Rural women and agrotourism in the context of sustainable rural development: A case study from Turkey

As in many developing countries also in Turkey, agriculture is on the center of rural development and rural women are on the center of agriculture. Although they are main part as a major labor force at every stage of agricultural activity and undertake responsibilities such as domestic task and childcare, women do not profit from social and economic benefits proportionate to the responsibilities they have undertaken. Agrotourism is an alternative activity in the rural development process, which combines agriculture and tourism, improves natural resources, contributes the rural area socially and economically. The aim of this study is to examine the participation conditions of rural women to the agrotourism activities, which is considered as an option in the context of sustainable rural development, and to identify the possible social and economic implications of agrotourism on the rural women’s life, after determining the situation and importance of rural women in the agricultural activity. This research was carried out in three villages of Kalecik district of Ankara and data gathered from group meetings and surveys.     

试论重庆市农业与生态环境协调发展

重庆市是我国农村面积最广、农业比重最大和农业贫困人口最多的直辖市。维护好该市的农村生态环境，解决好农业发展问题，不仅对重庆市社会经济的持续发展有着十分重要的意义，而且对确保三峡工程的安全运行、促进长江中下游地区的可持续发展同样具有十分重要的作用。在分析重庆市农业生产特点和农村生态环境现状的基础上，指出该市农村生态环境建设与农业协调发展面I临的主要问题有：尖锐的人地矛盾；巨大的移民和脱贫压力；频繁的自然灾害。提出该市农业和生态环境协调发展的对策：通过发展特色经济，优化产业结构；发展生态农业，实现农业资源的可持续利用；把退耕还林与扶贫开发、自然保护区建设相结合，确保生态环境的建设与保护；将移民搬迁与地质灾害整治、库区周边湿地的保护与利用结合起来，加强抵御自然灾害的能力建设。     

经济发展与农业面源污染关系的协整检验——基于三峡库区重庆段1992-2009年数据的分析

运用协整检验和Granger因果检验方法,考察了三峡库区重庆段1992-2009年经济发展与农业面源污染之间的相互关系。研究结果表明:①经济增长是影响三峡库区重庆段农业面源污染的主要原因,且种植业、养殖业和农村生活三大类污染源排放量与农村经济发展之间都具有协整关系;②短期内农业生产总值的变化引起三类农业污染源排放量的同方向变动,长期来看,农村经济发展对农业面源污染有减缓作用,这与传统的环境—经济增长库兹涅茨倒U型曲线所揭示的一般规律相同;③农业经济的发展和种植业、养殖业的污染排放量具有双向的因果关系,但是经济发展是农村生活污染排放量增长的原因,农村生活污染排放量不是经济增长的原因,它们之间是单向因果关系。因此,我们要密切关注库区经济增长对环境质量带来的负面效应,必须依赖科学技术进步,提高种植业中化肥、农药、农膜和秸秆等的利用率,根据当地农业发展的特点以及与河流的远近,规划好农业、林业、畜牧业的结构,大力发展环保型、生态型农业,以减轻农业面源污染,实现农业经济增长与保持环境质量之间的相互协调。     

长江三角洲的农村经济特点与发展对策

长江三角洲的经济发展与农业密不可分,农业生产的可宗粮食和多种农产品为区域经济发展提供了重要的物质基础,随着工业、商业的兴起,一系列城镇密布于长江三角洲,又带动了农村经济的发展。近20年来,长江三角洲经济快速发展,农村与农业和整个区域一样,出现了许多新的特点。着重阐述了长江三角洲的农村经济基础,分析了农村工业的国民经济中的重要地位与农村城市化,指明了农业生产结构的变化。根据长江三角洲的区位条件、经济与社会发展水平、科技与文化、教育实力,认为长江三角洲应在我国率先实现现代化,农村的城市化水平将进一步提高,长江三角洲亦将成为我国农业现代化的示范基地。针对当前农村与农业的发展,从三方面提出了问题和对策：1.土地资源的保护与再开发,分析耕地减小的三种类型,强调杜绝盲目、无序开发造成的浪费;2.产业结构调整和加强技术进步等方面提高农村经济增长的动力;3.长江三角洲的农村正处于工业化和城市化的加速发展阶段,而生态与环境问题很突出,必须加强生态 、环境建设,提高农村可持续发展能力。     

