Different Types Of Farms Research Articles

Transfer Learning Artificial Neural Network-based Ensemble Voting of Water Quality Classification for Different Types of Farming

Transfer Learning Artificial Neural Network-based Ensemble Voting of Water Quality Classification for Different Types of Farming

The demand for agricultural credit in central Chile

PurposeThe design of effective policies that increase access to agricultural credit should consider understanding credit constraint farmers’ groups and their response to changes in the credit conditions. To contribute to this understanding, this study surveyed farmers from Chile and classified them into five credit constraint categories discussed in credit literature. In addition, these farmers indicated how they would react to a series of hypothetical conditions related to changing interest rates, loan maturity and grace periods. Their responses were employed to measure credit demand scores (i.e. relative elasticities). Regression tests evaluated how different types of farmers reacted to changing credit conditions.Design/methodology/approachFarmers from Chile were surveyed using a mix of random and convenience sampling. Surveyed farmers were classified into five credit constraint categories proposed by previous research. Farmers rated their demand for credit on a five-point Likert-type scale for hypothetical changes in interest rates, loan maturities and grace periods. Their responses were employed to measure credit demand scores or relative credit elasticities. The study evaluated credit elasticity as a function of farmers’ credit constraint and some control variables using several regressions, including OLS, ordered probit and hierarchical regression.FindingsThe study identified 44% unconstrained nonborrowing farmers, 23% unconstrained borrowers, 14% quantity-constrained, 16% risk-constrained and 3% transaction cost-constrained farmers. Unconstrained borrowers and quantity-constrained farmers responded most to changing interest rates and loan maturity conditions. In addition, unconstrained nonborrowers and risk-constrained farmers were statistically less sensitive to changes in credit conditions than unconstrained borrowers. This finding is significant because, as discussed, unconstrained nonborrowers represent 44% of our sample. Furthermore, risk-constrained farmers were the least sensitive to changes in interest rates and loan maturity across all other credit categories.Practical implicationsThis study gives insights that can guide agribusiness policies to enhance access to credit in developing countries such as Chile. Agricultural credit capital institutions can better target their clientele by identifying farmers’ possible reactions before implementing policy changes to increase access to credit. This study’s credit constraint categorization and the results discussed can guide that identification. For instance, policies directed toward unconstrained borrowing farmers may find positive responses. However, implementing policies targeting the other three groups (unconstrained nonborrowing, risk-constrained and transaction cost-constrained farmers) is more challenging because these farmers are less responsive to changing credit conditions.Originality/valueThis article correlates farmers’ propensity to borrow and credit constraints across five categories of farmers. Prior research using this categorization framework has not identified farmers into the five groups. Furthermore, in addition to interest rate and loan maturity credit demand relative elasticity, this study adds the grace period elasticity, which has not been included in previous studies on agricultural credit.

Farming system archetypes help explain the uptake of agri-environment practices in Europe

The adoption of agri-environment practices (AEPs) is crucial for safeguarding the long-term sustainability of ecosystem services within European agricultural landscapes. However, the tailoring of agri-environment policies to the unique characteristics of farming systems is a challenging task, often neglecting local farm parameters or requiring extensive farm survey data. Here, we develop a simplified typology of farming system archetypes (FSAs), using field-level data on farms’ economic size and specialisation derived from the Integrated Administration and Control System in three case studies in Germany, Czechia and the United Kingdom. Our typology identifies groups of farms that are assumed to react similarly to agricultural policy measures, bridging the gap between efforts to understand individual farm behaviour and broad agri-environmental typologies. We assess the usefulness of our approach by quantifying the spatial association of identified archetypes of farming systems with ecologically relevant AEPs (cover crops, fallow, organic farming, grassland maintenance, vegetation buffers, conversion of cropland to grassland and forest) to understand the rates of AEP adoption by different types of farms. Our results show that of the 20 archetypes, economically large farms specialised in general cropping dominate the agricultural land in all case studies, covering 56% to 85% of the total agricultural area. Despite regional differences, we found consistent trends in AEP adoption across diverse contexts. Economically large farms and those specialising in grazing livestock were more likely to adopt AEPs, with economically larger farms demonstrating a proclivity for a wider range of measures. In contrast, economically smaller farms usually focused on a narrower spectrum of AEPs and, together with farms with an economic value <2 000 EUR, accounted for 70% of all farms with no AEP uptake. These insights indicate the potential of the FSA typology as a framework to infer key patterns of AEP adoption, thus providing relevant information to policy-makers for more direct identification of policy target groups and ultimately for developing more tailored agri-environment policies.

