Are we leaving the community out of rural community sustainability?

SUMMARY

The Rio Earth Summit and publication and distribution of Agenda 21 (UN, 1992) have generated much activity in many nations towards development and implementation of community indicators of sustainable development (SI). In recent years efforts at development and implementation of SI have intensified at regional and urban government levels, although fewer efforts are evident at a rural community level. In response to initial ad hoc efforts, methodologies for SI construction are currently being proposed, tested and refined. Within this evolutionary process, increasing recognition is being given to the critical need for, and importance of, ‘stakeholder’ involvement in SI development and implementation. This paper critically reviews these and related efforts from the perspective of rural communities in Canada. The argument is presented that the process of development and implementation of rural community-level SI can significantly benefit from development and implementation of a methodological approach in support of principles and practices of effective stakeholder involvement. It is further argued that development of SI must be stakeholder-driven, and that a pivotal element in the SI development process is the facilitation of information sharing. The paper concludes with a proposal for an approach to stakeholder participation and information sharing achieved through research, testing and refinement, and integration of these concepts within the process of rural community sustainable indicator development.     

自然灾害对我国农业的影响研究

通过对2000-2008年自然灾害发生面积与我国农业发展过程中的各项指标进行了对比分析和回归分析,得出了自然灾害对我国农业发展影响较为显著,并具体指出了旱灾、水灾等自然灾害对我国农业发展的影响.自然灾害通过影响农业单产、农业有效利用面积及农业总产值来影响农业,不同种类自然灾害的发生面积都处于不断波动之中,并呈现逐步提升之势,具有一定的区域性.最后指出了通过增强农业本身抵御自然灾害的能力和更好的预测农业自然灾害等,为各级政府制定抗灾减灾对策提供依据.     

我国农业政策性保险发展策略研究

当前我国需要完善农业政策性保险政策体系,加大各项政策的补贴力度,通过完善农业保险法律体系,建立专门管理机构,促进农业政策性保险政策顺利实施,保证农业健康稳定发展。     

国家历史文化名城地区农业与水文地质的关系

国家历史文化名城地区记录了华夏农耕文明更多的生活经验,论文以这些城市地区为研究对象,通过在全国尺度选取典型群体110 个国家历史文化名城地区为样本,并定义农业水文地质适宜度指标,对各类水文地质与农业活动的空间关系进行了量化。从研究结果来看：各富水程度的松散岩类孔隙含水岩组是农业适宜性较强的水文地质类型;碳酸盐岩类含水岩组的农业适宜性也较强;而岩浆岩类含水岩组以及变质岩类含水岩组等则是农业适宜性较弱的水文地质类型,其中松散岩类孔隙含水岩组的农业水文地质适宜度是岩浆岩类含水岩组以及变质岩类含水岩组的2~3 倍。     

Soil organic carbon and total nitrogen stocks as affected by different land use in an Ultisol in Imo Watershed,southern Nigeria

Soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil total nitrogen (STN) concentrations and stocks are essential for improving soil quality and increasing C-reservoir. The study aimed at quantifying the dynamics of soil properties under different land use in Imo watershed where there is no knowledge about the effects of land use on SOC and STN pool. Six land use: arable land (AL), forest land (FL), grassland (GL), shrubland hills (SL), urban built-up green (UL), and freshwater swamp-mangrove wetland (WL) were classified using ArcGIS 10.1 and FAO land use classification system. Soil samples were collected and analyzed from each land use under different soil depths and slope positions with three replications. Topsoil layer (0–30?cm) contributed to more than 90% of the total soil nutrients. Land use significantly affected SOC content, STN content, and bulk density. SOC and STN concentrations were in the order of FL?>?WL?>?GL?>?SL?>?UL?>?AL which revealed the potentials of FL and WL for SOC and STN sequestration. The study provides land users with the information to improve soil quality, conserve C and N stocks for ecological sustainability and climate change mitigation.     

