Diversification and Sustainable Development in Chinese Agriculture

Feeding a growing population exceeding 1 billion is a big challenge to the Chinese government and has partly led to the self-sufficient policy in grain production and supply for decades. However, the efforts to push grain production everywhere have resulted in not only deterioration of the environment but also stagnation or even reduction in farmers' income as production costs continue to increase. This situation might be worsening after China's accession to the WTO that provides market access for bulk commodity imports. A sustainable development in Chinese agriculture depends on diversification, or structural adjustment, that allows Chinese farmers to fully utilize their comparative advantage in production of labor-intensive goods. Past experience has shown that diversification has contributed more than a half of the growth in Chinese agriculture during the reform period and reduced stresses on the environment at the same time. It is likely to contribute even more to Chinese agriculture in the future an     

Diversification and Sustainable Development in Chinese Agriculture

Abstract

Feeding a growing population exceeding 1 billion is a big challenge to the Chinese government and has partly led to the self-sufficient policy in grain production and supply for decades. However, the efforts to push grain production everywhere have resulted in not only deterioration of the environment but also stagnation or even reduction in farmers' income as production costs continue to increase. This situation might be worsening after China's accession to the WTO that provides market access for bulk commodity imports. A sustainable development in Chinese agriculture depends on diversification, or structural adjustment, that allows Chinese farmers to fully utilize their comparative advantage in production of labor-intensive goods. Past experience has shown that diversification has contributed more than a half of the growth in Chinese agriculture during the reform period and reduced stresses on the environment at the same time. It is likely to contribute even more to Chinese agriculture in the future and in a sustainable manner.     

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。     

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。     

我国农业可持续发展的水问题及对策

随着我国人口增长和经济发展,水资源问题日益突出,农业用水问题成为农业可持续发展中的焦点问题.文章从探讨我国水资源与农业可持续发展的关系入手,分析了我国水资源严峻的现实及其存在的主要问题,并提出了解决我国农业可持续发展中水问题的对策建议;加强管理,建立系统的管理体制;依靠科技,提高水资源利用率;增加投入,打好水资源高效利用的基础;实施虚拟水贸易,缓解水资源短.     

Rural-urban Migration,Rural Household Income and Sustainable Development in Rural Areas of China

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to investigate the relationships among rural-urban migration, rural household income and sustainable development in rural areas of China. The typical case study is done and 288 questionnaires are collected from five villages in Hebei and Guangxi provinces, China. The migration and remittance status, household income and sustainable development of rural areas are analyzed on the basis of questionnaires. Rural-urban migration is becoming a part of routine life in rural areas. And remittance is an important component in rural household income. Rural-urban migration increases the arable land area per labor, which releases the tight human-land relationship in villages. In total, the migration increases the rural household income and accelerates the sustainable development of rural areas.     

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。     

地方政府与中国乡村的可持续发展——以浙江省横店镇可持续发展实验区为个案

在可持续发展过程中。政府、民间组织、企业和个人都有其能够发挥作用的地方．但是。地方政府可以说是实现地方可持续发展之关键。以浙江省东阳市横店镇可持续发展实验区为个案。深入探讨地方政府与地方可持续发展的关系。文章的一个基本结论是，从横店镇可持续发展实验区案例来看．我国乡村的可持续发展应该走政府主导的模式．而只有强化地方政府的能力（包括规划、资源与领导能力等）。方能培育地方良治（good governance）与支持可持续发展。     

Promote Sustainable Development for Irrigated Rice Through SSNM Technology in China

Today, the overuse of nitrogen （N） fertilizer and high N loss result in serious nitrate pollution of water and deter the sustainable development of agriculture and social economy. A recently developed site-specific nutrient management （SSNM） can reduce fertilizer N use while preventing the yield from falling. In this paper, we raise the question of fertilizer N application in rice production through a survey of farmers＇ practice of fertilizer N in 18 villages of four provinces. The average rate of N application for rice production in the 18 villages was 190 kg/ha, and 76% to 100% of the total fertilizer N which was applied within l0 days after transplanting resulted in lots of nitrate leached into water. Furthermore, we tested the effect of SSNM through farmer participatory trial. The SSNM technology maintained rice yields with significantly less fertilizer N and there was no increase in labor input, as much as 31% fertilizer N were saved with the SSNM technology. Finally, the paper points that extension and further research of the SSNM technology should be an effective method to deal with the contradiction of population, food and nitrate nonpoint pollution of water resource and promote the sustainability of agriculture.     

Promote Sustainable Development for Irrigated Rice Through SSNM Technology in China

Abstract

Today, the overuse of nitrogen (N) fertilizer and high N loss result in serious nitrate pollution of water and deter the sustainable development of agriculture and social economy. A recently developed site-specific nutrient management (SSNM) can reduce fertilizer-N use while preventing the yield from falling. In this paper, we raise the question of fertilizer N application in rice production through a survey of farmers' practice of fertilizer N in 18 villages of four provinces. The average rate of N application for rice production in the 18 villages was 190 kg/ha, and 76% to 100% of the total fertilizer N which was applied within 10 days after transplanting resulted in lots of nitrate leached into water. Furthermore, we tested the effect of SSNM through farmer participatory trial. The SSNM technology maintained rice yields with significantly less fertilizer N and there was no increase in labor input, as much as 31% fertilizer N were saved with the SSNM technology. Finally, the paper points that extension and further research of the SSNM technology should be an effective method to deal with the contradiction of population, food and nitrate non-point pollution of water resource and promote the sustainability of agriculture.     

