Technical efficiency and agricultural sustainability–technology gap of maize producers in Fars province of Iran

Fars has a special place in Iran in terms of natural resources and diverse climate aiming this province to increase production of major crops such as corns. In light of increasing domestic production and preventing yield loss of maize, many farmers utilize high quantities of pesticides, chemical fertilizers and over-extract groundwater without considering immediate and long-term consequences of such operations on environment. The main purpose of this study is to investigate technical efficiency and sustainability–technology gap ratio (STGR) of maize producers by agricultural sustainability in Fars province in Iran. Technical efficiency is considered as a key element among the triple elements of sustainable development (economic, social and ecological). Applying model of agricultural sustainability and compromise programming method, regions were classified into three groups (sustainable, relatively sustainable and unsustainable), and data were collected interviewing a total of 300 farmers in 2008–2009 from Kazerun, Firouzabad and Marvdasht chosen randomly and systematically as representatives of these three groups. Technical efficiencies and STGRs were calculated for the regions applying stochastic production frontier, regional stochastic frontier functions and the metafrontier. The results indicate that assuming the same technology between the fields (traditional methods) leads to overestimation of technical efficiency. Mean STGRs in Marvdasht, Firouzabad and Kazerun were found to be 59.3, 71.1 and 68.9, respectively. This suggests that technical efficiency and STGR of relatively sustainable regions are higher than those of the unsustainable regions. Thus, farmers in these areas can reduce gap between technology and agricultural sustainability levels via achieving metatechnology that is compatible with sustainable agriculture.     

Evaluation of education and water resource types on some wheat land features, using Fars Comprehensive Agricultural Database (case study; Pasargad, Iran)

Fars Comprehensive Agricultural Database was created to remove bottlenecks and constrains of province for decision makers in a way that leads to sustainable agriculture. Regarding Fars agricultural comprehensive information database, and the importance of wheat as the strategic commodity, this study was conducted in Ali-Abad-e-Kamin (Pasargad, Iran) to assess two most important managerial factors affecting other agricultural factors. Therefore, in this study, besides evaluating the effect of water resource on wheat yield and other traits, education impacts were analyzed and evaluated as well. Data were collected regarding cadastre land use information derived from satellite imagery combined with GIS potencies, and also a comprehensive questionnaire was completed to collect local field information. Results revealed that educational level has significant effect on crop yield, fields’ area and seed consumption rate and also effect of water resource showed significant difference for crop yield, fields’ area. Finally, interactive effect of water resource and educational level showed significant difference just for wheat yield. Also, as a result, higher education positively results in improved wheat yield, lands’ area and seed consumption rate. On the other hand, river as a type of sustainable water resource with karstic geological formations positively affected wheat yield, lands’ area and farms distance from village. Overall, transferring knowledge from relevant organization resulting in higher productivity seems to be necessary.     

中国乡村发展面临的挑战与长期性管理策略

分析研究了当前我国乡村发展所面临的严峻的挑战性问题，如乡村非农化进程停滞，城乡差异扩大带来的问题等；尤其是乡村生态破坏和环境污染危及到农业生产环境的安全和城乡居民的生存基础的情况，指出21世纪中国乡村发展相当迫切而艰巨；在可持续发展思想的框架下，提出了长期性管理策略，即类型管理、目标管理、乡村制度性投入的管理模式，并考虑了实现乡村可持续发展的制度创新与保障问题；随后针对乡村发展管理，构想了实施对策：即，1）积极推进城市化，缩减乡村人口总量；2）开展农业行业标准的制定和修订工作；3）推进乡村产业的科技创新步伐；4）强化生态环境观念，实行空间开发管制、尤其是生态脆弱地区。此外还需强调环境教育机制和广泛的公众参与机制。     

Participatory assessment of the sustainability of livelihoods in the agroecosystem of Abesard,Iran

In order to improve the livelihoods of communities and make them more sustainable, study of the vulnerability of livelihoods seems necessary. In this paper, participatory vulnerability analysis was used within a sustainable rural livelihoods framework to assess the sustainability of livelihoods in the agroecosystem of Abesard, Iran. In addition, this paper explored vulnerability contexts that affect livelihood assets. Findings revealed that land use change, climate variability, market fluctuations and higher mechanisation were the main reasons of vulnerability. To overcome these problems and to adapt to changes, households have followed livelihood strategies such as agricultural intensification, livelihood diversification, and agricultural biodiversity. The government has also provided some services such as extension programmes, fertilizers, and subsidies to compensate for asset limitations. Overall, implementation of the following development policies are recommended: (1) support of agricultural production by government institutions; (2) moving towards the development of sustainable agricultural practises that integrate a variety of methods in a sustainable manner; (3) development of agricultural intensification in a sustainable way that compensates for any inadequacy of assets; and (4) providing adult vocational training programmes for both men and women related to on-farm and off-farm activities. In the end, results highlighted the need for more emphasis on overcoming the challenges of sustainable agriculture using a participatory approach in assessment of the vulnerability of community livelihoods.     

