Assessing Suitability of Irrigation Scheduling Decision Support Systems for Lowland Rice Farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa—A Review

Irrigation in lowland rice production systems in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is mainly based on traditional surface irrigation methods with continuous flooding practices. This irrigation method ends up using a lot more water that would have otherwise been used to open more land and be used in other water-requiring sectors. Various studies suggest Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) as an alternative practice for water management that reduces water use without significantly affecting yield. However, this practice has not been well adopted by the farmers despite its significant benefits of reduced total water use. Improving the adoption of AWD using irrigation Decision Support Systems (DSSs) helps the farmer on two fronts;to know “how much water to apply” and “when to irrigate”, which is very critical in maximizing productivity. This paper reviews the applicability of DSSs using AWD in lowland rice production systems in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Livelihood vulnerability of smallholder farmers to climate change: A comparative analysis based on irrigation access in South Sulawesi, Indonesia

Bulukumba Regency is one of the major rice-producing areas in South Sulawesi,Indonesia and has experienced frequent climate disasters over the past decade.Several downstream villages within the Bettu River irrigation area have been affected by the drought,culminating in reduced lowland rice production and increasing the vulnerability of farmers’livelihoods.This study aims to evaluate the vulnerability of the livelihood system among rice farmers in the Bettu River irrigation area by classifying the area into two zones based on the distance from the main irrigation canal,namely the upstream area and downstream area.The livelihood vulnerability index(LVI)framework and livelihood vulnerability index-Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(LVI-IPCC)approach were applied by selecting geographic and socio-demographic indicators that affected the farmer households,including 8 major components and 26 sup-components.The data for LVI-IPCC estimation were collected by randomly selecting 132 households from villages in the two areas.The empirical results showed that farmers in the downstream area were more vulnerable to climate change than farmers in the upstream area.The major components causing the livelihood vulnerability of the downstream farmers were livelihood strategy,food,water,land,and health,as well as natural disasters and climate variability.In particular,the sub-components of agricultural livelihood diversification,consistent water supply for farming,and drought events were important in the downstream area.Farmers in the upstream area were vulnerable to socio-demographic profile and social network components.The LVI-IPCC findings suggested that the government should prioritize farmers in the downstream area to develop resilience strategies,particularly by increasing irrigation infrastructure and the number of reservoirs and drilling holes.Furthermore,to increase their adaptive capacity in terms of diversification of agricultural livelihood systems,the government and donor agencies need to provide trainings on the development of home food industries for poor farmers and vulnerable households that were affected by disasters.

Can food security and low carbon be achieved simultaneously?——An empirical analysis of the mechanisms influencing the carbon footprint of potato and corn cultivation in irrigation areas

Irrigated agriculture has tripled since 1950,accounting for 20%of the global arable land and 40%of food production.Irrigated agriculture increases food security yet has controversial implications for global climate change.Most previous studies have calculated carbon emissions and their composition in irrigated areas using the engineering approach to life-cycle assessment.By combining life cycle assessment(LCA)-based carbon emissions accounting with econometric models such as multiple linear regression and structural equation modeling(SEM),we conducted an interdisciplinary study to identify the influencing factors and internal mechanisms of the carbon footprint(CFP)of smallholder crop cultivation on irrigation reform pilot areas.To this end,we investigated corn and potato production data in the 2019–2020 crop years for 852 plots of 345 rural households in six villages(two irrigation agriculture pilot villages and four surrounding villages as controls)in Southwest China.The crop CFP in the irrigation agriculture pilot areas was significantly lower than in non-reform areas.Irrigation reforms mainly impacted the crop CFP through four intermediary effects:the project(implementation of field irrigation channels),technology(improving adoption of new irrigation technologies),management(proper irrigation operation and maintenance),and yield effects.All effects inhibited the CFP,except for the project effect that promotes carbon emissions.Among them,yield increase has the greatest impact on reducing CFP,followed by management and technology effects.Furthermore,planting practices,individual characteristics,and plot quality significantly impacted the crop CFP.This study has policy implications for understanding the food security–climate nexus in the food production industry.

