CAER 2022年第14卷第3期目录及摘要

全文链接：

https://www.emerald.com/insight/publication/issn/1756-137X/vol/14/iss/3

The decline in agricultural share and agricultural industrialization—some stylized facts and theoretical explanations

Shouying Liu, Baojin Wang

How agricultural economists are using big data: a review

Liang Lu, Guang Tian, Patrick Hatzenbuehler

The impact of land certification on cropland abandonment: evidence from rural China

Linyi Zheng, Wenrong Qian

Exploring the relationship between plot size and fertilizer use efficiency: evidence from large-scale farming in China

Fang Li, Shuyi Feng, Hualiang Lu, Futian Qu, Marijke D'Haese

Effect of industrial structure on urban–rural income inequality in China

Diandian Chen, Yong Ma

Off-farm employment experience triggers heterogeneity of exiting part-time farming in rural China

Yunli Bai, Weidong Wang, Linxiu Zhang

Pre- and post-production water treatment in the food processing industry: managerial perceptions of environmental pressure increase adoption of voluntary environmental management

Ting Meng, Qijun Jiang, Wojciech J. Florkowski

Internet access and irrigation adoption in China

Yushan Hu, Yahua Wang, Penglong Zhang

Does education affect consumers' attitudes toward genetically modified foods? Evidence from China's two rounds of education reforms

Yexin Zhou, Siwei Chen, Tianyu Wang, Qi Cui

Classification-based forest management program and farmers' income: evidence from collective forest area in southern China

Chang Xu, Baodong Cheng, Mengzhen Zhang

The decline in agricultural share and agricultural industrialization—some stylized facts and theoretical explanations

Shouying Liu    Baojin Wang

Abstract：

Purpose

The decline in the share of agriculture in both output and employment is a central feature of structural transformation. The authors present the distinct features between developed and developing countries in the process of agricultural share decline and dig into the real changes that occurred in the agricultural sector during the rapid decline in the agricultural share.

Design/methodology/approach

Taking the declining share of agriculture as a clue, the authors depict heterogeneous characteristics in the declining share of agriculture in developed and developing countries. Secondly, by criticizing the factor substitution hypothesis, the authors argue that the essence of agricultural transformation is the process of agricultural industrialization characterized by the combination, reconstruction, and continual changes of agricultural production factors. Finally, based on the theory of agricultural industrialization, this paper analyzes the combination of factors in different stages of declining agricultural share in typical economies.

Findings

In this paper, the authors find that the rapid decline in agricultural employment share is accompanied by an increase in the returns to agricultural production in developed economies. In contrast, the decline in agricultural employment share in developing economies lags, and agricultural production efficiency is way much poorer than that of developed economies. Taking the United States and Japan as examples, the authors find that the agricultural sector underwent agricultural industrialization, featured by reconstruction and upgrades of production factors combination.

Originality/value

The authors systematically reveal why huge changes occurred in the agricultural sector in developed economies during structural transformation, and also provide further thoughts and lessons for developing countries to accomplish agricultural modernization.

How agricultural economists are using big data: a review

Liang Lu    Guang Tian    Patrick Hatzenbuehler

Abstract：

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe the main ways in which large amounts of information have been integrated to provide new measures of food consumption and agricultural production, and new methods for gathering and analyzing internet-based data.

Design/methodology/approach

This study reviews some of the recent developments and applications of big data, which is becoming increasingly popular in agricultural economics research. In particular, this study focuses on applications of new types of data such as text and graphics in consumers' online reviews emerging from e-commerce transactions and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data as well as other producer data that are gaining popularity in precision agriculture. This study then reviews data gathering techniques such as web scraping and data analytics tools such as textual analysis and machine learning.

Findings

This study provides a comprehensive review of applications of big data in agricultural economics and discusses some potential future uses of big data.

Originality/value

This study documents some new types of data that are being utilized in agricultural economics, sources and methods to gather and store such data, existing applications of these new types of data and techniques to analyze these new data.