Farmer typology and drivers of agricultural mechanization use in Haiti

Agricultural mechanization is recognized as an important technology to increase agricultural productivity, face labor shortages, and reduce post-harvest loss. However, variations among farms’ characteristics and agricultural production systems suggest adopting a targeted strategy in mechanization programs for farmers. This research aimed to answer the following questions in the particular case of Haiti: are there different types of smallholder farmers in terms of mechanization use and socio-economic characteristics? What types of mechanization are used by farmers, and what drives their use among different types of farmers? What are the different types of farms in terms of mechanization use? We used typology construction methodology (principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA)) for a sample of 637 farmers and have identified four different clusters of farmers according to the characteristics of the farms they managed: “Little rain-fed farms” (cluster 1), “Little lowlands farms” (cluster 2), “Medium-sized farms in irrigated plains” (cluster 3), and “Large fragmented mountain farms”. Farms in cluster 3 were those who used more agricultural mechanization, and the results of multinomial logistic regression (MNLR) model revealed that the significant drivers of this use were location, access to credit and low food security status. Mechanization use of farms in clusters 1 and 4 was distinctively driven by saving behavior and off-farm income, respectively. In the pooled sample, the drivers of mechanization were: regions or location, age of the farmers, irrigation, livestock, access to credit, off-farm income and food security status. This study contributes to the literature by testing new drivers of agricultural mechanization such as food security status, and off-farm income. The findings can be used to design appropriate mechanization strategies to increase productivity and face labor price/scarcity challenges. They suggest that mechanization policies should focus on agricultural equipment that are adapted to the specificities of the production systems of each farm type, and strengthen access to credit. Otherwise, mechanization will be predominantly used only in irrigated lowlands.

Conventional or organic cattle farming? Trade-offs between crop yield, livestock capacity, organic premiums, and government payments

CONTEXTAn important question for farmers is whether to run their farm conventionally or organically. This choice can significantly affect the farm's financial performance and its impact on the environment. OBJECTIVEThe primary objective of this study is to compare the profitability of conventional and organic cattle systems and investigate how it is associated with individual farm characteristics, like forage production capacity, forage quality, milk quota, animal housing capacity, and their relative presences. METHODWe employ a whole farm optimization model, customized for Norwegian cattle farming. The primary goal of this model is to maximize the gross margin by optimizing decisions related to land usage and animal inventory while adhering to a set of constraints. We systematically solve more than 200,000 model instances, with varying farm characteristics. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSThe results can be distilled to the following key points: If forage of good quality is readily available, but the livestock operation cannot be expanded due to animal housing and milk quota restrictions, organic may outcompete conventional farming. Otherwise, gross margin is maximized with conventional farming. These findings emphasize the crucial role of forage production capacity and quality in relation to available milk quota and infrastructure when considering the transition from conventional to organic farming. Extensive sensitivity analyses affirm the robustness of these conclusions. Regional regulatory factors, such as government farm payments, also play a significant role, and influence the optimal farming approach. Additionally, we show that increases in organic price premiums can markedly impact the competitiveness of organic farming, even in a system where government payments make out a significant part of the farm revenue. SIGNIFICANCEThe model can support farmers to make informed decisions about converting to organic or conventional farming. It can also be used by policymakers to determine the level of support required to make it worthwhile for different types of farms to convert. We also show that existing government payment schemes give rise to regional differences in the incentives for organic farming in Norway. To ensure equal incentives for organic farming across the country, the organic payments would have to be regionally adjusted, in line with the other already regionally dependent government payments. This insight may be of significant interest to policymakers and other stakeholders.