Analysis on Consumption Behavior of Zhejiang Province's Farmers from the Perspective of Their Income Increase

With rapid development of industrialization in Zhejiang Province, surplus rural labor forces move to the secondary and tertiary industries. Farmers of Zhejiang Province are no exception. They turn to industrial workers and their income source has great changes. Wage income becomes their major source of income. Accordingly, farmers' consumption behavior has great changes. Apart from satisfying basic production and living demands, farmers start to pursue living quality and their life style tends to urbanization. Nevertheless, under the influence of rural physical environment, policies and systems, the existing consumption environment fails to follow farmers' urban lifestyle any more. In line with how to optimize rural consumption environment, improve farmers' consuming capacity, continue to expand farmers' consumption and promote urbanization development of rural areas, this paper presents pertinent countermeasures and recommendations.

An Empirical Study of Farmers' Perception and Behavior on Farmland Abandonment in Yunnan Province

In this study,using the PRA method,we conduct a questionnaire survey on 525 farmers in 10 typical villages in Yunnan Province,and study the farmers' farmland abandonment behavior as well as their perception. Studies have shown that there are some common problems for the villages in the inner suburbs and the villages in the outer suburbs such as small scale of rural land,dispersed plots and land fragmentation,and the scale and fragmentation problems are more prominent in the villages in the inner suburbs while the dispersed plot problems are more obvious in the villages in the outer suburbs; the levels of farmland abandonment vary in different sample villages,the farmland abandonment is more prevalent in the villages in the outer suburbs,the abandonment behavior involves more farmers,and farmers tend to abandon small plots of farmland; the proportion of the abandoned farmland perceived by the farmers in the villages in the inner and outer suburbs( especially in the inner suburbs) is significantly lower than the actual proportion,and farmers' perception greatly deviates from the actual reality; some farmers have wrong perception of farmland abandonment behavior,and even if there are farmers with correct perception,they also abandon farmland.

Research on Influence Factors of Pig Farmers' Ecological Farming Behavior: Based on the TPB and SEM

China's extensive development model of pig industry gives rise to serious resource and environment bottleneck restriction,it is urgent to transform the existing development model into ecological farming model. In this process,farmers' behavior will play a key role. On the basis of summarizing development connotation and characteristics of ecological agriculture,using survey data of 323 pig farmers in 6 provinces,based on the Theory of Planned Behavior( TPB) it introduced individual characteristics and external environment constraint variables,and made an empirical analysis on factors influencing intention and behavior of pig farmers' ecological farming using the Structural Equation Model( SEM). Results indicate:( i) ecological farming intention of pig farmers has the largest direct effect on their ecological farming behavior;( ii)ecological farming cognition of pig farmers has significant positive effect on their ecological farming behavior;( iii) external environment has the largest indirect effect on their ecological farming behavior,followed by the overall effect,and external environment has significant positive effect on ecological farming attitude and cognition of pig farmers;( iv) individual characteristics( educational level and income level) of pig farmers influence ecological farming behavior of pig farmers through their ecological farming attitude and intention,but the degree of influence is limited.

Regional Difference Analysis of Farmers' Land Use Behavior

Based on the survey data and statistical information on farmers,we conduct comparative analysis of land use behavior of farmers in the Jianghan Plain and the hilly areas of Xianning City in Hubei Province.We find that the utilization rate of agricultural land and level of agricultural labor output in the plain areas are higher than in the hilly areas;at the same time,the degree of mechanization of agricultural land utilization and farmers'land use scale are larger in the plain areas.But the crop type in the plain areas is single,and the decline rate of the growing area of food crops is higher in recent twenty years;meanwhile,the material input costs and opportunity cost of labor for the agricultural land utilization in the plain areas are greater than in the hilly areas.

Analysis on Farmers’ Straw Marketization Behavior and Its Influence Factors: A Case Study of Hubei Province

Crop straw has huge resource potential. It has an important significance for realizing waste recycling and improving eco-environment to prefect straw marketization system and sufficiently stimulate farmers’ straw marketization behavior. Based on 427 copies of investigation data on farmers,influence mechanism framework of farmers’ straw marketization behavior is constructed,and key factors of farmers’ straw marketization behavior are analyzed. Results show that farmers joining in straw marketization account for 42. 1%; in influence factors of farmers’ straw marketization behavior,cultivated land area,market price level,logistics satisfaction and air quality perception have significantly positive impacts on farmers’ straw marketization behavior,while education degree,agricultural income proportion and traffic convenience have significantly negative impacts on farmers’ straw marketization behavior. Therefore,it needs strengthening propaganda intensity,carrying out reasonable subsidies and support,encouraging and breeding new type of organization,and establishing and improving the price mechanism of straw marketization to perfect straw marketization construction.