The impact of land certification on cropland abandonment: evidence from rural China

Linyi Zheng    Wenrong Qian

Abstract：

Purpose

This study explores how the land tenure system helps in protecting land quantity during agricultural production by estimating the influence of land certification on cropland abandonment, its mechanisms and its heterogeneous effects among groups at the provincial, community and household levels.

Design/methodology/approach

To deal with potential homogeneity concerns, the authors investigate the impact of land certification on the area of abandoned croplands using nationally representative panel data from the 2017 and 2019 China Rural Household Panel Survey on 15,000 households across 29 provinces and time-varying difference-in-differences and propensity score matching-difference-in-differences models.

Findings

Land certification significantly contributes to the protection of land quantity during agricultural production, and it reduces the area of abandoned croplands by at least 4%. This effect is mainly achieved by improving soil fertility, promoting land transfer, increasing the availability of agricultural subsidies and raising agricultural income. However, while land certification benefits farmers in nonmajor grain-producing areas and western regions, in plain, remote and nonpolitically central villages, and farmers who have not undergone land transfer or land adjustment, it is not beneficial for others.

Research limitations/implications

In the postepidemic era, food security based on the protection of the amount of cultivated land becomes increasingly important. It is realistic and inevitable to rationally use every inch of cultivated land and curb the cropland abandonment by strengthening land tenure system reform, especially in the case of the insecurity of land tenure.

Practical implications

There are various factors affecting farmers' cropland abandonment, such as poor soil fertility, unavailable land transfer, too little agricultural subsidies and too low agricultural income, but the root cause is the insecurity of land tenure. Empirical evidence from rural China has shown that a clear definition and effective protection of property rights can help curb the cropland abandonment. Enhancing the land protection behavior of farmers through the reform of land certification and promoting the sustainable use of land are what the reform of land tenure system should be.

Social implications

Cultivated land, as the material carrier and endowment basis of grain production, is of great importance to safeguarding national food security, especially in the postepidemic era. At the present stage, it is still necessary for most developing countries to strengthen the construction of land tenure system, to carry out land certification reform and to issue farmers with clearly defined and legally effective land certificates. Equally important, efforts also should be made to promote the diversified utilization of the achievements of the certification after the completion of land certification reform in China and other developing countries.

Originality/value

Expropriation and occupation of croplands are essential in protecting land quantity during rapid urbanization, and so is reducing cropland abandonment during agricultural production; therefore, it deserves close attention. In this regard, this study estimates the impact of land certification on the area of abandoned croplands, examines its possible mechanisms and identifies its heterogeneous effects to test the applicability of the property rights theory in the Chinese context and enrich the relevant literature and provide Chinese evidence for other developing countries to strengthen the protection of land quantity, by deepening the reform of the land tenure system under different circumstances.

Exploring the relationship between plot size and fertilizer use efficiency: evidence from large-scale farming in China

Fang Li    Shuyi Feng    Hualiang Lu    Futian Qu    Marijke D'Haese

Abstract：

Purpose

This paper investigates the relationship between plot size and fertilizer use efficiency (FE) in Chinese large-scale farming and searches for the underlying mechanisms that explain this relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a household- and plot-level data set of large-scale production units (LSPUs) from Jiangsu and Jiangxi Provinces, the technical and fertilizer use efficiency of large-scale rice production is estimated by applying a translog stochastic frontier production function. The authors impose a monotonicity condition on the translog frontier using a three-step procedure to get theoretically consistent efficiency estimates. A beta regression model is then used to explore the association between plot size and LSPUs' efficiency in fertilizer application.

Findings

The average FE for the sampled plots is around 30%, which shows a large potential for LSPUs to reduce fertilizer use. A U-shaped relationship is observed between plot size and FE. The authors relate this non-linear pattern to the substitution of labour with capital-intensive technology and the efficiency differences in terms of farming performance between family and hired workers.

Originality/value

First, according to the authors’ knowledge, this paper is a first attempt to study the size–efficiency relationship focussing on fertilization practices of large-scale farming. The second contribution lies in the large-scale ranges of the plot-level data set. Third, efforts are made to reveal the mechanisms determining the plot size–FE relationship. Fourth, the authors provide guiding evidence for policymaking, as they show that the size of individual plots deserves equal attention in land consolidation decisions. Methodologically, this paper improves existing estimates of single-factor technical efficiency issued from a restricted production frontier model.

