The Links Between Resource Dependency and Attitude of Commercial Fishers to Coral Reef Conservation in the Red Sea

The imperative to further constrain extractive uses of natural resources will strengthen as resources degrade through over-use or exposure to climate changes. Here, we explore an approach to increase the support for marine conservation among coral reef fishers. We explore the proposition that resource dependency in the Egyptian Red Sea can act as a barrier to conservation. We administered face-to-face surveys to 49% of the fishing industry to: (i) identify the level of compliance to the local marine protected area (MPA), (ii) assess the level of dependency on marine resources in the region and (iii) examine the relationship between resource dependency and conservation attitudes. Only 11.4% of fishers were aware of the MPA. Fishers were mostly limited in their social flexibility and livelihood options. Results suggest that resource dependency is highly and negatively correlated with conservation attitudes suggesting that management efforts need to seriously focus on reducing dependency if conservation goals are to be met.     

Charging for Nature: Marine Park Fees and Management from a User Perspective

User fees can contribute to the financial sustainability of marine protected areas (MPAs), yet they must be acceptable to users. We explore changes in the fee system and management of Bonaire National Marine Park (BNMP) from the perspective of users. Responses from 393 tourists indicated that 90% were satisfied with park conditions and considered current user fees reasonable. However, only 47% of divers and 40% of non-divers were prepared to pay more. Diver willingness-to-pay (WTP) appears to have decreased since 1991, but this difference could be due in part to methodological differences between studies. Although current fees are close to diver maximum stated WTP, revenues could potentially be increased by improving the current fee system in ways that users deem acceptable. This potential surplus highlights the value of understanding user perceptions toward MPA fees and management.     

Migration and animal husbandry: Competing or complementary livelihood strategies.Evidence from Kyrgyzstan

Animal husbandry and labour migration are important livelihood strategies for a large proportion of the rural population in developing countries. Up to now, the two strategies have usually been studied by looking at either one or the other; their interlinkages have rarely been examined. Based on a case study in rural Kyrgyzstan, the aim of this paper is to explore the links between animal husbandry and labour migration. Results show that for most rural households, livestock is crucial yet not sufficient to make a living. Therefore, many people diversify their income sources by migrating to work elsewhere. This generates cash for daily expenses and the acquisition of new livestock, but also leads to an absence of workforce in households. Yet since remittances usually exceed the expenses for hiring additional workforce, most people consider migration profitable. From a socio‐economic point of view, migration and animal husbandry can thus be considered important complementary livelihood strategies for the rural Kyrgyz population, at least for the time being. In the long term, however, the failure of young migrants to return to rural places and their settlement in urban areas might also cause remittance dependency and lead to an increasing lack of qualified labour. From an environmental point of view, the investment of remittances into animal husbandry poses challenges to sustainable pasture management. Increasing livestock numbers in rural areas raise pressure on pasture resources. Since most people consider animal husbandry their main future prospect while continuing to use pastures in a fairly unsustainable way, this may further exacerbate the over‐utilization of pastures in future.     

Village pubs as a social propellant in rural areas: an econometric study

There is no place like England to witness the role of pubs as a social networking hotspot. Social networks lie at the foundations of most of the social and economic interactions of individuals. The aim of this paper is to assess the importance of pubs as natural locations for the development of social networks and how their presence affects the socio-economic activity of a given area or region. The econometric analysis conducted on rural parishes in Cumbria, a peripheral county in Northern England, reveals that village pubs have a positive influence on the socio-economic activity of local communities.     

一体化生物膜技术处理滨海农村污水

对厌氧-3级好氧/缺氧生物膜工艺进行技术改进,并对改进后的"一体化生物膜技术"处理低碳氮比农村生活污水进行了实际应用。新工艺增设了回流泵(回流比2∶1),且厌氧段悬浮填料装填率由原来的15%提高到30%,3级好氧/缺氧段YDT型弹性立体填料装填率依次由原来的50%、40%、25%提高到70%、60%和40%。装置连续稳定运行12个月,平均进水量为18 m3/d,HRT为3.7 d,监测结果表明:对COD、BOD、NH3-N、TN、TP和SS平均去除率分别为75.6%、85.9%、86.7%、63.9%、69.3%和85.5%;出水COD、BOD、NH3-N、TN、TP和SS的平均浓度分别在34.9、8.9、3.4、9.9、0.9和6.9 mg/L以下。改进后出水BOD和TN的去除能力有较大提高,除TP外其他各项指标均达到了设计要求。     

