Climatic and non-climatic factors driving the livelihood vulnerability of smallholder farmers in Ahafo Ano North District,Ghana

Smallholder farmers in Ahafo Ano North District,Ghana,face multiple climatic and non-climatic issues.This study assessed the factors contributing to the livelihood vulnerability of smallholder farmers in this district by household surveys with 200 respondents and focus group discussions(FGDs)with 10 respondents.The Mann–Kendall trend test was used to assess mean annual rainfall and temperature trends from 2002 to 2022.The relative importance index(RII)value was used to rank the climatic and non-climatic factors perceived by respondents.The socioeconomic characteristics affecting smallholder farmers’perceptions of climatic and non-climatic factors were evaluated by the binary logistic regression model.Results showed that mean annual rainfall decreased(P>0.05)but mean annual temperature significantly increased(P<0.05)from 2002 to 2022 in the district.The key climatic factors perceived by smallholder farmers were extreme heat or increasing temperature(RII=0.498),erratic rainfall(RII=0.485),and increased windstorms(RII=0.475).The critical non-climatic factors were high cost of farm inputs(RII=0.485),high cost of healthcare(RII=0.435),and poor condition of roads to farms(RII=0.415).Smallholder farmers’perceptions of climatic and non-climatic factors were significantly affected by their socioeconomic characteristics(P<0.05).This study concluded that these factors negatively impact the livelihoods and well-being of smallholder farmers and socioeconomic characteristics influence their perceptions of these factors.Therefore,to enhance the resilience of smallholder farmers to climate change,it is necessary to adopt a comprehensive and context-specific approach that accounts for climatic and non-climatic factors.

Impacts of livelihood assets on livelihood security in drought-prone Gamo lowlands of southwest Ethiopia

Livelihood assets are a matter of high concern for secured survival.Drought-prone Gamo lowland households have differential access to livelihood resources which indicates the varying capacity of resisting to shocks.The main objective of this study is to explore the impacts of livelihood assets on livelihood security in the drought-prone Gamo lowlands.Multistage sampling procedures were employed to select the study sites and sample respondents.Primary data of households’capital assets and livelihood security status were produced from 285 survey households,agricultural experts,key informants,focus group discussants,and field observation through transect walks.Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze quantitative data,whereas discussions and annotations were employed for analyzing qualitative data.The Sustainable Livelihoods Framework is used with modifications to schematize the study conceptually.The findings indicated that the study households possessed combinations of livelihood resources differentially.Financial and natural capitals were found to be the most deficient and better-accessed capitals,respectively.The study also showed that lowland residents’access to assets has significant indications of livelihood security.Households’poor access to assets such as financial,information,and social capital demands raised attention of the concerned stakeholders and policy debates in the drought-prone rural setup.Hence,it has been concluded that the more assets are accessed,the stronger the capacity of the households to resist shocks,and better the livelihood security.Accordingly,enhancing people’s access to multiple livelihood assets is suggested to sustainably secure livelihoods.

Sustainable livelihood security in Odisha, India: A district level analysis

Sustainable livelihood security(SLS) is an integrating framework that encompasses current concerns and policy requirements for ecological, social, and economic dimensions of sustainable development. It carries particular importance for developing economies. This study intends to verify the relative status of SLS of the 30 districts in Odisha, which is a backward state in eastern India. In this study, a total of 22 relevant indicators relating to the three components of SLS—ecological security, social equity, and economic efficiency have been taken, based on various kinds of government reports. The principal component analysis(PCA) was used to ascertain the indicators and the importance of each of them to the corresponding component of SLS. The ecological security index(ESI), social equity index(SEI), economic efficiency index(EEI), and composite sustainable livelihood security index(CSLSI) of each district of Odisha were calculated through the min-max normalization technique. The results revealed that there are wide variations in SLS among the districts of Odisha. In this study, the districts are categorized into four levels based on the scores of ESI, SEI, EEI, and CSLSI as very low(<0.400), low(0.400–0.549), medium(0.550–0.700), and high(>0.700). According to the classification result of CSLSI, 2 districts are found to be in the very low category, 20 districts are under the low sustainability category, 8 districts are in the medium category, and none of the districts are found to be in the high sustainability category. The district of Sambalpur ranks the highest with a CSLSI score of 0.624. The bottom five districts are Gajapati, Bolangir, Nabarangpur, Kandhamal, and Malkangiri, having the CSLSI scores of 0.438, 0.435, 0.406, 0.391, and 0.344, respectively. The result of this study suggests that region-specific, systematic, and proactive approaches are desirable for balanced development in Odisha. Further, policy intervention is required to implement more inclusive tribal welfare policies.

