Can Labor Out-Migration Reduce Firewood Consumption by Rural Households in Western Mountainous China

Abstract

The relationship between out-migration of labor in the Qinling mountain area and households’ firewood consumption is explored. Migration and remittances reduce households’ firewood consumption due to increases in both income and opportunity cost of firewood collection. Previous studies have been equivocal because they ignored uncertainty in household economy, which is widespread in forest areas of less developed countries. This study provides additional insight by considering vulnerability and subjective assessment of poverty generated by unstable income and an uncertain future. We provide evidence that the amount of firewood consumed depends on income and opportunity cost of firewood collection, but also on a prudent consumption strategy, due to farmers’ subjective assessment of their future possible poverty. We also find out-migration of labor can reduce per capita firewood consumption but subjective poverty also acts against reduction of firewood consumption.     

区域农村土地市场发育的农户行为响应与农业土地利用变化——以江苏省苏州市、南京市、扬州市村庄及农户调查为例

在江苏省苏州市、南京市、扬州市各自选择了2个村的基础上,运用对240个农户的抽样调查资料,建立了区域农业土地利用变化分析的数量经济模型,较为深入地分析了农村土地流转市场引导下的农户行为对于农业土地利用变化的影响。研究结果表明,在农户决策行为起主导作用的前提下,农业土地利用正在逐步由传统的大田作物向效益更高的经济作物和水产养殖等地类转化;农户家庭非农就业水平的提高有效地推进了这一转化;同时,农户受教育水平的高低以及政府行为都在一定程度上影响着农业土地利用变化。最后从区域非农产业和城镇化发展、深化农村土地产权的物权化改革、农村社会保障制度的完善、建立农村土地流转中介机制、进一步规范政府行为及积极推进农村户籍制度改革等方面提出了一些政策性建议。     

The Impact of NTFP Sales on Rural Households’ Cash Income in India’s Dry Deciduous Forest

In recent years, researchers and policy makers have recognized that nontimber forest products (NTFPs) extracted from forests by rural people can make a significant contribution to their well-being and to the local economy. This study presents and discusses data that describe the contribution of NTFPs to cash income in the dry deciduous forests of Orissa and Jharkhand, India. In its focus on cash income, this study sheds light on how the sale of NTFPs and products that use NTFPs as inputs contribute to the rural economy. From analysis of a unique data set that was collected over the course of a year, the study finds that the contribution of NTFPs to cash income varies across ecological settings, seasons, income level, and caste. Such variation should inform where and when to apply NTFP forest access and management policies.     

RURAL HOUSEHOLD RESPONSE TO WATER CONTAMINATION IN WEST VIRGINIA1

ABSTRACT: About one-third of all West Virginians obtain domestic water from private water wells. In this research, mail and telephone surveys were used to investigate household responses to bacteria, mineral, and organic chemical contamination of domestic water supplies. Of households who were informed of contamination and acknowledged the problem, over 85 percent took action to avoid exposure to water contamination problems. The most common action was to clean and/or repair the water system (55.9 percent of valid surveys). Approximately 45 percent of households made investments of either a water treatment system, a new water source, or correction of contamination source. The average, annual economic cost of rural household actions was $320 for bacteria, $357 for minerals, and $1,090 for organic contamination. These economic costs represent a lower bound estimate for rural household willingness-to-pay (WTP) for a reduction in domestic water contamination from government action. On average, investment actions had lower annual economic costs than noninvestment actions of boiling and hauling water so that households who undertook investment actions in response to water contamination would have a lower WTP for government action to reduce water contamination. When effectiveness of water treatment systems was evaluated, treatment systems which require minimal household maintenance were found to reduce exposure to water contamination to safe levels as households intended when they installed the system. Treatment systems which were commonly ineffective included those which required continual maintenance (e.g., chiorinators) or were not designed to solve the contaminant problem for which they were purchased (e.g., filter systems for bacteria).     

农业水权转移的条件——基于甘肃、内蒙典型灌区的实证研究

由于农业的高用水份额和低使用价值,水市场发展的核心是农业用水向其他用水目标的转移;尽管水市场收益被大肆渲染,即使在西方国家,水市场的成功只是停留在政治和理论层面上,农业水权转移的条件,无论在发达国家还是发展中国家,都是水市场政策探索的核心问题。本文利用甘肃、内蒙2省典型灌区432个农户的实地调研数据,基于数据包络分析(DEA)方法,对农户灌溉用水效率与农业水权转移的内在逻辑关系进行系统分析,以探索中国转型经济条件下农业水权转移的条件。研究发现:尽管2个灌区农户灌溉用水效率低下,但马营河灌区灌溉用水效率的改善为农业水权转移奠定了基础;但农户用水效率改善只是农业水权转移的必要条件,水权和水价机制的建立、用水者协会的发展和灌区管理体制改革,降低了水权转移的交易成本,是农业水权转移的充分条件。需求即可以是行为的起因,也可以是行为的结果。农户灌溉用水效率差异是不同灌区农业水权转移的基础和结果。     