农村集体建设用地流转对资源配置的影响评析

为实现土地资源优化配置,本文系统地比较分析了农村集体建设用地流转前后的资源配置状况,以确定配置方式的有效性或选择合理的调控制度.结果表明,与土地征收相比,集体建设用地流转有助于优化资源配置.但在有无相应的制度安排或制度如何安排以及利益主体行为趋向的影响下,集体建设用地流转对实现资源优化配置不一定更有效.如果缺乏合理规范或有效的制度安排,集体建设用地流转市场功能仍然是微弱的或将带来资源配置负效应.要实现土地资源最优配置,就必须在把握集体建设用地流转系统内部结构及外部环境对资源配置影响机理的基础上,对集体建设用地流转进行优化调控.本文提出如下政策建议:完善农村集体建设用地流转立法建设,为流转提供法律支持;深化集体土地产权制度建设,明确集体土地产权主体及其产权权能;加强农村集体建设用地流转市场培育与政府管制制度的系统建设和改革,实现市场机制和政府干预的耦合;转变政府职能,多方面保障政府行为规范化.     

农村最低生活保障政策在实施过程中的瞄准分析

随着我国扶贫战略从区域扶贫向个人扶贫的转变,2007年我国在农村地区全面建立了最低生活保障制度.基于一份具有全国代表性的农户资料,本文采用赤贫指数从多维度度量了农户的贫困程度,并将其应用于农村最低生活保障制度的瞄准效率研究.赤贫指数越低,表示农户越贫困,理论上,这些农户也越应该获得领取最低生活保障资格.结果发现,现阶段我国农村最低生活保障制度瞄准效率不高,瞄准遗漏和瞄准漏出同时存在.其中,在村级层面的分析结果发现,样本村中只有25.5%的最贫困农户在2007年得到了低保;同时,处于赤贫指数最低端的20%和40%的农户分别只得到了最低生活保障名额的50.67%和73.33%.而在获得最低生活保障的农户中,有1/5以上的农户认为低保金对改善他们家庭经济状况帮助很小或者没有任何帮助.基于以上研究结论,本文认为政府在继续增加对农村最低生活保障制度的财政投入的同时,应当在建立健全更为规范完善的收入核算标准的基础上,从研究和实践两个方面继续探索发展适合我国农村的多维度的贫困户鉴别制度,提高农村低保的瞄准效率.     

政府减贫行为的动态效应——中国农村减贫问题的SVAR模型实证分析(1990-2008)

脱贫人口返贫率偏高是中国农村贫困问题的一个显著特征.这种客观现实要求我们,应该仔细考察农村贫困发生率、贫困深度和贫困强度对政府干预行为的跨期响应,从而动态地而不是静态地评价政府减贫行为绩效.本文将普惠式的农村农业发展政策与扶贫政策一起纳入减贫分析框架,构建一个结构向量自回归模型(SVAR)模型,以弥补现有文献用多变量时间序列数据通过单方程模型回归分析的局限,从SVAR模型中获得结构冲击响应函数,动态地评价政府行为的减贫效应.实证分析表明,目前的政府行为,无论是普惠式的农村农业发展政策,还是瞄准贫困人口的扶贫政策,对农村贫困的政策干预都没有形成持久的影响,冲击响应衰减很快.为了降低脱贫人口返贫率,政府减贫政策的目标应定位于提升贫困人口的自身发展能力,扩展贫困人口参与经济增长的机会,使经济增长成为他们获取稳定收益的源泉.     

基于夏普里值过程的农村居民收入差距分解

认识农村居民收入差距现状并研究引致收入差距的因素,对缩小收入差距的政策制定有重要意义.本文利用内蒙古和甘肃2个省1500户农户的截面数据,采用夏普里值过程对Gini系数、Theil指数、Atkinson指数这三个不平等指标进行回归分解.分解结果稳健地发现,以县域为代理变量的外部环境因素对收入差距具有重要影响,非农劳动力、培训比和家庭男劳动力比对收入差距的相对贡献度较大,而平均年龄、家庭人口和平均教育对收入差距的相对贡献较小.作为社会网络的人情收支和作为物质资本的人均土地面积对收入差距的贡献极小.从缓解中国西部农村地区间的不平等的角度看,长期而言,支持和促进地区经济发展,增加非农就业机会,提供平等的教育和培训机会,有利于缓解收入不平等.而在城市化进程中,处理好土地问题,避免作为物质资本的土地成为引致不平等的因素,对于未来控制不平等状况有重要意义.     

农业污染治理及保障机制研究

本文简述了农业产生的污染类型,讨论了农村空气、地表水和土壤的污染情况,分析了主要农村环境问题,并提出因地制宜,加快推进农村环境连片综合整治,建立循环型农业技术支撑体系,推行生态补偿机制等措施,进一步完善了农业污染治理和保障机制。