Farmers’ perception and adaptation to climate change: a case study of Sekyedumase district in Ghana

Climate change is projected to have serious environmental, economic, and social impacts on Ghana, particularly on rural farmers whose livelihoods depend largely on rainfall. The extent of these impacts depends largely on awareness and the level of adaptation in response to climate change. This study examines the perception of farmers in Sekyedumase district of Ashanti region of Ghana on climate change and analyzes farmers’ adaptation responses to climate change. A hundred and eighty farming households were interviewed in February and October 2009. Results showed that about 92% of the respondents perceived increases in temperature, while 87% perceived decrease in precipitation over the years. The major adaptation strategies identified included crop diversification, planting of short season varieties, change in crops species, and a shift in planting date, among others. Results of logit regression analysis indicated that the access to extension services, credit, soil fertility, and land tenure are the four most important factors that influence farmers’ perception and adaptation. The main barriers included lack of information on adaptation strategies, poverty, and lack of information about weather. Even though the communities are highly aware of climate issues, only 44.4% of farmers have adjusted their farming practices to reduce the impacts of increasing temperature and 40.6% to decreasing precipitation, giving lack of funds as the main barrier to implementing adaptation measure. Implications for policymaking will be to make credit facilities more flexible, to invest in training more extension officers and more education on climate change and adaptation strategies.     

Climate change,food stress,and security in Russia

Farming in higher latitudes is generally believed to benefit from a warmer climate due to extended growing season, reduced risk of frost, availability of more productive cultivars, and an opening potential of farming in northern locations. We analyzed the impact of climate change on production of cereals in Russia and found that this general perception of beneficiary effect of a warmer climate is unlikely to hold, primarily due to increasing risk of droughts in the most important agricultural areas of the country. Past impacts of droughts on food security throughout the twentieth century suggest that a number of adaptation options are available to mitigate the increasing risks of crop failure. We analyze the effectiveness of these measures in connection with a set of climate change projections, under two contrasting scenarios of interregional grain trade: “Fortress Market” and “Open Market.”     

Introducing urine-enriched biochar-based fertilizer for vegetable production: acceptability and results from rural Bangladesh

Improved agricultural practices that increase yields and preserve soils are critical to addressing food insecurity and undernutrition among smallholder farmer families. Urine-enriched biochar has been shown to be an accessible and effective fertilization option in various subtropical countries; however, it is new to Bangladesh. To better understand attitudes and experiences preparing and using urine-enriched biochar fertilizer, mixed-methods research was undertaken among smallholder farmers in northeastern Bangladesh in 2016/2017. In-depth interviews were conducted with 25 respondents who had compared the production of crops grown with biochar-based fertilizer to usual practice. In addition, in areas where trainings on biochar-based fertilization had been offered, 845 farmers were asked about their experience through a quantitative survey. Interview results indicated that cow urine-enriched biochar was favored over human urine because cow urine was perceived as clean and socially acceptable, whereas human urine was considered impure and disgusting. Respondents praised biochar-based fertilizer because it increased yields, cost little, was convenient to prepare with readily available natural materials, produced tastier crops, and allowed families to share their larger yields which in turn enhanced social and financial capital. Comparative field trials indicated a 60% yield benefit in both cabbage and kohlrabi crops. Challenges included uneven access to ingredients, with some respondents having difficulty procuring cow urine and biomass feedstock. The low social, health, and financial risk of adoption and the perceived benefits motivated farmers to produce and apply biochar-based fertilizer in their gardens, demonstrating strong potential for scale-up of this technology in Bangladesh.