农村水环境保护与经济可持续发展

我国的生态环境问题 ,如水土流失、草场退化、沙漠化、盐渍化等问题 ,归根到底还是农村水环境问题。本文分析了农村水环境保护、高效利用水资源的紧迫性 ,以及影响农村生态系统可持续性的因素和保护、改善农村水环境的主要措施 ;认为加强农村水环境保护及其持续发展能力的建设是我国整个社会特别是农村经济可持续发展的基本保障     

长江三角洲的农村经济特点与发展对策

长江三角洲的经济发展与农业密不可分 ,农业生产的大宗粮食和多种农产品为区域经济发展提供了重要的物质基础 ,随着工业、商业的兴起 ,一系列城镇密布于长江三角洲 ,又带动了农村经济的发展。近 2 0年来 ,长江三角洲经济快速发展 ,农村与农业和整个区域一样 ,出现了许多新的特点。本文着重阐述了长江三角洲的农村经济基础 ,分析了农村工业在国民经济中的重要地位与农村城市化 ,指明了农业生产结构的变化。根据长江三角洲的区位条件、经济与社会发展水平、科技与文化、教育实力 ,认为长江三角洲应在我国率先实现现代化 ,农村的城市化水平将进一步提高 ,长江三角洲亦将成为我国农业现代化的示范基地。针对当前农村与农业的发展 ,文章从三方面提出了问题和对策 :1.土地资源的保护与再开发 ,分析耕地减少的三种类型 ,强调杜绝盲目、无序开发造成的浪费 ;2 .产业结构调整和加强技术进步等方面提高农村经济增长的动力 ;3 .长江三角洲的农村正处于工业化和城市化的加速发展阶段 ,而生态与环境问题很突出 ,必须加强生态、环境建设 ,提高农村可持续发展能力     

乡村产业结构评价--以云南省永胜县为例

乡村产业结构的合理化对农村经济、农民收入、农业生产决策及国民经济发展都有着重要意义,对这种合理化的评价一直是乡村地理学与农业经济学的重要研究内容。在探讨乡村产业结构内涵的基础上,利用产值结构指标、劳动力构成指标和结构变动度指标建立乡村产业结构的评价指标体系,并以此对云南省永胜县近20年来产业结构演化进行个案评价。结果表明,永胜县乡村产业结构正向合理化方向发展,但还存在自然资源尚未得到合理利用、三次产业不协调与农业内部结构不合理、不协调等主要问题,有待进一步完善、合理化。研究同时指出了永胜县乡村产业结构调整的基本对策,即调整农业发展方向,持续稳定的发展农业;以食品加工业为乡镇企业发展突破口,积极发展第三产业。     

中国可持续农业和农村发展试验示范区的建设

资源相对短缺、环境污染、农业生态环境总体形势较为严峻和人口不断增加等是制约我国农业与农村可持续发展的主要限制因子。为探索一条适合我国国情的农业与农村持续发展的道路，“八五”期间，结合不同地区的生态类型和经济特征，在全国29个地、县进行了农业与农村可持续发展的示范区建设。本文介绍了试验示范区建设的内容及特点。     

Structural Adjustment of Oasis Agriculture in Xinjiang

Abstract

Xinjiang's oasis agriculture has made enormous strides over past decades. Structural adjustment of oasis agriculture sector has promoted production diversification. Xinjiang's oasis agriculture sector is entering a new era. The era means more adjustments in oasis agricultural and rural economic structure so as to realize the sustainable development of agriculture. By summing and analyzing the main problems in Xinjinag's oasis agricultural structure, such as raising farmer's income, industry structure within agriculture, rural urbanization, pressure coming from market, agricultural environment degradation, puts forward the thinking, director and countermeasures to adjust oasis agricultural structure.     

A multiple criteria evaluation of sustainable agricultural development models using AHP

Selection of the appropriate agricultural development model has become an important issue in Iran. Using data from Fars province of Iran, the purpose of this paper is to use analytic hierarchy process (AHP) for selecting between the two competing sustainable agricultural development models, which have been developed based on the general tenets of Ecological Modernization (EM) and De-Modernization (DM) theories. Farmers, environmentalists, board members of rural cooperative, rural women and experts from Fars Agricultural (Jehad-e-Keshavarzi) Organization participated in application of AHP to this study. They applied AHP to determine the priority of DM and EM based sustainable agricultural development models. Each group determined the priority of the two models for sustainable agricultural development. The findings indicated that ecological criteria i.e. wise use of resources, environmental protection and product quality are the most important criteria for sustainable agriculture of Iran, followed by economic criterion employment and social criterion participation. A sensitivity analysis was carried out to determine the critical factors that affected the priority of alternatives. The results indicated that EM-based sustainable agricultural development model has a higher priority as the theoretical base of agricultural development of Iran. Readers should send their comments on this paper to BhaskarNath@aol.com within 3 months of publication of this issue     