Behavior configuration of tea farmers’ participation in ecotourism environmental responsibility from the perspective of system theory

The coordination and optimization of eco-tourism development and world heritage protection are related to the sustainable development of the two,and the behavior of tea farmers is affected by the multiple subjects of rural production and living system,which has nonlinear and complex characteristics.In view of this,based on the theory of human-land system,this study is using system theory and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis(fsQCA)to explore the internal mechanism of tea farmers‘environmental responsibility behavior.The results show that:(1)single factor,infrastructure environment perception constitutes a necessary condition for environmental responsibility behavior,and there is equivalence between infrastructure environment perception,Cultural environment perception,external intervention perception and environmental supervision perception.(2)Infrastructure environment perception and cultural environment perception are important internal driving forces for high environmental responsibility behavior,while external intervention perception and environmental supervision perception constitute external traction.(3)Infrastructure environment perception and cultural environment perception exist in all configurations in a single or common form.This provides enlightenment for changing the governance logic of ecotourism and improving the governance performance of ecotourism.

Do large-scale farmers use more pesticides? Empirical evidence from rice farmers in five Chinese provinces

It is of great theoretical and practical significance to understand the rules of the differences in pesticide use behaviors between large-scale and small-scale farmers,so as to regulate the behavior of farmers differently and improve the quality and safety of rice.The overall pesticide use behavior of large-scale farmers was characterized by large doses and high application frequency,while that of small-scale farmers was characterized by small doses and low application frequency.The econometric test showed that(i)the proportion of staple food ration has a significant negative impact on the single dose exceeding the standard and pesticide application frequency of small-scale farmers,and the increase of the proportion of staple food ration will reduce the demand among small-scale farmers for pesticides;(ii)yield effect has a greater impact on the frequency of pesticide application by large-scale farmers,and the large yield effect will increase the frequency of pesticide application among large-scale farmers.Therefore,in pesticide use behaviors,large-scale farmers should reduce pesticide quantity and increase efficiency,while small-scale farmers improve the level of plant protection.

The contribution of cooperative irrigation scheme to poverty reduction in Tanzania

Irrigation system is a scare resource in most of drought-stricken Africa.How to manage and maintain the existing irrigation facilities in Africa is a debatable issue to both policy makers and beneficiaries.Irrigation facilities run by farmer cooperatives are considered ineffective,unsuccessful and dysfunctional in Tanzania by many researchers.A cooperative irrigation scheme is a mechanism that features the collective management of rural irrigation facilities by farmers'cooperative with some government intervention and external support.There is an increasing emphasis on the roles of cooperative irrigation scheme in the development of the agriculture sector and poverty reduction of smallholder farmers.In this study,the authors investigated the management and services of this scheme and analyzed its contribution to poverty reduction of smallholder rice farmers and community development in Tanzania through both quantitative and qualitative methods.The results showed that the scheme helped smallholder farmers increase the rice production and brought better market opportunities.The farmers'net income was also increased.Profit generated from rice farming not only improved the livelihoods of smallholder farmers but also created more employment opportunities in the rural communities.The research also revealed that the scheme was faced with a number of challenges due to resource and institutional constraints and low-level human capacity for both management and members.The research provides a feasible approach to effective management of small-scale agricultural infrastructure for poverty reduction in Africa.

Analysis of Factors Influencing Farmers' Identification of Entrepreneurial Opportunity

Based on the survey data of entrepreneurship concerning farmers in China,this article uses the multivariate adjustment regression analysis method,to analyze the factors influencing farmers' identification of entrepreneurial opportunity and the mechanism. The results show that demographic characteristics are still an important factor influencing farmers' identification of entrepreneurial opportunity,but the extent of its influence is weaker than entrepreneurs' trait. The new trait theory is verified in farmers' entrepreneurship opportunity behavior; entrepreneurship environment is becoming an important factor influencing entrepreneurial opportunity identification,whose regulation effect on entrepreneurs' social network and previous experience is stronger than the regulation effect on entrepreneurs' psychological trait.

