourism.

Analysis of the Current Situation, Influential Factors, and Countermeasures of Rural E-commerce Development

The development of rural e-commerce is becoming an important driver for the transformation of China’s rural economy,and with the rapid development of information technology and the upgrading of the agricultural industry,rural e-commerce is showing a vigorous momentum of development.Traditionally,agricultural products are mainly sold through traditional farmers’markets,which are subjected to geography and channel limitations,resulting in inefficient circulation of agricultural products.This paper analyzes the definition,the status quo,as well as the influencing factors of rural e-commerce development.On this basis,countermeasures for the advancement of rural e-commerce development are put forward.

Affordability, Accessibility, and Quality of Maternal Health Care Services and Level of Satisfaction of Mothers in Rural Areas in China

Objective:This study aimed to understand the affordability,accessibility,and quality of maternal and child health services for postpartum mothers,and their impact on satisfaction.Methods:The study utilized the Anderson model and revised the Maternal Pregnancy and Perinatal Health Service Questionnaire.A survey was conducted among 289 mothers aged 20–49 in Feicheng City.Results:Regarding accessibility,most respondents(133)reported that travel time to healthcare services exceeded 60 minutes,while 99 respondents indicated a travel time of 16–30 minutes.The issue of affordability was highlighted,with 86.85%of participants perceiving maternal healthcare services as costly,indicating a significant financial burden.More than 50%of respondents were satisfied with two specific dimensions(P<0.05)regarding the quality of maternal healthcare services.Conclusion:The study found that accessibility,affordability,and quality significantly affect mothers’satisfaction with maternal health services.Future research should focus on developing more suitable service pathways for rural mothers.

Reflection on Rural Settlement Environmental Landscape of Mixed Living Areas of Multination in Xinjiang Province of China——A Case Study of Wuchang Region

As Xinjiang rural settlement planning has only paid attention to the completion of basic community functions but neglected landscape planning and shaping,strategies for sustainable development have been proposed by taking rural settlement landscape construction in mixed living areas of Wuchang for example.It should well deal with problems about nationalities and religious belief,solve the contradiction between traditional life and production mode and modern standardized agricultural life and production mode,promote the maximization of settlement landscape function,coordinate the relation between settlement landscape and natural environment,make settlement landscape correspond with traditional geomancy,construct definite landscape position and create regional landscape feature.Finally,in view of the design and renovation of settlement landscape,it has proposed respecting local natural geological condition,respecting current settlement pattern and layout,avoiding rebuilding new villages,and founding a"Settlement Landscape Construction and Development Autonomous Committee".

Analysis on Soil Contamination Status in Rural Areas in China

China is a Iarge agricuItural country and the coordinated deveIopment of rural economy, society and eco-environment pIays an important roIe in China ’s prosperity. Because of economy deveIopment, human factors and natural degrada-tion, however, the issue of rural environment poI ution is deteriorating as urban envi-ronment improves, becoming a key factor preventing rural sustalnabIe deveIopment. The research detalIed rural soiI contamination in China, analyzed major causes, and proposed suggestions on IegisIation on controIs of rural soiI poI ution.

Study on Consumer Behaviors of Tourists in Rural Areas of Liaoning Province

This study takes Liaoning Province for an example,investigates and analyzes a series of consumer decision behaviors of tourists in rural tourist sites,such as need recognition,data collection,purchase decision,summarizes law of tourists' behaviors,points out internal interaction between tourists' behaviors and demography features,proposes improvement measures for promoting the sustainable development of rural tourism.

E-commerce Development Strategies of Agriculture-related Enterprises in Earthquake Area

The problems existing in the development of agriculture-related enterprises in earthquake area are evaluated,as well as the prominent issues existing in the process of developing E-commerce,consequently,the corresponding strategies for developing E-commerce in agriculture-related enterprises are proposed.