     

基于农户兼业视角的农业废弃物资源循环利用意愿及其影响因素比较

基于农户兼业视角，利用湖北省农村地区的微观调查数据，运用Logistic回归模型比较了不同兼业类型农户农业废弃物资源循环利用意愿及其影响因素。研究结果显示：（1）大部分农户具有农业废弃物资源循环利用意愿，其中纯农户和一兼农户的利用意愿相当，且高出二兼农户；（2）农户对农业废弃物资源价值的感知是影响不同兼业类型农户利用意愿的共同因素，农户感知农业废弃物资源的价值越高，其利用意愿也越强；（3）影响不同兼业类型农户利用意愿的因素有明显差异，性别对农户尤其是二兼农户的利用意愿有显著的正向作用；年龄对纯农户和二兼农户利用意愿的影响均为负，尤其是对纯农户影响更大；土地经营规模对农户尤其是一兼农户的利用意愿有显著的正向影响；对获取经济收益的感知正向作用于一兼农户和二兼农户的利用意愿，尤其是对一兼农户有更大程度影响；对纯农户而言，对自身经济条件的感知也显著影响其利用意愿     

个人规范对农户亲环境行为的影响分析——基于拓展的规范激活理论框架

农户的亲环境行为可在一定程度上缓解农业环境污染,为改善农业环境,探寻农户实施亲环境行为的原因所在,将农户环境污染感知、环境关心和社会规范加入规范激活理论框架对其进行拓展,在此基础上,通过构建结构方程模型和层次回归模型,利用陕西、山西、甘肃、安徽和江苏5省的实地调查数据,对农户的亲环境行为进行分析。结果表明:农户的亲环境个人规范、环境污染感知和环境关心均可对其亲环境行为产生直接的正向影响,且个人规范对行为的影响程度最大;结果意识、责任归属、农户的环境污染感知和环境关心均可对其亲环境的个人规范产生直接的正向影响,且其影响程度从高到低依次为:结果意识、责任归属、环境污染感知和环境关心;农户的环境污染感知和环境关心可同时对其亲环境行为产生直接和间接影响作用,而结果意识和责任归属仅可对其亲环境行为产生间接影响作用;社会规范可正向调节个人规范对农户亲环境行为的影响。     

Perceptions of using low-quality irrigation water in vegetable production in Morogoro,Tanzania

This study was conducted to examine perceptions of the farmers and key informants on the use of low-quality irrigation water for vegetable production in urban and peri-urban areas in Morogoro, Tanzania. The methods used to collect data were farmer surveys (n = 60), focus group discussions (n = 4) and key informants interviews (n = 15). The results showed that the respondents had a positive perception on using low-quality irrigation water for vegetable production. The reported benefits include availability of water throughout the year, highest soil and crop nutrients in irrigation water, less costs of buying commercial fertilizers, vegetable production all year round, sustainable income generation from selling vegetables and also jobs creation in the community among farmers and vegetable sellers. Findings from Mann–Whitney U test and Kruskal–Wallis test score on farmers perception scales indicate an association between the source of low-quality water used and the respondents’ sex. Accordingly, female farmers had higher positive perception on the benefits of low-quality water compared to male farmers. Higher perception score was also observed among farmers who used polluted river water in irrigation vegetable production compared to farmers who used wastewater. Since low-quality irrigation water is a good strategy of coping with scarcity of freshwater for communities which have no alternative source of irrigation water, the study recommends multi-sectorial agencies across the country to be involved in formulating policies and creating health promotion awareness for safe use of low-quality water for benefit maximization and health risk reduction.     

作业补贴与农户绿色生态农业技术采用行为研究

绿色生态农业技术是农业可持续发展的关键,中国提出建立以绿色生态为导向的农业补贴制度,探索政府购买服务等作业补贴方式,促进绿色生态农业技术推广。但是“补给谁”“如何补”“补多少”等政策操作问题尚未很好解决。本文以农作物秸秆机械化还田技术作业补贴为例,基于江苏、山东、黑龙江三省622户农户2018年实地调查数据,综合评估了绿色生态农业技术作业补贴政策及补贴方式(即补贴种植户和补贴作业服务组织)对农户绿色生态农业技术采用行为的影响。结果表明:第一,作业补贴政策对农户是否采用绿色生态农业技术和采用时间均有显著正向影响,补贴发放给农户的地区,农户更倾向于采用绿色生态农业技术,且采用时间更早。第二,相对于无农机的农户而言,有农机的农户更倾向于采用生态农业技术,且采用时间更早。第三,农户受教育程度、家庭劳动力人数、是否规模户、技术培训对农户是否采用生态农业技术和采用时间有显著正向影响。第四,农户类型、是否加入农民专业合作社、家庭劳动力人数、技术培训对农户是否获得补贴有显著正向影响。据此,政府需要继续扩大绿色生态农业补贴的技术类型及实施区域,适当提高重点区域补贴额度,补贴对象应当向种植户倾斜;为农户提供技术指导服务,加强绿色生态农业技术培训,提升农户生态农业理念;根据不同规模种植户禀赋特征制定相应推广政策,让不同类型农户享受到绿色生态农业技术的益处;鼓励获得补贴的农机户或服务组织等积极提供生态农业技术作业服务,使其真正成为推动农户采用绿色生态农业技术的重要途径。     