Agrobiodiversity for Livelihood Security： A Case Study of Agroforestry Technologies in Mexico

The present article examines the livelihood benefits associated with agrobiodiversity in Veracruz, Mexico. Citrus-based agriculture is the principal economic activity in the agricultural sector of the state of Veracruz. It is practiced in mono-crop plantations by the majority of farmers, who are rendered vulnerable to price depreciation resulting from simultaneous harvest and over-supply of a single commodity. Some farmers have associated multiple crops in citrus farms （agroforestry techniques） as a strategy to improve their livelihoods. Farmers who increased agrobiodiversity in their farms have significantly improved their livelihoods compared to mono-crop plantation owners. The research shows that increased agro-biodiversity can be a strategy to improve the livelihoods of citrus producers in the state of Veracruz, with significant economic benefits depending on the crop combination： maize-citrus is the least economically profitable combination （providing 21% in terms of internal rate of return）, while pineapple-citrus, banana-citrus and vanilla-citrus give higher returns （41%, 44% and 221% respectively）. The citrus-vanilla crop combination also has the highest benefit-cost ratio, relative to citrus monocrop （1.91） as well as the highest net present value （MX$579,635.73）. The choice of crop ultimately depends on the farmer＇s priorities. The associated benefits can be classified in three ways which correspond to the tripartite goal of sustainable development： （i） ecological sustainability （through increased ecosystem resilience）, （ii） economic stability （through diversified, less risk-prone sources of income）, and （iii） social well-being （through lower）.

Social and Environmental Impacts of Maryland Oil Palm Plantations on Forests,Biodiversity,and Community Livelihoods in Liberia

Liberia holds 44.5% of the remaining portion of the Upper Guinean Rainforest in West Africa,which is home to critically endangered forest elephants and western chimpanzees.The forests are of vital importance for the livelihoods of millions of West Africans and provide key ecosystem services of local and global importance for food systems transformation and agroecology.Liberia’s efforts toward land reform through legislation and policies recognise communities’rights to own and manage their customary lands and resources.These include the National Forestry Reform Law of 2006,the Community Rights Law Concerning Forest Lands of 2009,and the Land Rights Act of 2018,and more.In May 2022,a program team from the Sustainable Development Institute(SDI)-Friends of the Earth Liberia researched the social and environmental impacts of Maryland Oil Palm Plantations(MOPPs)in Liberia.Twenty-three(23)key informant interviews(KIIs)and 10 focus group discussions(FGDs)were conducted in seven communities in and around the MOPP.They included farmers,contract workers,MOPP staff,local authorities,women and youth leaders,the Environmental Protection Agency(EPA)Inspector,the Civil Society Head,and the Gender Coordinator of Maryland County.The team cross-checked information with formal documents as much as possible and took photographs and global positioning system(GPS)locations of areas of deforestation,pollution,and conflict.The team also used observation to monitor environmental pollution,such as affluent into water bodies and planting oil palm in wetlands.The team used narrative analysis and geospatial landscape analysis to analyze the data.The research finds that land conflict and deforestation have several negative impacts on communities.MOPP has not respected land tenure rights or followed Free Prior and Informed Consent(FPIC)standards,including resettlement without reparation and destruction of farms and old towns without(sufficient)compensation or restitution.During MOPP land acquisition and clearance,communities experienced the loss of their farms and the identification of villages as“village de squatters”,leading to restricted access to farmland,heightened food insecurity,and reduced income from cash crops to support families.MOPP destroyed high conservation value areas and destroyed secondary forest regrowth,which affected important biodiversity areas.MOPP is one of the four large-scale industrial palm oil plantations in Liberia in Maryland County.It has a palm oil mill in a joint venture with Golden Veroleum Liberia(GVL).Its 2011 concession agreement includes 8,800 hectares for industrial palm oil plantations.