Cleaner production solution selection for paper making – a case study of Latif paper products Co. Iran

Abstract

The objective of this research is to design an approach for selecting appropriate solutions to efficiently and productively reduce environmental pollution and water, energy and raw material consumption in a recycled paper manufacturing facility, the paper mill in Latif, Iran. To reach this goal, we develop a decision-making model using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The proposed model provides a framework for cleaner production implementation specific to the paper industry. Pairwise comparisons of the results of designed questionnaires resulted in the hierarchy model being divided into five major groups: production modification; process change; preventive maintenance; renewal; and manpower resources.These five groups include 31 sub-criteria and seven alternatives. The results showed that process change yields the highest priority among the main criteria and that industrial automation and its technology level gives the highest priority among sub-criteria. Regarding the alternatives, reduction of environmental pollution is the most important solution for cleaner production in the industry. Also, product modification is the most sensitive criterion affecting the alternatives priority.     

江苏省农村居民点整理时序研究

近年来,农村居民点用地整理已经成为优化农村居民点布局和实现耕地占补平衡的有效途径,与此同时,其在城乡统筹发展和资源集约利用方面的作用也越来越显著,开展农村居民点用地整理已成为实现社会经济可持续发展的必然选择。以江苏省为例,从农村居民点用地整理迫切度、可行度两个方面共选取10个指标因子,构建了农村居民点用地整理时序研究的指标评价体系,并进行两维图论聚类的空间分析,以便对农村居民点整理时序作出安排,可为制定农村居民点整理规划以及确定、实施居民点整理项目提供决策依据。结果显示：江苏农村居民点整理时序得分区域分异明显,即从总体上看苏南优于苏中,苏中又优于苏北,从各县市分布来看,南京、常州、无锡等县市的整理时序优势较高,而泗洪、响水、灌云等县市的优势较低。同时,根据地域上的相似性,也形成了一些适宜进行规模整理开发的单元组合,如由高淳、溧水、溧阳等组成的地域单元。研究结论：结合指标评价和两维图论聚类分析进行的农村居民点整理时序安排和整理分区具有较强的指导意义     

Adaptation of Iranian farmers to climate variability and change

Climate change poses serious challenges for populations whose livelihoods depend principally on natural resources. Given the increases in extreme weather events projected to adversely affect the arid and semi-arid regions of Iran, adaptation of the agricultural sector is imperative. Few studies have addressed the farmers’ adaptation in Iran, and little is known about ongoing adaptation strategies in use. Adopting principal component analysis/fuzzy logic-based method, this paper considers the agricultural adaptation to climate variability. A survey of 255 farmers of Fars Province, selected through a multistage stratified random sampling method, revealed different levels of adaptation, specifically the low, moderate and high, which are principally distinguished by various degrees of sensitivity and adaptive capacity. The study also identified the main adaptation strategies used by farmers in response to climate-related shocks. Results indicated that although a large percentage of farmers make some adjustments to their farming practices, there are significant differences in choice of adaptation strategies by the adaptation categories. Some conclusions and recommendations are offered to increase the adaptive capacity of farmers and reduce negative impacts of climate variability and change.     

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。     

基于正态云模型的区域矿产资源可持续力评价

矿产资源是人类生存和社会可持续发展的基础,研究区域矿产资源的可持续力发展水平、能力和发展趋势,不仅仅是个地区问题,更应是资源保障问题,因而对我国资源承载能力和可持续发展具有十分重要的意义。针对当前区域矿产资源可持续力定量测度研究较少,且现有评价方法不能同时兼顾指标的模糊性与随机性的难题,该研究将正态云模型引入区域矿产资源可持续力综合评价。从资源、经济、环境(含人口)三方面构建矿产资源可持续力评价指标体系,基于正态云模型结合改进的层次分析法,不仅使得指标特点得以保真,而且各指标权重的计算量也大大减少,提高了评价方法的适用性。以湖南省2010—2015年间的矿产资源为研究对象,进行矿产资源可持续力定量测度。结果显示,6年间,湖南省矿产资源可持续力状态虽然始终处于III级(一般)状态,但可持续力综合值从2.600 0上升到3.070 8,区域矿产资源可持续力水平有日趋增加态势;个别评价指标仍处于较弱状态,单位GDP能耗量、万元工业产值中矿业产值比率、人口密度单因子得分值均2.5,表明这些指标相对较弱,有待进一步采取相关措施进行改善。该评价结果与实地调研基本吻合,表明该方法是可行的。本方法在定量评价中能兼顾随机性和模糊性,且计算过程简便,结果可靠,能为矿产资源定量评价提供参考。     