Can Labor Out-Migration Reduce Firewood Consumption by Rural Households in Western Mountainous China

The relationship between out-migration of labor in the Qinling mountain area and households’ firewood consumption is explored. Migration and remittances reduce households’ firewood consumption due to increases in both income and opportunity cost of firewood collection. Previous studies have been equivocal because they ignored uncertainty in household economy, which is widespread in forest areas of less developed countries. This study provides additional insight by considering vulnerability and subjective assessment of poverty generated by unstable income and an uncertain future. We provide evidence that the amount of firewood consumed depends on income and opportunity cost of firewood collection, but also on a prudent consumption strategy, due to farmers’ subjective assessment of their future possible poverty. We also find out-migration of labor can reduce per capita firewood consumption but subjective poverty also acts against reduction of firewood consumption.     

农地整理对农户农地固定资本投入的影响研究

农地整理是政府农村公共投入的一种,农户的农地固定资本投入是农户的私人投资,研究农地整理对农户农地固定资本投入的投入效应将为农地整理的有效实施和促进农业机械化提供理论依据。在理论分析的基础上,基于农户调查数据,分别运用Tobit和Logit模型,分析了农地整理变量对农户农地固定资本投入的现状和意愿的影响。研究结果表明:农户对农地整理的满意程度对农户农地固定资本投入有正向影响;农户参与农地整理的意愿对农户农地固定资本投入意愿有正向作用;农地整理对农户农地固定资本投入的意愿比农户农地固定资本投入现状影响更为明显。因此,需要提高农地整理的质量,确保农地整理的实施;应该完善农户参与农地整理的机制,提高农户参与农地整理项目的意识和程度,充分保障农民权益;在农地整理项目实施的基础上,应该进一步克服农业机械化的障碍,从而推动农户发展农业机械化。     

Innovative solutions for averting a potential resource crisis—the case of one-person households in England and Wales

This paper seeks to test the hypothesis that growth in one-person households will increase the domestic consumption of energy, land and household goods in England and Wales. It concludes that if current consumer behaviour of one-person households persists there will be a significant increase in the consumption of all three resources in the future. However, it argues that that many opportunities exist in England and Wales for tackling this problem. For example the new housing programme, increasing ability amongst one-person households to afford “green alternatives” and the search amongst some one-person households for alternative lifestyles (which could be potentially more resource efficient). The paper suggests that providing one-person households with opportunities to live in more resource efficient housing and adopt pro-environmental behaviour could significantly reduce their future environmental impact. Various design, fiscal and awareness-raising solutions are presented in the paper and their viability is assessed. These include ecological homes, collective housing forms, occupancy tax, relocation packages, educational programmes and targeted advertising campaigns. The paper proposes that using a combination of these more innovative solutions to the problem could significantly reduce the future environmental impact of one-person households.     

湘南红壤丘陵区农户经济行为对土地退化的影响分析——以祁东县紫云村为例

通过在湖南省祁东县紫云材进行的土地利用及农户经济行为调查,从土地状况、从业选择、农具、农田设施、耕作方式和效益等方面,分析了湘南红壤丘陵区农户社会经济行为对土地质量的影响。结果表明：紫云村农户重“品种”轻“土壤”,水田土壤有机质含量减少,理化性状变差,土壤自然肥力降低,旱地、林地粗放经营,质量退化。改变农户只重“品种”而忽视“土壤”的观念、提高耕地复种指数、建立合理的轮作体系和水土保持型高效集约持续的耕作制度、加强林业管理和经营、加大农业投入、搞好农田水利建设是防止本区土地退化和保证本区农业可持续发展的对策。     

沙漠化地区退耕还林政策的生态经济效应分析——以民勤县为例

退耕还林是沙漠化地区生态环境治理的主要内容。论文以沙漠化严重的民勤县为例,采用环境社会学的研究方法,对民勤县农户的退耕还林意愿和退耕还林政策的生态经济效应在农户中的响应进行了典型调查和抽样调查,并搜集了相关数据。统计分析表明:退耕还林涉及到农户土地利用方式的变化,农户的退耕意愿主要取决于退耕后经济利益的得失;农户虽然在近期承受退耕地收益减少的负担,但长期可以得到退耕还林的保肥效果和减少风沙灾害损失的生态经济效果。退耕还林具有典型的外部经济性,政府应该为退耕还林的成本全部买单,同时,在调整退耕地结构、优化退耕模式的过程中还要协调好退耕还林与农户增收的关系。