Effect of industrial structure on urban–rural income inequality in China

Diandian Chen     Yong Ma

Abstract：

Purpose

Since 1978, China has made tremendous economic achievements through industrial upgrading. However, these achievements are accompanied by an expanding income gap between rural and urban areas. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between industrial structure and urban–rural income inequality in China.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the fixed-effects model and provincial data for the period 1985–2019, this paper estimates a linear relationship between industrial structure and urban–rural income inequality. By decomposing total income inequality into four components, the paper then analyzes how industrial structure affects each component.

Findings

The results show that industrial structure imbalance and industrial upgrading are positively associated with urban–rural income inequality. The positive effect of industrial imbalance mainly comes from widening the wage gap, while that of industrial upgrading mainly comes from aggravating business income inequality and property income inequality. Moreover, industrial balance and upgrading are conducive to increasing the share of wage income at the cost of property income.

Originality/value

By progressively examining the total inequality and the inequality of income components, this paper provides a better understanding of how industrial structure affects urban and rural income inequality. The findings of this study highlight the “inequality cost” associated with industrial structure adjustment, which provide policy-related insights on the balance development of urban and rural areas.

Off-farm employment experience triggers heterogeneity of exiting part-time farming in rural China

Yunli Bai    Weidong Wang    Linxiu Zhang

Abstract：

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the occupational specialization in rural labor market by analyzing the nature of part-time farming in rural China and estimating the impact of off-farm experience on the individual’s persistence and exit of part-time farming as well as its heterogeneity.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the panel data collected in 100 villages and 2,000 households across five provinces in 2008, 2012 and 2016, this study provides insights on the nature of part-time farming in rural labor market and find the impact and mechanism of off-farm employment experience on exiting part-time farming by adopting event history analysis.

Findings

Part-time farming is a stable long-run occupation in rural labor market of China from 2008 to 2015. Off-farm employment experience generally has positive effects on long-term part-time farming and the probability of exiting part-time farming. It significantly promotes female to exit part-time farming.

Originality/value

Based on the two-sector model, this study builds a conceptual framework of off-farm experience and occupational specialization and sets a theoretical basis of hazard model when using event history analysis. This study contributes to identify the impact of off-farm experience on persistence and exiting part-time farming in recent years. The empirical findings support the policy of promoting off-farm employment to improve occupational specialization.

Pre- and post-production water treatment in the food processing industry: managerial perceptions of environmental pressure increase adoption of voluntary environmental management

Ting Meng    Qijun Jiang    Wojciech J. Florkowski

Abstract：

Purpose

This paper examines pre- and post-production water treatment practices among food processors and investigates factors, especially managerial perceptions of environmental pressure that encourage or preclude either process.

Design/methodology/approach

To consider potential spillover effects across two water-treatment practices, the bivariate probit model based on random utility theory is used to investigate how practices are influenced by managerial perceptions of environmental pressure and measured by manager perceptions on water costs, water availability, water safety and quality.

Findings

Results indicate that firms with a managerial perception that water costs are low are less likely to conduct both pre- and post-production water treatment practices, while the perception of high water quality has a negative effect on water treatment prior to use. This study also confirms the positive correlation of the pre- and post-water treatment practices among food processors. Practices also change with firm features including production scope, scale, target market and expected future sales growth.

Practical implications

This study provides unique insights about water treatment practices and generates knowledge to enhance food safety and environmental sanitation in the food industry. Results are helpful to design and provide additional training and educational programs that target the enhancement of environmental and water quality awareness among food company managers and modify food safety policy instruments and environmental regulations pertaining to surface water resources.

Originality/value

Research exploring water-treatment practices in the food industry has been limited. Using a representative sample of food processors in the city of Shanghai, this study contributes to the literature on the examination of internal drivers of voluntary environmental management (VEM) with a focus on managerial perceptions of environmental pressure, establishes the correlation between pre- and post-production water treatment practices and identifies and quantifies the effects of relevant factors.