Farming dynamics and social capital: A case study in the urban fringe of Mexico City

Urban development has important implications for farmland preservation and natural resource management in local peri-urban communities. Social science research on recent changes in rural landscape of mega-cities tends to be limited to case studies in Latin-American nations. This study analyses the socioecomic dynamics of farming land use and the interactions between multiple cultural variables and the environment. Fieldwork was carried out during the 2002–2003 period in rural livelihoods of the five high mountain towns of south Mexico City. Data obtained from participatory survey and ethnographic techniques were integrated to assess changes in rural landscape and resource management and how urbanization, deforestation and market oriented agricultural production result in different livelihoods within a similar urban fringe context. The dynamic of mixture of urban and rural landscapes is based on farm productivity and social capital factors. The study concludes that policy support for regional agricultural production systems through enhancing ecosystems services, environmental protection and economic development is needed for sustainable development of local communities. Readers should send their comments on this paper to BhaskarNath@aol.com within 3 months of publication of this issue     

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 womens 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.Readers should send their comments on this paper to: BhaskarNath@aol.com within 3 months of publication of this issue.     

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。     

Agricultural productivity and environmental insecurity in the Usangu plain, Tanzania: policy implications for sustainability of agriculture

Sustainable agricultural development is a necessity for sustainable economic growth and social development in Africa. Sustainable agriculture largely depends on how effective natural and environmental resources are managed and utilized; it also depends on the security of continuous access to such resources. This research was aimed to look into trends in agricultural productivity, examine the persistence of the environmental insecurity, analyze the relationship between the two, and explore their links to the national development policies. The results are discussed in the context of relevance to national development policies and their implications on the sustainability of agriculture and rural livelihoods security. Literature survey, records collection from the stakeholders, village level participatory assessments (PAs), observations and questionnaire survey were tools used for data collection. The study shows significant (P < 0.01) declines in cereal crop yields, cattle milk yield and cattle calving rate, and increasing cattle mortality rate. Elements of environmental insecurity were found to account for decline in agricultural productivity; significant (P < 0.01) proportion (68%), of 266 households interviewed, reported land resources deterioration, declining soil fertility, and increasing drought frequencies as the causes of their low productivity. Declined fertilizer consumption and increasing variability in rainfall amount significantly (P < 0.01) accounted for 59% and 39%, respectively, of the variations observed in total annual production of rice and maize, which are major cereals in the study area. This study recommends measures to improve soil productivity such as improved fertilizer application and use of organic manures along with mineral fertilizers for maintaining soil productivity; education of farmers on sustainable use and management of land resources; and pro-poor rural policies in agricultural development and environmental governance. Readers should send their comments on this paper to: BhaskarNath@aol.com within 3 months of publication of this issue.     

湖南省农业资源利用综合评价研究

农业资源评价是农业资源区划的一项基础性工作,近年来湖南农业资源状况发生了很大变化,并且以往的农业资源评价思路、评价方法与手段、评价指标体系等也与新时期农业发展的要求不相适宜,农村与农业经济政策的调整更为新时期的农业资源评价工作提出了新的更高目标与要求,很有必要以新的视角和理念、先进的方法与现代化的技术手段,在查清农业资源家底的情况下,重新对湖南农业资源利用进行客观公正的评价。本文从评价指导思想、评价原则等方面构建了湖南农业资源评价的基本思路,利用农业资源可持续利用评价模型和资源丰度指数模型等评价模型从资源可持续利用、资源丰度等两个角度对湖南农业资源进行了综合评价,得出了与湖南农业资源实际相吻合的评价结论,并根据农业资源实现可持续发展的限制因子,从正确处理耕地利用与保护的关系、建立集约化农业生产体系、实行农业资源开发和保护并举、强化农业资源利用的科技支撑、大力发展生态农业、大力培养新型农民等方面提出了实现湖南农业资源可持续利用的对策建议。     