Rural households' livelihoods diversification through termite utilization in depressed region of Zimbabwe

This study sought to examine the utility of termites to rural households in depressed regions of Bikita,Zimbabwe.Colonialism and its spread of European culture had viewed entomophagy with contempt resulting in reduced utilization and consumption of termites in most colonies.In our quest to understand how people in depressed regions utilized termites,both quantitative and qualitative methodologies were employed.Questionnaires and in-depth interviews were used to gather data during field work.Purposive and snowball sampling techniques were used in recruiting respondents.Excel and content analysis were used in data presentation and analysis.Results revealed that dampwood and drywood termites are climatic indicators for the rural communal farmers,a low-cost technology in weather forecasting.Subterrain and mold builders provide manure,relish,and are medicinal in nature.They are traded for income generation,and as for the poor,harvesting,processing,storage,and marketing is cost effective.Though considered nostalgic foods,most respondents highlighted that selling termites complimented other off-farm livelihood activities.Termite consumption and utilization provide a sustainable way for livelihood diversification in depressed regions and has partly addressed problems of food insecurity.

Biological Diversity, Land Degradation and Sustainable Rural Livelihoods

The 1998 Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity asked national governments to demonstrate the importance of biological diversity in supporting rural communities. This paper introduces‘agrodiversity’as the primary way in which farmers use biological diversity and, more generally, the natural diversity of the environment for production, including their choice of crops, and management of land, water and biota as a whole. Promoting agrodiversity and understanding how it functions in tropical smallholder farming systems is the best way that importance may be shown. A win-win scenario is presented which links agrodiversity to land degradation control and sustainable rural livelihoods as evidenced by food security. It is argued that policies that encourage biological diversity in areas of land use will not only meet countries’ responsibilities under the Convention but will also address land degradation problems and support to rural livelihoods. The human significance of various types of biological diversity is shown. Sustainable rural livelihoods are presented in the new capital assets framework to demonstrate how rural households may use various components to control land degradation. To enable agrodiversity to be implemented practically, it has been codified into core elements of: biophysical diversity, the diversity of the natural environment that controls the resource base for food production; management diversity that embraces the practices (many of them indigenous) of farmers such as live hedges, soil amendments and ridge tillage techniques; agro-biodiversity which is the diversity of crop, plant and animal combinations; and organisational diversity, the way that farms are owned and operated, and the way that capital assets are allocated. Each element is then systematically related to show how agrodiversity controls land degradation and how it promotes food security. The example of the maize-Mucuna system in South America is cited as an evident demonstration of the value of agrodiversity to both soil conservation and to smallholder farmers’ livelihoods.

Climate Change Adaptation and Vulnerability: A Case of Rain Dependent Small-Holder Farmers in Selected Districts in Zambia