Internet access and irrigation adoption in China

Yushan Hu    Yahua Wang    Penglong Zhang

Abstract：

Purpose

This study aims to examine the effect of the Internet on irrigation system adoption. The authors implement the most extensive household survey of irrigation arrangements ever conducted in rural China and also exploit a public program to improve the quality of distance education in rural middle schools, which has led to plausibly exogenous variation in Internet access across rural districts.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors present a conceptual framework highlighting the transmission mechanisms whereby Internet access may affect irrigation system selection and identify direct effects through agricultural production and an indirect effect through non-agricultural production. To examine the effect of the Internet on irrigation system adoption, we implement the most extensive household survey of irrigation arrangements ever conducted in rural China. We also exploit a public program to improve the quality of distance education in rural middle schools, which has led to plausibly exogenous variation in Internet access across rural districts.

Findings

The authors find evidence to suggest that Internet access can effectively reduce information frictions and searching costs in the non-agricultural labor market, thus increasing rural households' participation in non-farm work. To save more hours from agricultural production, rural households select more labor-saving irrigation systems.

Originality/value

This study’s findings have important implications for the ongoing policy debate over government investment in Internet infrastructure to improve agricultural development in rural and isolated areas.

Does education affect consumers' attitudes toward genetically modified foods? Evidence from China's two rounds of education reforms

Yexin Zhou    Siwei Chen    Tianyu Wang    Qi Cui

Abstract：

Purpose

This study analyzes the causal effect of education on consumers' cognition and attitudes toward genetically modified (GM) foods.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors propose an analytical framework to clarify the role of education levels and education content in the formation of attitudes toward GM foods and utilize education reforms in China as natural experiments to test the theoretical predictions empirically. For education levels, the authors use Compulsory Education Law's implementation to construct the instrument variable. For education content, the authors utilize the revision of the biology textbook in the Eighth Curriculum Reform to implement staggered difference-in-difference estimation. The authors use two national household surveys, the China Genuine Progress indicator Survey (CGPiS) and the China Household Finance Survey (CHFS) of 2017, combined with provincial-level data of education reforms.

Findings

The education level, instrumented by the Compulsory Education Law's implementation, has an insignificant effect on consumers' cognition and attitudes toward GM foods, whereas the acquisition of formal education on genetic science, introduced by the Eighth Curriculum Reform, has a statistically significant and positive influence.

Originality/value

This is the first study to investigate the causal effects of education level and content on consumers' cognition and attitude toward GM foods using national representative data. It is also the first to evaluate the long-term effects of the biology textbook reform in China. The findings help open the black box of how education shapes people's preferences and attitudes and highlight the significance of formal biology education in formulating consumers' willingness to accept GM foods.

Classification-based forest management program and farmers' income: evidence from collective forest area in southern China

Chang Xu    Baodong Cheng    Mengzhen Zhang

Abstract：

Purpose

This article's purpose is to examine the effect of a Classification-Based Forest Management (CFM) program on farmers' income and determine whether its effect varies with the degree of farmers' concurrent occupations.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use representative panel survey data from Longquan to explore the welfare effects of CFM on farmers. The analysis uses differences-in-differences with propensity score matching (PSM-DID) estimation techniques to deal with endogeneity problems when farmers make the decision to participate in CFM.

Findings

The results show that CFM has a positive effect on part-time forestry households (where forestry income accounts for between 5 and 50% of total income). In contrast, it has a negative impact on full-time forestry households (forestry income accounts for more than 50%), and no clear effect on nonforestry households whose forestry income is less than 5%. This research also shows that the positive effect of CFM on farmers' total income is mainly due to increase of off-farm income driven by CFM, while the negative effects consist of CFM's reduction of forestry income.

Originality/value

The extent of CFM's economic benefits to farmers is uncertain and largely unexplored. This paper analyzes the impact of CFM on income structure to explore the mechanisms explaining its effects on farmers' income. There are still challenges in ensuring the reliability and accuracy of CFM assessment. This paper collected natural experimental data and used the estimation technology of PSM-DID to solve the possible endogeneity problems.

——END

相关阅读：

编辑：代安澜

审核：龙文进