Distribution of health costs of pesticide use by household economy

We observed skewed distribution across household of benefits of pesticide use in vegetable farming in Nepal. However, economic burden or harm of pesticide use and exposure by household economy is poorly studied. It is hypothesized that exaggerated and incompetent pesticide use is likely to affect human health that may lead to decline in human productivity, and economic loss––that may further marginalize farmers. Thus, a study was conducted in the Ansi khola watershed of Kavrepalanchowk District of central Nepal. The primary aim of the study was to value risks of pesticide use and to estimate health costs of exposure by household category. We grouped household into “large-scale” who owns more than 1 ha of agricultural land, “small-scale” having <0.5 ha and “medium-scale” in between >0.5 and <1 ha. Data were collected through (1) an initial household survey conducted from May to June 2008, (2) monthly visit surveys accomplished from June to November 2008 and (3) a final household survey conducted during November to December 2009. The cost of pesticide use and exposure was highest for medium-scale household; however, the economic burden in relation to incomes was the highest for small-scale household. On the basis of area under vegetables, small-scale household incurred 23 % higher economic burdens compared to the large-scale household. Overall, the cost of pesticide use and exposure amounted 15 % of agricultural income and/or 5 % of gross household income. For small-scale households, the cost was equivalent to 18 % of agricultural income and 6 % of gross income. Small-scale households are not only deprived from benefits of agriculture intensification, but also incurred highest burden of pesticide use.     

公平性感知、信任与农业环境保护 ——不确定情形下农户行为选择

为深入理解农业环境政策从制定到落实的内在逻辑，从农户的公平性感知和信任出发，在农业环境保护的不确定情形下，探索性地构建农户农业环境保护行为响应理论分析框架，并基于山东、山西和陕西3省微观农户调查数据，采用路径分析、贝叶斯非线性结构方程模型和斜率分析等方法进行验证。结果表明：（1）农户农业环境保护的公平性感知对农业环境保护行为有直接和间接影响。直接影响为公平性感知越高，越能显著促进农户农业环境保护行为；间接影响为公平性感知通过提高信任进而作用于行为。（2）农业环境保护的不确定性显著阻碍了农户农业环境保护行为，且显著干扰了公平性感知向行为的转化。据此提出，农业环境保护政策的制定应考虑农户公平性感知和信任，传统命令型农业环境政策应逐步向农户参与型政策让渡；对农业环境定期检测并给予农户反馈，在降低政府长期监管成本的同时，也减少了农户农业环境保护的不确定性，从而推进农业环境保护政策的有效落实。     

参与农业技术培训能否促进农户实施绿色生产行为?——基于家庭禀赋视角的ESR模型分析

农业技术培训对农户实施绿色生产行为的影响是推进农村生态环境治理关注的重要问题.基于农户家庭禀赋影响其参与农业技术培训,进而导致其绿色生产行为实施差异的分析思路,利用内生转换回归(ESR)模型和来自湖北省的1063份农户微观调查数据,在构建反事实场景和考虑样本选择偏差的基础上,考察了参与和未参与农业技术培训两种情形下农户实施绿色生产行为的差异.结果表明:(1)参与农业技术培训农户的绿色生产行为实施程度显著高于未参与农业技术培训的农户,且平均处理效应表明,参与农业技术培训可使预期的农户绿色生产行为实施程度提高40.13％;(2)参与农业技术培训对不同类型绿色生产行为的处理效应由大到小依次为化肥减施、节水灌溉、农药减施、农膜回收和秸秆综合利用;(3)无论是否参与农业技术培训,家庭禀赋对农户实施绿色生产行为均有显著影响,但不同类型的家庭禀赋对参与和未参与农业技术培训农户的影响存在差异.此外,家庭禀赋也是影响农户参与农业技术培训的重要因素.政府应积极拓宽农业技术推广渠道,加快转变技术推广方式,兼顾"农业生产"和"生态环境保护"两者,进一步开展环境友好型农业技术培训.     