Food crop production by small-holder farmers in Africa is particularly vulnerable to climate change, given high dependence on rainfall coupled with limited adaptive capacity. In Zambia, smallholder farmers contribute about 79% of national stable food requirements particularly maize. This paper attempted to establish levels of food security in each of the three agro-ecological zones of Zambia, and evaluated the current adaptive measures of rain dependent small-holder farmers against climate change risks. The challenges farmers are facing in adapting to the change risks were identified and livelihood vulnerability assessed. The findings indicate that rain dependent small-holder farmers in Zambia are highly vulnerable to weather related shocks which impact greatly on their food production;and that the levels of vulnerability vary across gender and per agro-ecological zone. After the evaluation of scenarios including staple food crop yields (maize), the authors conclude that most rain-fed small-holder farmers in Zambia (about 70%) are facing considerable hardships in adapting to the changing climate, which in turn, undermines their contribution to food security. While efforts by government have been made to assist farmers towards climate change adaptation, there still remains many challenges to achieve the desired outcomes. Most farmers (66%) are unable to afford certain alternatives, such as those of agro-forestry or conservation. Difficulties in accessing markets, poor road infrastructure, fluctuating market prices, high costs and late deliveries of farming in-puts were found to be among the major challenges that farmers are facing in Zambia. There are also no systematic early warning systems in place against natural hazards and disasters. This makes farming a difficult undertaking in Zambia.

社会保障赋能共同富裕的理论逻辑、实践探索及优化路径

共同富裕是中国式现代化的重要特征。社会保障制度作为保障和改善民生、增进人民福祉、维护社会公平的基本制度安排,始终发挥着经济运行“稳定器”、收入分配“调节器”和民生保障“安全网”的重要作用,是推动全民共享发展成果的有力工具。自改革开放以来,社会保障在促进经济稳定发展、实现社会公平正义和满足人民美好生活方面的一系列探索实践,为新时期赋能共同富裕目标实现提供了坚实基础。对标新时期共同富裕理念的新要求,我国现行社会保障体系的包容性、发展性和共享性尚显不足,未来应在科学把握并充分理解共同富裕理念的基础上,进一步锚定社会保障制度改革方向,继续探索社会保障赋能共同富裕的优化路径。

《乡村振兴促进法》是实现全体人民共同富裕的根本法

《乡村振兴促进法》是全面推进和实施乡村振兴,实现全体人民共同富裕目标的行动规范,共同富裕的本质特征是全体人民共享美好生活。中国式现代化是实现共同富裕的目标指引,农业强国建设是实现共同富裕的稳固根基,推进共同富裕成为诠释执政党治国理政奋斗历程的最佳注解。劳动创造幸福是实现共同富裕的内生动力,绿色生活是实现共同富裕的发展模式,医养结合是实现共同富裕的民生保障,在共同富裕中推进人的全面发展是最佳的人权表达。提升公共安全治理水平是实现共同富裕目标的重要遵循,扩大社会公众参与范围是实现共同富裕目标的基本路径,完善政府绩效评估方式是实现共同富裕目标的有效监督。

基于安全、市场、民生视角的我国自然资源经济形势分析

自然资源经济形势分析是国家宏观经济形势分析的重要支撑。组成“山水林田湖草沙生命共同体”的各门类自然资源之间的复杂联系必然要求自然资源经济形势分析要坚持系统性。在全面推进人与自然和谐共生的现代化进程中,自然资源最主要的工作就是为经济安全筑基础,为市场繁荣添活力,为民生大众谋福祉。基于安全、市场、民生三个视角,研究自然资源在供应风险、市场配置和应急保障之间的关系,选取能够及时更新并反映自然资源状况的基础指标及复合指标,构建自然资源经济形势分析指标体系。通过长期趋势分析结合短期形势研判,对2024年上半年自然资源经济形势进行了分析。通过分析可知,当前我国耕地保护形势态势较好,但耕地质量不高,格局分布不合理;矿产品生产较为平稳,重要矿产品对外依存度较高;房地产市场态势下行,民生保障存在结构性矛盾;地质灾害整体偏重,防灾减灾形势严峻等。为此,提出进一步优化耕地质量和分布格局、推动重要矿产增储上产、优化住宅用地供应结构、提升预报预警服务能力等对策建议。