Farmer differentiation and cultivated use system resilience from a perceptive behavioral perspective: influencing mechanisms and governance strategies

IntroductionThe adaptive management strategy of the cultivated land use system is crucial for achieving sustainable development, particularly when viewed from the perspective of perceptual behavior. This study integrated farmers’ behavior, perceptions, and willingness into the resilience evaluation index system of the cultivated land use system.MethodsBy resilience calculation method of cultivated land use system and linear regression method, it also explored the effect of farmer differentiation on the resilience of cultivated land use systems under the influence of socioeconomic systems, thereby providing a scientific reference for the adaptive management of cultivated land use systems.ResultsThe key findings are as follows: First, in general, the production resilience of the peasant household cultivated land use system was low, with significant resilience differentiation of resource elements and stratification of ecological and scale structures. However, the total resilience remained relatively stable. Second, farmers’ cultivated land use systems exhibit uneven resilience, with a lack of production and ecological protection, indicating low efficiency and weak functioning of the cultivated land use system. Third, farmers’ differentiation into non-agricultural employment is high, with low dependence on land. The resilience of the cultivated land use system varies significantly among different types of farmers, with imbalance and production deficiency being the main types of resilience in the farmland use system. Fourth, the economic differentiation of farmers and the differentiation of cultivated land use negatively affected the resilience of the cultivated land use system; the more pronounced the differentiation, the lower the resilience.DiscussionBased on these findings, the primary management strategies to enhance the resilience and adaptability of the cultivated land use system include improving the production resilience of the system, increasing the enthusiasm of different types of farmers to invest in the resource elements of the cultivated land use system, promoting the transformation of ecological protection consciousness and behavior among various types of farmers, and improving the willingness for cultivated land transfer.

Whole genome sequence-based characterization of Campylobacter isolated from broiler carcasses over a three-year period in a big poultry slaughterhouse reveals high genetic diversity and a recurring genomic lineage of Campylobacter jejuni

Campylobacter is among the most frequent agents of bacterial gastroenteritis in Europe and is primarily linked to the consumption of contaminated food. The aim of this study was to assess genomic diversity and to identify antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes of 155 Campylobacter isolated from broiler carcasses (neck skin samples) in a large-scale Swiss poultry abattoir over a three-year period. Samples originated from broilers from three different types of farming systems (particularly animal-friendly stabling (PAFS), free-range farms, and organic farms).Campylobacter jejuni (n = 127) and Campylobacter coli (n = 28) were analysed using a whole genome sequencing (WGS) approach (MiniSeq; Illumina). Sequence types (STs) were determined in silico from the WGS data and isolates were assigned into complex types (CTs) using the cgMLST SeqSphere+ scheme. Antimicrobial resistance genes were identified using the Resistance Gene Identifier (RGI), and virulence genes were identified using the virulence factor database (VFDB).A high degree of genetic diversity was observed. Many sequence types (C. jejuni ST19, ST21, ST48, ST50, ST122, ST262 and C. coli ST827) occurred more than once and were distributed throughout the study period, irrespective of the year of isolation and of the broiler farming type. Antimicrobial resistance determinants included blaOXA and tet(O) genes, as well as the T86I substitution within GyrA. Virulence genes known to play a role in human Campylobacter infection were identified such as the wlaN, cstIII, neuA1, neuB1, and neuC1. Subtyping of the Campylobacter isolates identified the occurrence of a highly clonal population of C. jejuni ST21 that was isolated throughout the three-year study period from carcasses from farms with geographically different locations and different farming systems.The high rate of genetic diversity observed among broiler carcass isolates is consistent with previous studies. The identification of a persisting highly clonal C. jejuni ST21 subtype suggests that the slaughterhouse may represent an environment in which C. jejuni ST21 may survive, however, the ecological reservoir potentially maintaining this clone remains unknown.

Introducing an integrative evaluation framework for assessing the sustainability of different types of urban agriculture

ABSTRACT In cities, a mosaic of different types of urban agriculture can be found. However, knowledge about advantages and disadvantages of the different types is still fragmented. This paper introduces an integrative evaluation framework for assessing the environmental, social, and economic sustainability of urban agriculture by applying a multi-criteria analysis based on an Analytic Hierarchy Process and a participatory approach. Based on a German case study and on the examples of vertical farming and community-supported agriculture, the results suggest that sustainable urban agriculture is a multi-dimensional approach informed by strong sustainability that places nature in the focus. Thus, the environmental dimension received the highest weight, followed by the social and, lastly, the economic dimension. Regarding the sub-criteria, species diversity achieved the highest total weight and food quality and safety the lowest. Conceptually, this paper provides scientific fundamentals for a systematic comparative evaluation of different types of agriculture for sustainable urban development.