Rural Tourism Development Theory and Practice of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Rural Minority Areas of Sichuan Province,China——A Case Study of Kasidawen in Heishui County,Aba Prefecture of Sichuan

Researches on tourism development of intangible cultural heritage were introduced,and market gaps in the tourism development of intangible cultural heritage in ruralminority areas of China were proposed.On the basis of investigation and interview about Kasidawen in Heishui County the author participated in,a National-level Intangible Cultural Heritage,interview and questionnaire survey were adopted in this study,and the following problems were concluded:tourists having only limited knowledge about tourism development of Kasidawen;multilayered demands of tourist market;intangible cultural heritage of Sichuan Province as a whole is not widely-known because of insufficient publicity;tourists preferring tourism products that they participated in.Characteristics of intangible cultural heritage in Heishui County were summarized as strong national characteristics and unique cultural heritage,on the basis of which the "Kasidawen-based" Tourism Development Mode was proposed to change its present condition of "having only natural landscapes but no cultural connotation",and improve the cultural taste and level of tourism development in Heishui County,by arranging cultural functions and industries from the perspectives of both hardware and software facilities,and taking other types of resources as the supplement,useful theoretical references were given for rural tourism development of intangible cultural heritage inminority areas of China.

Impact of livelihood diversification of rural households on their ecological footprint in agro-pastoral areas of northern China

Human-environment relationship is a focus of academic researches and an understanding of the rela- tionship is important for making effective policies and decisions. In this study, based on rural household survey data of Taibus Banner, Duolun county and Zhengxiangbai Banner in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region of China, we identified the impact of livelihood diversification on ecosystems in these agro-pastoral areas by using the ecological footprint theory and methodology together with the one-way analysis of variance （ANOVA） and correlation analysis methods. In 2011, the total ecological footprint of consumption （EFC） was 0.665 g hm2, and the total ecological footprint of production （EFP） was 2.045 g hm2, which was more than three times the EFC. The ecological footprint of arable land consumption （EFAC） accounted for a large proportion of the EFC, and the ecological footprint of grassland production （EFGP） occupied a large proportion of the EFP. Both the ecological footprint of grassland consumption （EFGC） and EFGP had a significant positive correlation with the income, indicating that income was mainly depended on livestock production and the households with higher incomes consumed more livestock prod- ucts. The full-time farming households （FTFHs） had the highest EFP, ecological footprint of arable land production （EFAP）, EFGP and EFGC, followed by the part-time farming households （PTFHs） and non-farming households （NFHs）, which indicated that part-time farming and non-farming employment reduced the occupancy and con- sumption of rural households on local ecosystems and natural resources to some extent. When farming households engaged in livestock rearing, both the EFAP and EFAC became smaller, while the EFP, EFC, EFGC and EFGP increased significantly. The differences in ecological footprints among different household groups should be taken into account when making ecosystem conservation policies. Encouraging the laborers who have the advantages of participating in non-farming employment to move out of the rural areas and increasing the diversification of liveli- hoods of rural households are important in reducing the environmental pressures and improving the welfare of households in the study area. Moreover, grassland should be utilized more effectively in the future.

Evaluation of phosphorus removal from wastewater by soils in rural areas in China

Low-cost, easy-maintenance and high-efficiency decentralized wastewater treatment technologies are urgently needed in rural areas of China. Processes with high potential for phosphorus removal are of great interest. However, commonly used treatment methods often do not meet the strict criteria for removing phosphorus from rural wastewater. In order to search an economic and simple technology for phosphorus removal from the common bit-technologies effluent, seven soil types collected from different rural areas in China were investigated for their ability to remove phosphorus. X-ray diffraction （XRD） was used to analyse the mineral structure, and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer （ICP-OES） was used to analyse the geochemical composition of the soil samples. Three primary minerals - quartz, albite and montmorillonite - were clearly detected. The samples were divided into two soil types, acidic soils and alkaline soils, based on their pH values. The geochemical composition study indicated that a higher percentage of Ca and Mg occurred in alkaline soils （pH 〉 8） than in acidic soils （pH 〈 6.5）. Adsorption isotherms from batch experiments fitted the Langmuir and Freundlich models well, the maximum P adsorption capacities ranged from 0.256 to 1.598 mg P/g, indicating a high phosphorus removal potential for all of these soils. The P fractions extracted revealed that the sum of NaOH-extracted inorganic P （NaOH-Pi） was the major P component in the acidic soils, and CaCO3-bound phosphorus （Ca-P） in the alkaline soils. Dynamic adsorption simulation showed that these soils have the ability to remove phosphorus from wastewater.