我国民生保障水平测算及影响因素研究

坚持和完善统筹城乡的民生保障制度是党的十九届四中全会提出的十三项制度体系中的重要一项。民生保障发展水平及影响因素的剖析,是深入理解我国民生保障促进社会公平和共享发展成果功能的关键。构建民生保障水平测算指标体系,基于2013—2022年31个省份面板数据,以熵值-TOPSIS模型为基础,采用Kernel密度估计和空间计量互为补充的研究方法,从动态视角全面考察我国民生保障水平的发展态势,识别并揭示我国民生保障发展水平的时空演变特征、空间相关性及其主要影响因素。研究表明:①我国民生保障水平在研究期内整体呈现稳定上升的态势,但存在明显的地区差异;②2013—2022年我国民生保障水平存在显著的空间相关性,绝大部分省位于第一和第三象限,东部地区明显高于中西部;③从回归结果来看,本省的GDP、城镇化率、地方财政支出和产业结构会促进本省的民生保障水平发展,即GDP、城镇化率、地方财政支出和产业结构对民生保障水平发展存在正的直接效应;④从空间效应分解结果来看,空间经济地理矩阵和空间邻接矩阵下,都存在变量对本省的影响和对相邻省的影响不同,甚至有相反的情况出现。就各个变量来说,每一个变量对本省、对空间经济地理距离相近的省和邻接省、对全国整体的影响大小程度也有一定区别。

共同富裕视阈下长三角慈善一体化发展研究

共同富裕视阈下推进长三角慈善一体化发展是实现长三角区域民众均等享有社会发展福利、发挥长三角慈善事业建设示范效应以及在历史和现实双重作用下达成区域慈善共建共治共享的关键。聚焦长三角慈善一体化发展脉络,在共生理论指导下,蕴含一种包括慈善制度、慈善组织、慈善资源媒介和慈善活动四方面核心元素,从省市到区域延伸拓展的慈善生态系统营造思维。回归现实,共同富裕导向下新生成的区域慈善生态系统会对该区域民生保障产生有益补充效果,但亦面临慈善制度门户限制、慈善组织能力限制、慈善资源媒介拓展有限和慈善活动效果有限等较为棘手的限制性因素。因而,对应提出构建一体化慈善制度体系、统筹发展一体化慈善组织、注重一体化慈善资源媒介增量提质和推动一体化慈善活动革新发展四方面新发展路径,引导长三角慈善一体化发展突破限制性因素并在民生保障上不断取得新成效,直至达成长三角共同富裕目标。

中国老年人的主要生活来源及其经济保障问题分析

我国目前老龄问题的核心是经济保障,大多数老年人经济来源不足和结构不合理,直接制约了他们生活水平的提高。本文采用第六次全国人口普查数据与第五次人口普查结果进行对比分析,并结合中国老龄科学研究中心2010年的全国老年人跟踪调查数据,分析我国老年群体的生活来源构成、变化及其内部差异,指出当前老年经济保障方面存在的问题及其成因,进而就完善老年经济保障制度提出对策建议。研究发现,我国现阶段老年人经济收入来源较少、结构单一、群体分化明显、社会保障不足。因此,提高贫困老年人的收入和保障水平,缩小群体间的收入差距,提高老年社会保障水平,促进老年人共享经济社会发展成果实属必要。

IPCC第五次评估报告气候变化对人类福祉影响的新认知

IPCC第五次评估报告(AR5)第二工作组(WGⅡ)报告评估了气候变化对人类健康、人类安全、生计与贫困的影响,指出气候变化已经对人类健康和安全造成了负面影响,气候变化、气候变率和极端气候事件给城市和农村的贫困人口增添了额外的负担,与气候变化相关的风险增大。21世纪的气候变化,将继续加剧现有健康问题,增加人类的迁徙,放大冲突的驱动因素的影响,对许多国家的关键基础设施造成不利影响,给小岛国和有很长海岸线国家的领土完整带来风险;整个21世纪,气候变化将减缓经济增长,进一步威胁粮食安全,使减贫更为困难,贫困问题更加突出。

