The role of community-based watershed development in reducing farmers’ vulnerability to climate change and variability in the northwestern highlands of Ethiopia

ABSTRACT

Community-based watershed development (CBWD) has been implemented in Ethiopia since the last three decades. However, the benefits of these watershed development interventions for climate change adaptation are not well documented. This study, therefore, assesses the contributions of CBWD in reducing farmers’ vulnerability to the impacts of climate change and variability in the northwestern highlands of Ethiopia. Data were collected from systematically selected 157 households using questionnaire. The questionnaire consists of questions on climate, ecosystem and households’ livelihood capital. Livelihood Vulnerability Index (LVI) and Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change Livelihood Vulnerability Index (IPCC-LVI) methods were used to generate vulnerability indices. Vulnerability indices computed for three conserved watersheds were compared with one non-conserved watershed using one-way ANOVA test. LVI score for ecosystem related indicators was significantly low for Adef Wuha compared to the non-conserved watershed. Similarly, LVI scores generated from agriculture, wealth and social indicators were low for Tija Baji and Guansa watersheds. On the other hand, the IPCC-LVI result did not show significant differences in exposure; however, sensitivity scores of conserved watersheds were significantly lower compared to the non-conserved. The adaptive capacities of two conserved watersheds (Guansa and Tija Baji) were also significantly lower as compared to the non-conserved. The overall (composite) vulnerability of watersheds generated from both methods (LVI and IPCC-LVI) showed that the conserved watersheds were less vulnerable to climate change compared to the non-conserved. The findings suggest that CBWD is an important strategy to reduce vulnerability of smallholder farmers to the ongoing and future climate change.     

Up-to-date Investigation Report on Rural Migrant Workers in China

One year has passed since the Advice on Solving the Problems of Rural Migrant Workers by the State Council was put into practice. The status for rural migrant workers has been improved effectively. Especially, their wages have been increased notably, the problem of default on wage payments has been alleviated, and the services offered to them by governments have been improved. However, some essential problems, such as low income and bad living conditions, have not been changed ultimately. Their strong wishes to become legal urban residents are still far from being realized. Therefore, we should carry out the current policies, make further institutional innovations, increase relevant investments, gradually eliminate institutional barricades, and fund shortage problems that prevent rural migrant workers from becoming legal urban residents, and solve the problems of rural migrant workers thoroughly.     

农村外出务工人员承包地处置方式的区域差异与影响因素——基于社会融入视角

我国农村外出务工人员保有相当规模的承包地,如何高效集约利用是农业现代化的基础。利用流动人口卫生计生动态监测数据,在分析省域承包地处置方式差异的基础上,以其社会融入水平为切入点,分析其承包地处置决策的影响因素。研究发现：（1）粮食主产区承包地流转已具一定规模,但撂荒在全国也有相当比例,显性撂荒呈“西南高、东北低”的空间格局,农村外出务工人员承包地处置方式的集聚特征与其流动目的地社会融入水平存在一定程度的关联性;（2）社会融入水平的提升会显著降低农村外出务工人员的自耕意愿,易于形成亲朋耕种、流转等承包地处置决策,但是,撂荒的概率也会随之增加;（3）地方土地流转政策尚不足以将农村外出务工人员转移经营权的意愿完全转化为亲朋耕种、流转等行为,依然有较高概率显性或隐性撂荒。针对这些问题,流出地与流动目的地的政策应统筹考虑。一方面提升社会服务水平,降低农村外出务工人员生计风险;另一方面应积极引导其将承包地流转,避免撂荒造成耕地资源浪费。     

农户专业化对农业低碳化的影响研究————来自北京市蔬菜种植户的证据

农户专业化和农业低碳化是农业现代化和农业可持续发展的必然环节,研究农户专业化对农业低碳化的影响具有重要意义.论文运用专业化分工理论和低碳经济理论分析了农户专业化对农业低碳化的影响.然后,根据2013年北京市蔬菜种植户的实地调查数据,运用联立方程组模型的似不相关回归(SUR)方法对理论分析结果进行了实证检验.结果表明:农户专业化与农业碳排放在5%的显著性水平上负相关,而农户专业化与农业产出和农业碳生产率均在1%的显著性水平上正相关.理论分析结果得到了经验验证,说明农户专业化对农业低碳化具有显著的正向影响.     

中国农村居民食品消费碳排放的时空格局及其影响因素

在全球气候变化背景下,研究居民食品消费碳排放具有重要的意义。本文基于全国和地区农村居民家庭食品消费量调查数据及其人均食品消费碳排放的测算,运用ArcGIS空间统计分析、地理探测器因子探测等方法,分析2000—2019年中国农村居民家庭食品人均碳排放的时空格局及其驱动因素。结果表明：①碳排放结构中升降因素叠加,人均碳排放量增速不明显。②人均碳排放量存在空间集聚效应,但集聚程度呈下降趋势。③人均碳排放量、直接与间接排放量空间分异的影响因素不同。其中,人均碳排放量主要受到猪牛羊肉消费量、食品消费支出的影响。建议从优化农村居民的饮食结构,适度减少猪牛羊肉的消费量、增加综合碳折算系数较低的禽肉、蛋类、牛奶和鱼类等动物性食品的消费量,以及加强人均碳排放量较高地区饮食结构调整和优化的指导等方面,减少农村居民食品消费的人均碳排放量。     

建筑行业农民工的职业安全健康现状及对策

通过分析现阶段我国建筑行业农民工的常见职业性伤害事故以及职业安全健康现状,从教育、技术、监管3个方面提出了引导农民工学会利用法律、通过合法渠道维护自身权益;改善农民工的就业环境,加强个体防护,讲究文明礼貌,遵守职业行为准则,培养科学、文明、健康的生活方式等具体措施,为农村富余劳动力转移提供更多的就业机会,增加农民收入促进城乡经济协调发展,保障建筑行业农民工的职业安全健康提供科学依据。     

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。     

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。