Adoption mode of agricultural machinery and food productivity: evidence from China

Many researchers argue that the adoption of agricultural mechanization services (AMSs) is an important way for smallholder farmers in China to engage in modern agricultural production. However, the impact of the adoption mode of agricultural machinery on food productivity remains under-analyzed. We investigate the links between the adoption mode of agricultural machinery and food productivity using data on 795 grain farmers collected from the North China Plain. The results indicate that, compared with service outsourcing (SO), self-purchase (SP) improves the technical efficiency of farms; however, it reduces the input efficiency of agricultural machinery. The channel of the effect is that, although SO can reduce the redundancy of agricultural machinery's input, the opportunistic behavior of AMS suppliers and labor supervision problems lead to a decline in agricultural machinery's operation quality. The impact of the adoption mode of agricultural machinery on food productivity is asymmetrical among different types of farmers. Large-scale and professional farmers benefit more from SP, whereas small-scale and part-time farmers benefit more from SO. The AMS is not perfect, and the Chinese government should pay close attention to the loss of technical efficiency in agricultural production caused by the opportunistic behavior of AMS suppliers. Therefore, it is necessary to adjust the agricultural machinery subsidy policy and reduce the transaction cost of AMS.

Alternative pricing for irrigation water management in the context of climate change

Abstract Irrigation water pricing is an economic regulation instrument widely used in agriculture. Constant annual pricing is always criticized by local decision-makers as well as scientific researchers because it does not take into account the seasonal availability of water in the context of climate change. This study proposes a mathematical programming model to test alternative seasonal pricing scenarios in the context of climate change. This model is applied at farm level in the Kalâa Kebira region of East-Central Tunisia. The results show that summer seasonal pricing was economically beneficial for large farms, while winter pricing was beneficial for small and average farms. Water savings were only possible for small farms using 89% of available water in summer and for average farms using 93% of available water in winter. On the other hand, the sensitivity test proved that when water demand is elastic, increasing seasonal pricing of irrigation water by a rate between 20 and 30% generates water savings for different types of farms. This seasonal water saving is also accompanied by optimal use of agricultural labor and diversity of cultivated areas.

The Impact of Agricultural Insurance on Planting Structure Adjustment—An Empirical Study from Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China

Agricultural insurance is a risk management tool developed to guarantee regional production and national food security. Based on survey data from 629 households in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, China, this paper examines the impact of agricultural insurance on farmers’ planting structure. The results show that: (1) Farmers’ participation in agricultural insurance significantly affects their planting structure, especially lowering the level of specialization in production; insured households are about 3–6% lower than the non-insured, and there is a complementary effect between insurance participation and diversified planting. (2) For different types of farmers, participating in insurance has different effects on their agricultural production structure. Farmers purchasing insurance with low or medium levels in proportion to agricultural income significantly reduce the degree of production specialization. The effect of participation in insurance on large-scale farmers’ adjustment of planting structure is more obvious. For pure grain farmers, participation in insurance will reduce planting specialization by about 3–4%. (3) Participation in agricultural insurance will encourage farmers to plant grain crops, but the effect is small. Therefore, we need to expand the coverage areas, increase insurance types, and improve coverage levels; the products should be more targeted and differentiated, strengthening farmers’ participation in complete cost insurance and income insurance.

How does full-cost insurance for wheat affect pesticide use? From the perspective of the differentiation of farmers' production scale

Theoretically, agricultural insurance influences farmers' use of pesticides by changing the expected income of agricultural production. Full-cost insurance, with high guarantee and high compensation characteristics, may significantly affect farmers' pesticide use. First, this paper constructs a production function to characterize and compare the marginal incomes of insured and uninsured farmers under risk uncertainty and analyses how insured farmers can increase marginal income by increasing or reducing factor inputs. Considering scale differentiation, it discusses pesticide use strategies different types of farmers may adopt to maximize household utility. Second, using survey data of the pilot counties of full-cost insurance for wheat in Henan Province, China, the simultaneous equation model is used for empirical testing. The results reveal the following: (i) Farmers' insurance participation and pesticide application behaviour are not mutually independent. (ii) For the whole sample, full-cost insurance for wheat has a significant pesticide reduction effect. (iii) However, considering scale differentiation, pesticide application decreases significantly among insured ordinary farmers but does not change significantly among insured large-scale farmers. Third, policy measures are proposed to activate the green development function of agricultural insurance.