Farmer behavior and perceptions to alternative scenarios in a highly intensive agricultural region,south central China

Intensive agriculture has caused unintended environmental consequences, such as water quality degradation. It is necessary for policymakers to make proper planning of sustainable agricultural development. Using a Pressure-State-Response （PSR） framework, we conducted surveys focused on farmer behavior toward agriculture and environmental protection in 2009 and 2011. The surveys indicated that farmer behavior was complex and contradictory, and caused some environmental effects. Therefore, we used normative landscape scenario method to develop two scenarios. Both scenarios emphasized on stable economic growth along with water quality improvement and presented good effects. A feedback survey was organized in 2013 to interpret farmers＇ perceptions of the alternative scenarios. The results indicate Scenario I is likely to be accepted by farmers; however, the beautiful rural landscape in Scenario.II represents what farmers want, and Scenario I or II can be achieved by changing farm behavior in the future. By logistic regression model analysis, increasing agriculture benefits and new technology popularization were key factors affecting farmer behavior. Relevant policy implications on farmers were proposed. This paper showed how important to understand farmer behavior and perceptions to agricultural development, and a description of the alternative scenarios and policy implications are meaningful for policymakers to manage nature resources.

Analysis of Factors Influencing Farmer and Herdsman's Operating Behavior in Crop Production--A Case Study of the Typical Tibetan Counties(Cities)

We select 204 panel data samples from fixed observation spots in China's rural areas(Nagqu County,Duilongdeqing County and Xigaze City in Tibet),and conduct systematic analysis of factors influencing farmer and herdsman's operating behavior in crop production,using regression estimation method of the linear model,mixed OLS model and the random effects model.The research shows that "the number of migrant workers","the amount of household labor forces","original value of fixed assets for production purpose at the end of year","whether having agricultural machinery or not" and other household endowment factors,have a positive impact on total planting area of households,and theoretically,the endowment effect of internal factors predicted is valid;the product of "average food price" and "whether selling or not" has conspicuous impact,and the empirical results confirm that in external factors,the substitution effect of price is greater than the income effect.

Analysis of Factors Influencing Farmers' Participation in Forest Farmers Cooperatives Based on Empirical Research of Zhejiang Province

Based on field research data of farmers in Zhejiang Province, the authors analyzed factors influencing farmers' participation in forest farmers cooperatives (hereafter referred to as FFCs) by the binary logistic regression model. Results show that understanding of farmers about cooperatives has a great influence on their behavior of participation in FFCs. Besides, educational level of householders and existing member scale of cooperatives also have significant influence on farmers' behavior of participation in cooperatives. Therefore, it is required to strengthen propaganda of cooperatives, deepen their understanding of cooperatives; cultivate new high quality farmers to provide talents for development of cooperatives; establish incentive mechanism to encourage farmers to participate in cooperatives.

农户电商创业行为研究:文献回顾与进路展望

从制度情景、市场驱动、个体选择方面探析农户电商创业行为发生机理。对电商创业减贫效应与不同电商农户创业行为的异质性进行阐释,指出空间资源异质性以及知识异质性造成农户创业的差异。从体制机制、组织形式、风险感知等维度评析低度嵌入互联网的农户电商发展问题,并从个体、市场与社会因素剖析电商创业行为发展影响因素。指出农户电商创业行为研究需要在可持续性上不断深化,拓展研究视角、创新研究方法、深化机制研究,接续推进农户电商创业可持续发展关键在于建立良性的政策传导机制、有效的资源链接机制、联动的多元参与机制,健康的价值引导机制。

农牧民乳制品质量安全的风险感知、政府质量监管的信任与购买意向和行为研究

为了促进农村牧区乳制品消费市场的健康发展,本研究依据内蒙古自治区的东部、中部及西部5个盟市的544份农牧户问卷调查结果,在对农牧民乳制品质量安全的风险感知、对乳制品加工企业的信任情况、对乳制品品牌的满意度、对政府监管乳制品市场的信任度及农牧民对乳制品购买意向和行为统计描述分析的基础上,运用结构方程模型验证它们之间的关系。结果表明:农牧民对乳制品质量安全表现出一定的担忧,但对乳制品加工企业的信任情况、乳制品品牌的满意度、政府监管乳制品市场的信任度较高;此外,农牧民对乳制品有比较高的购买意向,且农牧民购买乳制品的种类以保质期较长的奶茶粉、奶粉等为主,购买种类比较单一;农牧民对乳制品质量安全的风险感知、质量水平的信任、政府监管的信任及品牌的信任均通过购买意向在1%水平上显著影响其购买行为。其中,除了风险感知极显著负向影响购买行为外,其余三个因素均正向影响购买行为。基于此,乳制品企业在产品质量的提高方面要不断下功夫,政府要加大对乳制品市场监管的力度,不断提高公信力,加大农牧区乳制品消费的宣传工作,提高农牧民对乳制品消费的信心和认知,引导农牧民对乳制品多样化的消费,以促进乳业在农牧区的可持续发展。