全球重要农业文化遗产的粮食与生计安全评估框架

在全球重要农业文化遗产的挖掘、保护与发展过程中,维持遗产地的粮食安全与生计安全是各方关注的重点。然而,当前的理论研究与实践保护中均缺乏对该领域的深入探讨。因此,本研究以可持续生计理论为基础,尝试建立了适用于全球重要农业文化遗产的粮食与生计安全评估框架,分为粮食安全评估与生计安全评估两大部分。在粮食安全评估体系中,以物质产品的产量安全、质量安全和多样性保障为核心,建立了涵盖食物性产品产量、支持性物质产品产量、食物性产品质量、生产环境质量、食物性产品多样性和支持性物质产品多样性等6个方面的16项基础性评估指标;生计安全评估体系则充分考虑了农户生计的环境背景、基本状况和发展方向,从外部环境背景、家庭环境背景、家庭生计资本、家庭生计成果、家庭生计策略和区域政策制度等6个方面构建了18项基础性评估指标。研究结果既可为重要农业文化遗产领域的农户生计研究提供支撑,也可为重要农业文化遗产的发掘与保护实践提供理论依据。

公共财政与民生

民生是公共财政的出发点和落脚点,因此公共财政对民生的支持是必然的。当前,我国的财政支出已对民生领域进行了倾斜,在保障和改善民生方面取得了一些成就,但仍然存在一些问题,需要运用一些政策手段,进一步强化公共财政对民生领域的支持。

基于DPSIR模型的六盘山集中连片特困区生计安全评价

生计安全是可持续发展最基本的需求,对于区域发展、削减贫困具有重要意义。本文以六盘山集中连片特困区为例,基于DPSIR模型建立了生计系统安全的DPSIR评估模型,构建了测度六盘山片区69县(区)生计安全水平指标体系,进而揭示生计安全空间分异格局及其影响因素,总结了生计安全演变的特征。结果显示:(1)2003年、2008年和2013年三个研究期,65%以上的县域生计安全为"不安全"和"较不安全","较安全"和"安全"状态的县域数量较少,六盘山区生计安全总体水平不高;3个时段内主要生计安全状态分别为"较不安全"、"不安全"、"较不安全"。(2)六盘山生计安全的高值簇集聚明显。热点区域来看相对稳定,集中在六盘山区的东南部、西北部;低值聚簇空间格局变化较大,经历了扩大到缩减的过程,相对集中片区东南部和西北部。(3)生计安全的变异系数自东北向西南呈现高至低相间分布格局。景泰县、会宁县、安定区、华池县、崆峒区等6个县区是生计安全明显提高的县域;湟源县、靖远县、武山县、甘谷县、秦安县等13个县区生计安全明显下降。

住房保障发展不平衡不充分:表现、成因与对策

住房保障发展不平衡不充分,既是当前影响民生的重要短板,也是实现全体人民住有所居亟需解决的关键问题。本文结合我国经济体制转轨背景,依据十九大有关住房问题的新思想和新战略,梳理归纳了住房保障发展不平衡不充分的表现,深入剖析了现象背后的成因,最后提出新时代完善我国住房保障制度的政策建议。本文贡献集中在以下两点:(1)立足于中国特色社会主义新时代,从宏观视角揭示出经济社会发展结构性失衡是住房保障发展不平衡不充分的根源。(2)结合住房保障发展不平衡不充分的表现和成因分析,从精准施策、完善绩效考核、多元供给和行政协同等方面提出优化住房保障制度的政策建议。

可持续生计框架下我国运动员保障范式转变研究

破解我国竞技体育可持续发展的难题,还须从运动员保障这一关键因素入手。采用可持续生计分析框架对我国运动员保障现状进行了全面剖析,指出传统运动员保障范式存在着过于强调外部支持和物质性保障、责任部门较为单一且协同性不够、制度建设相对滞后且层次不高等弊端。基于以上问题,提出了我国运动员保障范式转变的基本设想:(1)重塑运动员保障发展理念,由物质性保障向发展性保障转变;(2)重构运动员保障管理体制,由政府主管向多方协同转变;(3)重建运动员保障制度体系,由单一线性向多维域性转变。