Risk Management Promotion and Bulgarian Farmers' Participation in the Insurance Market

Agriculture is a particularly risky business. Along with the inherently high levels of production risk, the long- term changing climate contributes to the frequency of risky events in the sector - in recent years, weather events have become more extreme, and the frequency of damage is increasing. All this raises the question of the strategies used to manage production risk in agriculture. This paper analyses the participation of Bulgarian farmers in the insurance market and the impact of policy techniques to promote this risk mitigation strategy. The share of insured holdings in the total number is evaluated by comparing on the one hand with other member states of the European Union. On the other hand, a comparison is made between different types of farms in the country. On the basis of accepted criteria for assessing the degree of realization of the objectives of the public instruments for promoting insurance, the conclusion is made that the support has an insignificant effect on agricultural holdings in the country.

Agriculture in al-Yamāma during the Abbasid Period*

Abstract Agriculture is a sine qua non for human societies as it provides the food that people need to live. This article will examine the state of agriculture in the region of al-Yamāma in central Arabia during the Abbasid period. It begins with a consideration of the factors affecting agriculture, including some that are uniquely important in the central Arabian context. Attention then turns to a discussion of land holdings and land grants, methods of irrigation, the different types of agriculture, and the crops cultivated. Dates are seen to be the most important agricultural commodity, followed closely by grains. Much less information is available regarding fruits and vegetables. The article relies solely on primary Arabic sources.

Measuring livelihood resilience of farmers and diagnosing obstacle factors under the impact of COVID-19 in Jiangsu Province, China

Research on livelihood resilience not only helps to understand the adverse impact of COVID-19 on farmers' livelihoods, but also helps to formulate concrete actions to enhance the resilience of farmers' livelihoods and support economic recovery. Taking rural residents in Jiangsu Province of China as an example, this paper uses one-way ANOVA, entropy method and obstacle degree models to quantitatively analyze the characteristics of livelihood resilience of different types of farmers and the main obstacle factors. The main findings are as follows: (1) Both laboring type and part-time type farmers together accounted for 75.98% of the survey sample, and the non-agricultural phenomenon of farming households in Jiangsu Province is obvious; There are significant differences in livelihood characteristics among different types of farmers, with relatively high livelihood capital for planting and breeding type farmers and relatively low livelihood capital for asset and subsidy type farmers. (2) The livelihood resilience of farmers in Jiangsu Province from high to low is breeding type farmers (0.501), planting type farmers (0.493), laboring type farmers (0.465), part-time type farmers (0.455), subsidy type farmers (0.400), asset type farmers (0.389). (3) In the diagnosis of barrier factors of livelihood resilience, buffer ability disorder is the most obvious, learning ability disorder is the second, and self-organization ability disorder is the last; Among the specific factors, the most important obstacle factors for planting, breeding and asset type farmers are the number of productive assets, the number of agricultural technical services for laboring type farmers, the number of channels for obtaining information for part-time type farmers, and the family labor income for subsidy type farmers. Therefore, it is recommended that policies be improved in the post-epidemic era in terms of raising farmers' livelihood capital, developing knowledge and skills for learning, and enhancing organizational awareness.

Farmer's adoption of agricultural insurance for Mediterranean crops as an innovative behavior

Agriculture is a risky industry and is present in every management choice the farmer makes. Farms can experiment with different tools that can contain the impact of adverse events to protect production facilities, investments, and income generated by farming. This is the context for the study conducted in Sicily on a sample of farms of different types to explain farmers' decision-making process in adopting insurance offered in the subsidized market. The study adopted three socio-psychological constructs, Attitude (ATT), Subjective Norm (S.N.), and Perceived Behavioural Control (PBC), derived from the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). It proposed the addition of a new construct, Risk Factors (RISK), and farm type. The results indicated that factors including Attitude, S.N., and PBC are positively significant when understanding farmers' intentions to adopt insurance. However, the additional factors included in the regression model (RISK and farm type) were statistically insignificant, rejecting the efficiency of an extended theory of planned behavior framework. Based on these results, it was concluded that combining extension services to improve awareness of the importance of insurance facilitated by the public contribution service could significantly influence farmers' intention to adopt it.