Poverty alleviation through e-commerce:Village involvement and demonstration policies in rural China

The diffusion of e-commerce has played a significant role in recent rural economic development in China.E-commerce is also considered as an efficient channel to alleviate poverty in rural China.Voluminous studies have investigated the contribution of e-commerce to agricultural development,yet it is lacking empirical evidence as to the effects of e-commerce on rural poverty alleviation.Since the year of 2014,in order to develop rural e-commerce,Chinese government launched the National Rural E-commerce Comprehensive Demonstration Project.This gradual involvement policy offered a natural experiment for evaluation of e-commerce.Based on village-level survey data from rural China and Heckit method,our study finds that rural e-commerce has a significantly positive effect on rural income.Moreover,the effect is inverted U-shaped for the relative-poverty villages.The estimation of the propensity scores matching model confirms that the results are robust.The following policy recommendations are proposed:(1)policy support to rural e-commerce should prioritize the povertystricken villages.By doing so,the marginal income effects of e-commerce will be maximized.(2)Investment in internet infrastructure and establishment of human resources for e-commerce in rural areas will have spillover effects,increasing rural income through the"digital dividend".

Rocky Land Desertification and its Driving Forces in the Karst Areas of Rural Guangxi,Southwest China

With a subtropical climate,Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has a typical karst landscape.Rocky desertification has become a serious environmental issue due to its high vulnerability caused by the joint effect of natural settings and human activities,because of which its eco-environment has been deteriorated in recent years,and farmland has been disappearing sharply at the same time.This,in turn,has exacerbated the poverty level in the rural areas of the region.In this study,we monitored the spatial distribution of rocky land desertification and its temporal evolution using Landsat TM/ETM images of 1985,1995,2000 and 2005.We also analyzed the driving forces of the desertification and its expansion.Through constructing regression models by using all the relevant variables and considering the lagged effects as well as fixed effects,we quantified the exact role of different factors causing rocky land desertification in the study area with some new findings.The new findings in this study are greatly helpful for preserving,restoring and reconstructing the degraded mountain environment in Guangxi and other karst areas in Southwest China,and also for alleviating poverty in the rural areas in the future.

Rural E-commerce and New Model of Rural Development in China:A Comparative Study of "Taobao Village" in Jiangsu Province

With the development of electronic commerce,there is a special phenomenon in rural areas of China that a lot of farmers in these areas depend on opening shops on Taobao online for a living. The products are made from the village workshop,and farmers become fullyfledged network businessmen. Electronic business platform mode of " Taobao Village" is the result of integrated development of primary,secondary and tertiary industries. In this study,we take two kinds of typical Taobao villages( Dongfeng Village and Yanxia Village) as sample areas,and conduct comparative analysis of this new rural business model based on field survey data,case studies and theoretical research. We also probe into the problems in the development of Taobao villages,and set forth the recommendations for the new rural business model.

Financing Problems in China's Rural Areas

Solving the financing problem in rural areas and improving the level of economic development in rural areas become important guarantees for the expansion of domestic demand. This research, through studying the current situation of rural financing, pointed out the main factors restricting the financing in rural areas, such as high risk credit, slow income growth, high financing cost and difficult mortgage and guaranteed loans. Based on those, the author worked out the objectives and direction of China＇s rural financing reform, from two aspects of path selection of reform and innovation and specific embodiments for adjusting the overall reconstruction, and put forward some relevant countermeasures.

STUDY ON THE SPATIAL DEVELOPMENT OF RURAL AREAS IN CHINA

This paper makes a comprehensive analysis of the new trends in the economic activities in the Chinese rural areas in terms of the spatial process, spatial behaviour, spatial relations, spatial structure and spatial disparitics. It also discusses the various 'rural diseases' induced by the decentralization and incoordination of the spatial development in these areas. In the writer's opinion, the study on the spatial development of Chinese rural areas should concentrate on the renewal of the existing theory and practice. Using the spatial economic system theory to replace the traditional agricultural location theory, allocation theory, areal differentiating theory and the community theory, the author has put forward Chinese rural spatial economics which can function as the basis and guidance for the study on spatial development of rural areas in China.