Sustainable Agriculture in the UK

Most agricultural assessments of global environmental change made to date have not focused explicitly on sustainability issues, and have neglected the considerable impacts of shifting agricultural zones, alterations in commercial fertiliser and pesticide use, and changes in the demand for water resources. The current crisis in agriculture, with its economic, political, social and ecological dimensions, has arisen because of the pursuit of a productivity technology/policy model. This broad policy of agricultural ‘modernisation’ and development through the application of agricultural science and technology has shaped the direction of technological change in agriculture and the evolution of a complex agro-industrial food system.¹ This paper focuses on England’s Rural Development Programme² as it contributes to sustainable agriculture alongside the control of pollution.Readers should send their comments on this paper to: BhaskarNath@aol.com within 3 months of publication of this issue.     

Structural Adjustment of Oasis Agriculture in Xinjiang

As a special basic economic region in China, Xinjiang is situated in the arid area in the Northwest China. Oasis agriculture is the basis of the national economy. The development of oasis agriculture helps to accelerate the development of economy, social and environment. After 50 years of practice, from 1949 to 2002, oasis agriculture in Xinjiang enhanced rapidly the scale of agricultural industry and had great changes in its structure. The amount of cultivated area rose from 120.97*102 ha t…     

可持续农业和农村发展试验区的实践──以湖南省娄底地区为例

湖南省娄底地区是我国可持续农业和农村发展（SARD）试验示范区之一，六年来的研究与实践缓解了经济社会发展与资源环境之间的矛盾，使该地区初步走上了农业与农村可持续发展的道路。     

Rethinking the contribution of indigenous management in small-scale water provision among selected rural communities in Cameroon

This paper describes the pro-active role of rural communities in negotiating livelihood and sustenance through the improvement of some of their local water sources. It discusses the strategies put in place to ensure the availability of water, one of the worlds scarcest natural resources. Despite some external assistance, local communities are increasingly shouldering the responsibility of ensuring the availability of water through self-reliant efforts. These attempts are being undermined by a high incidence of waterborne and water-related diseases, which are impacting on health, and hygiene and other health care delivery systems. The management of potable water is proving to be a herculean task for most communities after the departure of funding partners. To guarantee the proper maintenance of pipe borne water schemes, communities are rethinking their strategies as they grapple with difficulties to put in place viable techniques for sustainability of water supply schemes.Readers should send their comments on this paper to: BhaskarNath@aol.com within 3 months of publication of this issue.     

我国农业与农村可持续发展的制度创新

我国农业与农村可持续发展的核心问题是农民收入问题。只有切实提高农民的收入水平。才能有效地增加农民购买力，从而增加农业生产资料的投入。进而保证粮食增产。我国农业与农村可持续发展存在的两个矛盾是小农经济与市场经济社会化的矛盾以及小农经济与科技化之间的矛盾。面临的两个分离是家庭经济与集体经济的分离以及传统供销合作社与农民利益的分离。增加农民收入的规模经济论与乡镇企业论的确有成功的典范．但是。对我国更多的农村地区来讲．不具有普遍意义。我国农业和农村可持续发展的关键有两个．一是符合区域特色的区域农业专业化．二是通过专业合作社的制度创新．将分散的家庭组织起来．以解决家庭小生产与大市场之间的巨大矛盾。     

Chinese Agricultural Policies in Thirty Years and Analysis on the Effects

In this article, the reforms of rural institutions and agricultural products' circulation system in China and the changes in national regulation on agricultural economy in the past thirty years were reviewed. The importance of rural land tenure reform and the pursuits of a rural market economy system to the sustained growth of agriculture for 30 years in China were recognized. Entering into the new millennium, under the New Countryside Initiative, a series of favorable policies, in the areas of rural finance, education, social security, and ecological restoration, were put into force to boost rural economy toward modernization. These policies resulted in the effect of abundant supply of agricultural products, improved rural livelihood, reduced farmer fiscal burden, rising farmer income, and increased capacity for multidimensional development in rural area. This article analyzed the issues of “San Nong” and stipulated that future policy will focus on supporting agriculture production, increasing investment in rural infrastructure, as well as enhancing coordination between urban and rural development goals.     