Effects of a participatory bird census project on knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of coffee farmers in Colombia

This study presents an evaluation of a participatory bird census (PBC) project that has been administered to coffee farmers in Colombia. Our objectives were (1) to evaluate the effect of the PBC project on conservation knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of coffee farmers and (2) to learn about the barriers farmers perceive toward adopting conservation practices. We conducted 261 interviews on four groups to control for the effects of involvement with an environmental coffee certification program (Rainforest Alliance??RA) and the PBC project. The four groups were (1) non-PBC participant, non-RA certified; (2) PBC participant, non-RA certified; (3) non-PBC participant, RA certified; and (4) PBC participant, RA certified. PBC participant/RA and PBC participant/non-RA were more knowledgeable about migratory and threatened birds. PBC participant/RA, PBC participant/non-RA, and non-PBC participant/RA groups believed they had the skills to perform bird conservation practices on their farms. A majority of respondents indicated that they were performing bird conservation practices and had positive attitudes toward birds. Farmers believed that lack of environmental awareness and lack of knowledge were the main barriers to perform bird conservation practices. Evaluating participatory programs with Colombian farmers can reveal environmental literacy improvements, but self-reported surveys may not be adequate to ascertain attitude changes and adoption of conservation practices. Direct observations on individual farms would be required to determine the impacts on such outreach efforts. Bird conservation seems popular with Colombian coffee farmers, and outreach programs that give detailed biodiversity management information could help aid bird conservation efforts on coffee farms.     

目的地居民对旅游影响的认知态度实证研究

旅游地居民对旅游影响的认知态度研究是旅游影响研究的主要内容之一。以浙江乌镇为例．在实地调研的基础上．利用问卷调查方法，分析了乌镇居民对旅游的社会文化影响、环境影响和经济影响的感知程度．以及居民对旅游业发展的态度．归纳总结了乌镇居民对旅游影响的一般认知态度状况．对制定合理的旅游发展政策、改善居民对旅游者的态度和提高居民对旅游业的支持、促进旅游地可持续发展具有重要的现实意义。本文的调查结果进一步证实了以往居民对旅游影响认知态度研究的研究成果。乌镇居民对旅游给当地社区带来的社会、文化和环境效益感知强烈令人鼓舞。这与Liu和Var等诸多学者通过研究发现目的地居民对旅游发展产生的各方效益感知明显是一致的。此外，乌镇居民对旅游经济影响的正面感知一致较强与现有研究成果也是相符的。所有这些证实了旅游地生命周期早期阶段居民更易倾向于正面感知。     

农户对高产农业技术扩散的生态环境影响感知实证

农民生态环境感知对促进农民自觉环境保护行为和农村两型社会建设具有重要作用。通过对湖南省洞庭湖湿地水稻主产区6个乡镇的调查,将农户生态影响感知具体化为土壤、水源、身体健康和水稻4个方面的感知,借助定量分析建立了农户综合环境感知指数,研究农民对以化学农业为代表的高产农业技术扩散的生态环境影响感知,并运用Tobit模型探讨了影响农户生态影响感知的主要因素。结果表明:农民已经意识到以石化农业为代表的高产农业技术扩散带来的不利影响,尽管他们的意识还只限于一些看得见的因素如土壤肥力、捕鱼量和健康问题,对于看不见的影响的感知还很薄弱。以化学农业为代表的高产农业技术采用的水平和持续时间直接决定了人们对于不利影响的感知。提高收入水平与教育水平、强化农业技术推广能提升农民生态环境感知,而农田水利基础设施建设和土壤肥力对农户环境感知有复杂的影响关系。     