Sustainable Tourism and the Touristic Ecological Footprint

There is growing interest in ecological footprint analysis in aiding our understanding of societal demands upon the biosphere. Increasingly, attention is being focused on potential new applications of the technique. Tourism is one of the world's largest industries and can play a major part in encouraging more consumerist lifestyles. It is now widely accepted that tourism development may have profound impacts on local environments, and that, consequently, the sustainable development of tourism at destination areas is an important issue. However, sustainable tourism studies rarely look beyond the destination area, and there has been no substantive recognition of the wider ecological footprint of tourism activities. This paper attempts to connect, conceptually, the realms of sustainable tourism and ecological footprint thinking. In so doing, various conceptualisations of the 'touristic ecological footprint' (TEF) are suggested, along with some potential applications. It is argued that primary research should focus on calculating the touristic ecological footprint associated with individual tourism products, throughout the product's life-cycle. As well as bringing another dimension to our understanding of tourism's actual ecological demand, it is also argued that the concept of the touristic ecological footprint may be used to clarify theoretical aspects of the sustainable tourism debate, helping to rejuvenate this debate in the process.     

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。     

实现乡村旅游可持续发展需要正确把握的七个关系

乡村旅游可持续发展的两个基本标准是：保护乡村资源，延续历史文脉；保障经济效益，延长生命周期。作者以此为出发点，从实践中总结出了实现乡村旅游可持续发展需要正确把握的七个关系：即乡村旅游与城市旅游之间的关系、大力发展乡村旅游与发展机遇的关系、市场主导与政府引导之间的关系、旅游开发与生态和历史文化保护的关系、公共利益与个体利益之间的关系、宣传造势与乡村接待能力之间的关系、“农家乐”与“乡村旅游”的关系。     

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。     

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.     

试论可持续发展的地域公平性

以对“人地关系”、“发展内涵”和“人的位置”等的系统认识为理性基础．所提出来的可持续发展观．非常强调公平性。经典的可持续发展概念对“公平性”的理解，主要是强调时间维度上的代际公平。我们从地理学的研究核心“人地关系地域系统协调共生理论。和区域可持续发展实证研究的理论和实践的双重角度．认为公平性不仅是时间维度上的代际公平．而且是空间维度上的地域公平和群际公平。就地域公平而言．我们认为．它不仅包括相关地域的公平性而且包括次级地域的公平性和背景地域的公平性。地域公平性的这样的理论认识。在指导区域可持续发展的实践中将具有重要意义。     

Production, Consumption and the World Summit on Sustainable Development

At the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), world leaders agreed that eliminating unsustainable production and consumption is one of the three overriding objectives of sustainable development. Achieving that objective should have been a major priority for the WSSD Plan of Implementation. Increases in consumption and production over the past decade were largely responsible for the worsening environmental and social trends. Unfortunately, the negotiators of the Plan paid insufficient attention to the lessons from 10 years of discussions about the concepts, the available policies and tools and their effectiveness, the impacts of those policies on developing countries, and the political commitment of countries in an era of globalization. Despite a promising proposal for a new ten-year work programme aimed at bridging the gap implementing the Agenda 21 commitments from Rio, Summit negotiators produced barely more than a muted echo of recommendations from the past which have yet to be taken seriously enough by the world's leaders in a comprehensive intergovernmental strategy. In the ten-year review of progress to achieve sustainable production and consumption (SPAC), governments quickly skipped past the critical work of examining why things are getting worse, avoiding the task of identifying the obstacles (which in some cases were themselves) and in turn avoiding the commitment to time-bound measurable targets. If nothing else, the WSSD demonstrated that a global strategy to achieve SPAC will come not from a UN consensus of world leaders but from a strategic alliance of responsible governments, civil society and others with a vision beyond the next election cycle.     

Soil Fertility Quality and Agricultural Sustainable Development in the Black Soil Region of Northeast China

The black soil in northeast China is considered one of the most fertile soils in China. Consequently, the black soil region has become one of the most important regions for cereal grain production in China. Agriculture has developed rapidly since the early part of the nineteenth century. To date, approximately 70 percent of total land in the area is cultivated. Even though the agricultural production in this region is increasing continuously, some soil fertility quality problems have become serious. This is hampering agricultural development and sustainability in the region. A brief history of population growth and agricultural development in the region is presented. Major soil quality problems, particularly soil degradation and soil erosion, are analyzed. Based on studies, suggestions for improving soil quality and for promoting sustainable agricultural development in the region are presented. These suggestions include improving agricultural landscape patterns, developing conservation cultivation, promoting combinations of crop production with combinations of forestry and animal husbandry, and implementing integrated management for soil and water conservation.     

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.     

广西农业可持续发展的策略和措施

广西地处亚热带，光热水资源丰富，具有农业发展的良好条件。近年来，广西采取了一系列的改革措施，农业经济得到了较快发展。但在农业经济发展的同时，也面临着许多资源与环境问题。本文在分析广西农业经济发展的现状及其存在问题的基础上，提出了广西农业可持续发展的策略和措施