中国农业可持续发展的现实路径

作为中国可持续发展总体战略的重要组成和优先领域,农业可持续发展是我国现代农业发展的理性抉择和根本出路。农业可持续发展的实质是谋求农业生态系统中各要素及其相关各系统之间、系统与外部环境之间的有序化与整体性持续运作,其核心是保持农业系统的良性循环和生产力的可持续性。当前我国现代农业可持续发展的困境和挑战主要表现为:农业经营制度的先天不足和设施装备的落后使得农业发展根基不牢;人力、资本及科技等要素的缺失导致农业发展支撑力量严重不足;耕地和水资源短缺成为制约农业持续发展的瓶颈;农业生产与市场需求的结构性失衡及农产品质量安全问题使得最终产品难以满足社会需求。从可持续发展理念出发,本文认为中国特色现代农业发展的现实路径应立足于中国现实的资源及社会约束条件,着重从以下几个方面入手,即重视人力资本培育;大力推进农业合作化;加快农村金融创新;提升农业科技水平;发展劳动密集型农业;践行生态农业理念。     

水资源条件约束下西北农村地区生态经济发展对策

西北地区生态脆弱，社会经济发展相对落后。农业在全区经济中占有重要的地位，所以农村地区可持续发展对于实现西北地区可持续发展具有重要意义。通过分析西北地区水资源现状及特点和本区农村社会、经济发展现状，认为西北地区水资源严重缺乏，干旱化趋势将长期存在；农业结构不合理，乡镇工业污染严重、城镇化进程缓慢是制约本区农村地区可持续发展的主要因素。在此基础上，提出了在水资源严重缺乏条件下西北农村地区实现生态经济可持续发展的具体对策：积极调整农业结构，大力发展节水农业和推进农业产业化；加强小城镇社区生态环境基础设施建设，实施城镇化发展战略和乡镇企业可持续发展；建设生态型的小城镇，建立农村地区新型生态能源结构，加强小流域综合治理是改善农村生态环境和实现农村地区生态经济可持续发展的有效途径。     

中国农村经济制度变迁与农业周期性增长分析

农业增长除受到基本投入要素的影响,还受制度因素的影响。对于制度因素对农业增长的影响的研究,大多文献是从定性的角度分析。本文运用计量经济学和统计方法,通过对1978-2007年总体和不同阶段农业增长与农村土地制度、价格制度、财政制度和税费制度进行理论和实证分析,探讨制度变迁对农业生产总值增长的推动作用。文章通过分析发现,我国农业在要素投入并没有周期性变化的情况下,农业总产值增长率却呈现一定的周期性。为了探究农业周期性增长的原因,本文结合我国农村经济制度变迁的路径和农业总产值指数变化的特点,将改革开放以来我国农业增长分为三个阶段进行分析,同时根据Griliches生产函数构造计量分析模型。通过分析发现,正是由于不同阶段农村土地制度、价格制度、财政制度和税费制度的变迁,导致农业生产总值增长率周期性起伏。因此,制度变迁是改革开放后中国农业经济增长的内在决定性因素。     

Can Sustainable Agriculture Feed Africa? New Evidence on Progress, Processes and Impacts

Africa faces enormous food security challenges. Most commentators agree that, despite the complexities of food insecurity, there will have to be increases in food production from existing agricultural land. Most, too, are pessimistic about the future, judging likelihood of success on the basis of past performance of modern agricultural development. Sustainable agriculture, though, offers new opportunities, by emphasising the productive values of natural, social and human capital, all assets that Africa either has in abundance or that can be regenerated at low financial cost.This paper sets out an assets-based model of agricultural systems, together with a typology of eight improvements that are currently in use in sustainable agriculture projects. In the 45 projects/initiatives spread across 17 countries that are investigated, some 730,000 households have substantially improved food production and household food security. In 95% of the projects where yield increases were the aim, cereal yields have improved by 50–100%. Total farm food production has increased in all. The additional positive impacts on natural, social and human capital are also helping to build the assets base so as to sustain these improvements in the future.This analysis indicates that sustainable agriculture can deliver large increases in food production in Africa. But spreading these to much larger numbers of farm households will not be easy. It will require substantial policy, institutional and professional reform.