市场信任对农户生物农药施用行为的影响 ——基于制度环境的调节效应分析

生产者市场信任缺失将导致绿色农产品供给严重不足，并由供给缺位引致食品供给侧结构性失衡。基于湖北省804份水稻种植户的微观调研数据，探讨了市场信任、制度环境对农户生物农药施用行为的影响。研究发现：（1）农户不仅对市场上售卖的农产品缺乏消费信任，而且缺乏绿色农产品生产信任，67.79%的样本农户对绿色农产品的市场销售表露担忧；（2）市场信任对农户施用生物农药行为具有显著的促进作用，与激励制度相比，市场约束制度对农户施用生物农药的影响更显著，且市场激励与约束制度能有效弥补农户市场信任不足；（3）政府和企业对农户生物农药施用行为的影响存在差异，企业和政府监管都能显著促进农户的生物农药施用，但企业对农户生产行为的约束效果要优于政府。因此，要提升农户的绿色农产品市场信任，加强激励与约束制度环境的建设，倡导多元共治以弥补政府职能的有限性。     

“The End of the Ice Age?”: Disappearing World Heritage and the Climate Change Communication Imperative

Rapid environmental change in vulnerable destinations has stimulated a new form of travel termed “last chance tourism” (LCT). Studies have examined the risks of LCT, while leaving potential opportunities within this new tourism market largely underexplored. Results of survey (n?=?399) research in Jasper National Park, Canada reveal that a LCT motivation influences decisions to visit this iconic Canadian destination, and suggest that this motivation is linked to a desire to learn about the impacts of climate change on the Athabasca Glacier. Findings suggest there may be short to medium term opportunities associated with LCT, including promoting climate change ambassadorship through management interventions. This paper discusses a range of possible education, interpretive, and outreach activities that might be employed at LCT destinations. It outlines the relative merits (or what we refer to as “uneasy benefits”) of promoting the glacier and other LCT destinations within a protected areas management and climate change adaptation context.     

Flood risk and climate change in the Rotterdam area,The Netherlands: enhancing citizen's climate risk perceptions and prevention responses despite skepticism

Effective communication about climate change and related risks is complicated by the polarization between “climate alarmists” and “skeptics.” This paper provides insights for the design of climate risk communication strategies by examining how the interplay between climate change and flood risk communication affects citizens’ risk perceptions and responses. The study is situated in a delta area with substantial geographic variations in the occurrence and potential impact of flood risk, which has led to initiatives to make the area more “climate proof.” We developed a research model that examines individual differences in processing information about climate change related flood risk, based on the postulate that individuals often make an implicit trade-off between motivation to know “what is real” and motivation to maintain prior beliefs. A field experiment, embedded in a survey (n = 1887), sought to test out how the participants responded to risk frames in which a story on flood was either or not combined with climate change information. The results show that it was possible to increase the participants’ local climate risk perception in combination with increased motivation for flood damage prevention, despite a certain level of climate change skepticism. A general implication of our study is that relevant and diagnostic information about local climate-related flood risks can stimulate citizens’ need to know “what’s real” and their willingness to take responsibility for preparedness.     

主动参与还是被动选择:农户村域环境治理参与行为及效果差异分析

基于湖北省的调研数据，分析农户参与村域环境治理的行为及行为效果，并运用Heckman两阶段模型加以实证检验。结果发现:是否为村干部、家庭总人口、家庭年收入、家庭耕地面积、行为认知、环境状况评价、气候变化感知以及政府激励是农户参与村域环境治理的关键因素。受教育年限、环境容忍度、行为认知、环境状况评价以及气候变化感知则对农户环境治理参与行为效果有显著影响。在此基础上，从农户参与环境治理的行为动机出发，并借助Oaxaca-Blinder反事实分解方法，探讨主动参与和被动参与两种行为的效果差异及产生差异的原因。结果显示，禀赋差异和禀赋回报率差异均致使主动参与者的行为效果均值（3.729）显著高于被动参与者的行为效果均值（3.027）。其中，受教育年限、行为认知和气候变化感知的差异是主动参与者和被动参与者行为效果存在差异的主要因素。     

农户从事生态循环农业意愿与行为的决定:市场收益还是政策激励?