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。     

基于产业化发展的农业人才“回流”问题研究

农业产业化发展需要人才支持,但长期城乡二元经济体制、偏向城市的工业优先发展战略等,造成农业农村人才大量流失,出现人才"空心化"、产业化人才匮乏等问题。随着农业生产链条的不断延伸及分工与合作的逐步深化,满足产业化需求的人才结构也逐步细化,许多关键领域的人才缺口较大,如:推动产业化扩张和规模化发展的规划管理人才,提升产业科技水平和产业链延伸交融程度的农业技术人才,促进产业链顺利延伸和产业集群发展的综合服务人才等。当农业农村现有人才存量无法满足产业化发展需求时,在地方政府指导下,合理引导掌握一技之长的农民工、农村籍大学生以及非农籍社会人才回流农业,是确保农业产业化持续、快速、健康发展的重要措施。相应的,实现人才顺利回流农业,需通过日益延伸的农业产业链内部市场的利益联结机制,鼓励并引导产业化紧缺人才组成专业型或互补型人力资本团队并积极参与产业化过程。     

Soil degradation and agricultural sustainability: an overview from Iran

During the past six decades, agriculture as a main sector in Iran’s economy has been affected by economic development, land-use policies, and population growth and its pressures. From the 1940s until 2010, the percentage of the total urban population of Iran increased from about 21?% to around 72?%. Urbanization, industrialization, and intensive cultivation have dramatically affected soil and water resources. The exploitation of groundwater has been increased around fourfold from the 1970s to the mid-2000s. Total water resources per capita reduced around 23?% from 1956 to 2008. The average annual decrease in the groundwater table in Iran during the last two decades is 0.51?m. In 2008, the groundwater table fell around ?1.14?m in average in Iran. The average use of chemical fertilizers increased from around 2.1?million tons in 1990s to about 3.7?million tons in 2009. During that period, fertilizer use efficiency decreased from around 28?% to around 21?%. Approximately 77?% of the agricultural land under irrigation suffers from different levels of salinity. According to the quantification of four indices, such as soil erosion, fall in groundwater levels, salinity, and use of chemical fertilizer, that are directly related to agricultural land use, the results show that agricultural management in Iran needs special attention to reach sustainable conditions. The total cost of soil and water degradation and use of fertilizers in agriculture are estimated around than US $12.8?billion (about 157,000?billion IRRials)—approximately 4?% of the total gross domestic product (GDP) and approximately 35?% of the GDP of the agricultural sector in Iran.     

Evaluating the role of environmental quality in the sustainable rural economic development of England

The issue of the sustainable development of rural economies in England has recently received considerable attention. This is because many of the poorest areas in the country are rural, often of high environmental quality, but suffering from high unemployment and a lack of services and facilities. The rapid decline in agricultural incomes and in-migration of affluent urban workers since 1990 has exacerbated economic inequality in such areas. A number of factors have the potential to drive rural development and this paper applies, and considers, the feasibility of a method from the USA for combining economic and environmental variables in a regional growth model to examine the hypothesis that environmental quality is an important determinant of sustainable rural development in England. The model output suggests that, although environmental quality does play a role in sustainable rural development in England there are other, more important, factors driving development. These include business and communications infra-structure, the degree and opportunities for commuting and underlying employment prospects. The robustness and limitations of the method for combining economic and environmental variables is discussed in relation to the spatial interrelatedness of Local Authority Districts in England, and conclusions are drawn about areas for refinement and improvement of the method.

农业信息资源可持续开发利用的国际比较及启示

随着全球经济一体化趋势的增强和知识经济时代的来临,农业信息资源对于农业和农村经济的可持续发展起着至关重要的作用,这在发达国家已经得到实践印证.本文分析了发达国家农业信息资源开发的现状、特征和发展趋势,结合美国、欧盟、德国、法国、澳大利亚、日本、韩国、印度等国家和地区的实际情况,比较分析了国外农业信息资源开发的共性经验和个性差异.在此基础上,针对中国农业信息资源开发利用的现状,提出了国外农业信息资源开发利用对中国的重要启示:突出国家在农业信息资源开发的主体地位,鼓励社会力量积极参与农业信息资源的开发,加强农业基础设施的信息化建设和应用水平,注重农业信息资源科研、教育和推广的结合.为了提高中国农业信息资源开发利用的水平,本文给出了以下政策建议:加强农业信息资源开发利用的重视程度,强化农业信息资源开发队伍的建设力度,提高现有农业信息资源的共事程度,增强农业信意资源的社会服务水平.