农户参与农业废弃物资源化利用行为的影响因素

【目的】农户参与农业废弃物资源化利用对促进绿色乡村建设、实现乡村振兴战略具有重要意义,探究农业废弃物资源化利用的影响因素可针对性提升农户进行农业废弃物资源化利用行为的积极性,为促进其可持续发展提供参考依据。【方法】本研究基于计划行为理论构建农户参与农业废弃物资源化利用认知对其行为响应影响的理论模型,采用500份农户资源化利用行为问卷调查数据,运用结构方程模型进行实证分析,从行为态度、主观规范、知觉行为控制三个维度构建了农业废弃物资源化利用行为的指标体系,并在此基础上进一步考察了农业废弃物资源化利用行为的影响因素。【结果】农户资源化利用认知的行为态度、主观规范和知觉行为控制三个维度均对其行为响应有显著的直接正向影响,同时主观规范和知觉行为控制会通过行为态度的中介作用对行为响应产生间接正向影响;农户资源化利用认知三个维度对其行为响应的综合影响路径系数从大到小依次为知觉行为控制(0.378)、主观规范(0.238)和行为态度(0.182);不同规模、不同地形区域农户的农业废弃物资源化利用认知对行为响应的作用具有异质性,即规模与地形区在其中具有调节作用。【结论】为实现进一步的资源化利用应推进农户参与农业废弃物资源化利用技术培训与指导常态化,强化农户参与农业废弃物资源化利用的行为控制能力,同时加强山区的信息基础设施建设,畅通信息传播,创新媒体手段,推进数字化管理,推进农户参与农业废弃物资源化利用支持政策全覆盖,并对小规模农户实施重点帮扶与支持。

空巢背景下农民群体的惠农信息传播行为实证研究

[目的/意义]基于空巢化乡村农民群体分众化的视角,调查守巢、两栖和离巢等三类农民群体惠农信息传播行为的特征,探究农民群体之间传播行为的差异性。[研究设计/方法]研究框架和问卷设计基于创新信息传播的5阶段模型,利用SPSS的CV变异对不同阶段的各农民群体在惠农信息传播中的行为特征进行统计分析和比较。[结论/发现]不同农民群体在惠农信息传播的认知、决策、执行等阶段的行为存在差异,并根据分析结论提出相应对策以提高农民的惠农信息传播效能。[创新/价值]将惠农信息传播受众扩展至非农“农民”,三类型农民群体划分的思想,为政府差异化服务策略提供新依据。

农业补贴下资源禀赋对农户农机社会化服务采纳行为的影响

农机社会化服务作为小农户链接现代农业的桥梁,是发展农业机械化和规模化经营的重要手段,对推动农业现代化具有重要意义。在对江西省483户农户进行实地调查的基础上,采用二元Logistic模型实证分析农户资源禀赋对农户农机社会化服务采纳行为的影响,并进一步分析农业补贴对农户资源禀赋影响农户农机社会化服务采纳行为的调节作用。研究结果表明:农户资源禀赋显著影响农户农机社会化服务采纳行为,其中户主的健康状况、经营年限、家庭劳动力人数、熟识的村干部数量、农业收入占比、耕地面积显著正向影响其农机社会化服务采纳行为,农机价值则显著负向影响其农机社会化服务采纳行为。另外,农业补贴对农户资源禀赋影响农机社会化服务采纳行为有显著的正向调节作用。具体而言,农业补贴对人力资源禀赋中的健康状况、社会资源禀赋中的是否加入合作社、经济资源禀赋中的农业收入占比和自然资源禀赋中的耕地面积与农机社会化服务采纳行为的关系均有正向调节作用。基于此,提出落实好农业补贴政策、鼓励身体健康的高素质农民务农、鼓励政府部门与农民多交流沟通、增加农民收入等对策建议。