有机无机肥料对农业环境影响述评

论述了有机肥在中国的使用情况和对农业生产的作用、化肥对农产品质量的影响、化肥对土壤肥力的贡献、有机肥和化肥对大气环境和水体的影响。目前人们在对化肥使用的认识上普遍存在误区,认为施用化肥一定会对环境产生污染,只有使用有机肥才能解决问题。中国是一个人口大国,今后在一个相当长的时间内,农业产品的生产在养分的投入上仍然需要以化肥为主,充分、合理、平衡的化肥投入不仅能满足人们对农产品数量上的需要,而且一定能满足人们对农产品品质的要求。化肥的合理施用可以改善和提高农产品品质,提高土壤有机质含量,改善土壤理化性质,减少温室气体的排放和水体污染。化肥本身是无害的,有害的是对化肥的不合理施用。在肥料问题上,今后需要关注 的应该是生产和使用更优质、更高效的化肥,推广科学合理的施肥技术,提高化肥的利用效率。     

东中西部区域农业差异及其特征分析

我国东中西部区域农业发展水平的差异较大，认识这种差异的特征对于制定区域农业协调发展的战略决策具有重要意义。本文选择有关区域经济、社会、资源与环境方面的17项指标，采用主成分分析方法，对我国区域农业发展差异的现状进行了分析。结果表明，目前，东中西部农业发展的整体差异仍然很大，主要表现为人均农业产值和人均乡镇企业产值差异较大。而且，从1980～1995年农民人均纯收入的吉尼系数一直呈现增大趋势，说明区域差异呈持续扩大的态势。到1998年人均农业产值的吉尼系数高达0．43，已经高于国际警戒水平。对近10年东中西部乡镇企业产值变化的分析说明，自从实施西部开发战略以来，东中西部乡镇企业产值的比值已经由16：5．6：1．0变为4．5：2．1：1．0。显然西部开发促进了西部农业经济的发展，缩小了区域农业发展水平的差异。     

Nature Quality in Organic Farming: A Conceptual Analysis of Considerations and Criteria in A European Context

Nature quality in relation to farming is a complex field. It involves different traditions and interests, different views of what nature is, and different ways of valuing nature. Furthermore there is a general lack of empirical data on many aspects of nature quality in the farmed landscape. In this paper we discuss nature quality from the perspective of organic farming, which has its own values and goals in relation to nature – the Ecologist View of Nature. This is in contrast to the Culturist View characteristic of much conventional agriculture and the Naturalist View characteristic of the traditional biological approach to nature quality. This threefold distinction forms a framework for exploration of nature quality criteria in the farmed landscape. The traditional work on nature quality has mainly focused on biological interests based on a Naturalist View of Nature. In this paper we will explore how criteria for nature quality based on the Ecologist View can be developed and thereby feed into the ongoing discussion of the development of the organic farming practices. We suggest additional criteria for nature quality based on an Ecologist View of Nature: biodiversity, habitat diversity, extent and structure, functional integrity of habitats and agro-ecosystems, landscape integrity, accessibility, and experientiality. The larger set of Naturalist and Ecologist criteria can provide a wider and more balanced basis for developing nature quality indicators that are relevant in the farmed landscapes. This broader approach to nature quality is also expected to benefit the general societal discussions and decisions on farming and nature.     

Why slaughter? The cultural dimensions of Britain's foot and mouth disease control policy, 1892–2001

In 1892, the British agricultural authorities introduced a policy of slaughtering animals infected with foot and mouth disease (FMD). This measure endured throughout the 20th century and formed a base line upon which officials superimposed the controversial "contiguous cull" policy during the devastating 2001 epidemic. Proponents of the slaughter frequently emphasized its capacity to eliminate FMD from Britain, and claimed that it was both cheaper and more effective than the alternative policies of isolation and vaccination. However, their discussions reveal that a less obvious but nonetheless important reason for maintaining the slaughter policy was the conviction that in its manner of operation and its outcomes, it benefited the state and status of the British nation. To its supporters, slaughter was far more than a method of disease control; it acted also as a moralizing and civilizing force, an indicator of veterinary ability and a "virility symbol" of British international leadership. This "cultural" rationale for FMD control by slaughter declined during the late 20th century and was wholly undermined by the 2001 epidemic, when extensive culling failed to convey the intended image of an organized, enlightened Britain.