发展生态循环农业是我国新时期转变农业发展方式的战略选择,农户是生态循环农业的经营主体和利益相关者,厘清农户参与生态循环农业的根本动机,对于制定有效的生态循环农业推广措施具有重要意义。文章基于湖北省391份农户调查数据,首先,在文献回顾的基础上提出市场收益、政策激励对农户生态循环农业从事意愿与行为影响路径的基本假设,并利用OLS方法分析市场收益和政策激励对农户从事生态循环农业意愿与行为的影响;其次,运用优势分析法评估市场收益类变量和政策激励类变量影响农户意愿与行为过程中的相对重要性;最后,通过交互效应检验市场收益类变量和政策激励类变量间的交互作用。结果表明:收入预期对农户从事生态循环农业的意愿与行为均有直接的积极影响,是促进农户从事生态循环农业的最重要的因素;焚烧秸秆惩罚政策和废弃物资源化补贴政策对农户从事生态循环农业的意愿有积极影响,沼气池建设补贴政策和废弃物资源化补贴政策对农户生态循环农业行为有促进作用;收入预期与废弃物资源化补贴政策在影响农户生态循环农业行为的过程中存在互补效应。本研究认为,市场收益是刺激农户采纳生态循环农业生产模式的首要因素,因此,要着力完善生态农业市场体系,增强生态农产品的市场竞争力,提升农户对生态循环农业的盈利信心;另外,政策激励对于农户采纳生态循环农业具有促进作用,应该做到约束与激励并行,同时注意加强农业政策的科学设计与落实执行。     

江西省农用地生态效率时空差异及影响因素分析——基于面源污染、碳排放双重视角

科学剖析农用地生态效率时空差异及影响机制,对实现农用地利用与资源环境协调发展以及制定农业可持续发展政策具有重要的理论与实践意义。将农用地面源污染、碳排放作为非期望产出纳入农用地生态效率评价指标体系,借助SBM-Undesirable模型对1990～2017年江西省农用地生态效率进行测度并对其时空差异特征进行分析,在此基础上运用Tobit模型探讨相关因素的影响机制。结果表明:(1)1990～2017年间江西省农用地生态效率呈现"先下降后上升"的变化趋势,均值为0.749,总体呈现上升的趋势;(2)各设区市农用地生态效率空间格局演变轨迹呈现先下降后上升的扁平"U"型特征,高效率地区由"连片"分布向"点状"分布再向"连片"分布变化,空间格局趋于非均衡化发展;(3)农村居民人均可支配收入、复种指数、农村劳动力文化程度和劳均播种面积对农用地生态效率产生显著正影响,城乡收入差距则产生显著负影响。最后,从优化资源要素配置、加强农业科技创新应用、健全农村土地流转制度、摒弃过度依赖资源要素投入与环境污染的粗放型发展模式、走"精耕细作"和可持续发展的农业生态文明发展道路等方面提出了提高农用地生态效率的政策建议。     

作物多样性变化及其对农业产出的影响——基于期望出产和非期望产出的分析

运用中国30个省份1990～2016年的面板数据，从作物多样性视角，采用CDI和d等作物多样性指数，考察了农业种植结构对农业产值和农业面源污染的影响。研究结果表明：作物多样性与农业产值之间存在显著的“倒U型”曲线关系。当前中国非优势作物（比较优势较弱）多样性偏高，对农业产值产生抑制作用，非优势作物多样性每增加1个单位，农业产值将减少1.5%；对农业面源污染产生正向作用，非优势作物多样性每增加1个单位，农业面源污染将增加1.3%。而区域优势作物多样性的增加对农业面源污染有较大的抑制效应，优势作物多样性每增加1个单位，农业面源污染将减少1.5%；作物多样性对种植业产值和农业面源污染综合指数的提高有负面影响；在农业劳动力大量转移背景下，减少作物多样性种植有利于农业产值的提高；当自然灾害较严重时，作物多样性的增加有利于农业产值的增长。因此各区域要立足于本省的资源禀赋条件，减少比较优势较弱的农作物品种和种植面积，增加优势农产品，特色农产品种植，培育农业品牌，以提高农业收入和增强生态环境保护。同时，农业基础设施的完善以及农民防灾减灾意识的提高有利于增强抵御自然灾害的能力，促进绿色的现代化农业的发展。