Assessment of the competitiveness of manufacturing products of snail and fish farms through the prism of import and export indicators

Assessment of competitiveness in the formation of demand for products of snail and fish farms forms information for making strategic decisions. It helps owners and managers of snail and fish farms to find their positions in the agricultural market, identify strengths and weaknesses, and make informed choices regarding production strategies, allocation of resources in the livestock industry, and orientation to sales markets. It has been proven that this analysis contributes to the achievement of set goals, the formation of business plans, and the implementation of strategies to increase the level of competitiveness indicators. By identifying areas where efficiency can be improved, such as feed conversion, fish hatchery management, and broodstock management, an informed decision on resource allocation and investment can be made for the farm. Such optimization reduces costs and increases productivity and the overall efficiency of a snail or fish farm. It was concluded that increasing the viability and achieving a positive level for the indicators of the competitiveness of the agricultural sector and agricultural producers is again defined as one of the strategic goals of the EU SAP in the new program period of 2021-2027. The assessment of the competitiveness of farms in the production of livestock products is the basis for optimizing resources, positioning the economic entity on the agricultural market, managing risks, implementing technologies, complying with policies, and industry benchmarking. The study was conducted to clarify understanding of the competitiveness of snail or fish farms, how to assess competitiveness in agriculture, to determine the absolute and comparative competitiveness of different types of farms, including snail and fish farms, which factors are decisive for increasing competitiveness at the current stage of development. This provides grounds to increase their business efficiency, profitability, and sustainability, ensuring long-term success and competitiveness when entering domestic and foreign markets. Keywords: market, import, export, demand, supply, animal husbandry, snail farming, regulation, industry, competitiveness, snail, products, organic aquaculture, fish farming, fish, trade.

Response and Adaptation of Farmers’ Livelihood Transformation under the Background of Rural Transformation: Evidence from the Qinling Mountains, China

Adaptation provides a new perspective for the study of farmers’ livelihood transformation and sustainability. This research aimed to explore the influencing factors of different types and adaptation of farmers’ livelihood transformation during rural transformation. Based on summarizing the response of farmers’ livelihood transformation during the rural transformation process in the Qinling Mountains of China from 1990 to 2018, this research constructed an evaluation index system for the adaptation of farmers’ livelihood transformation. Through questionnaires and interview surveys and based on the classification of farmers’ adaptive behavior, the research measured the adaptation index of different types of farmers’ livelihood transformation during different rural transformation periods and analyzed the factors affecting the types and the adaptation of farmers’ livelihood transformation. The results showed that: ① From 1990 to 2018, the livelihood transformation of farmers in Shangzhou District of Qinling Mountains mainly experienced changes from the farming + the working oriented to the synthetic type + the working oriented. ② From 1990 to 2018, the adaptation index of farmers’ livelihood transformation increased significantly in growth. From 1990 to 2009, the adaptation index of farmers’ livelihood transformation of working oriented and synthetic type was relatively high and concentrated. The distribution of the adaptation index of farmers’ livelihood transformation in 2010–2018 was relatively scattered. ③ Farmers with richer social networks tended to choose comprehensive and diversified livelihoods. Farmers with richer financial and natural capital were more likely to choose non-agricultural livelihoods. Leadership potential and social network, livestock, income status, and actual cultivated area were the key variables that have been influencing the adaptation of farmers’ livelihood transformation in Shangzhou District since 1990. The research results contribute to the optimization of sustainable livelihood strategies for farmers in the Qinling Mountains of China and provide case references for the study of livelihood transformation of farmers in underdeveloped mountainous areas worldwide.

Incorporation of different types of farmers into different coffee markets

ABSTRACT Many development organizations aim for greater incorporation of farmers into the market; however, global value chain scholars warn that farmers may be adversely incorporated and advise to analyse the terms by which farmers are incorporated. This paper sheds light on the dynamics of value chains by showing how the terms by which farmers are incorporated into the market vary significantly depending on the type of farmer and market. To generate benefits for small farmers’ livelihoods, we urge practitioners to consider the workings of multiple marketing channels and the ways in which farmers of different social classes interact with them.

The Impact of Rural Industrial Development on Farmers’ Livelihoods—Taking Fruit-Producing Area as an Example

Analyzing the impact of industry development on farmers’ livelihoods is of great significance for promoting rural revitalization and the sustainable development of farmers’ livelihoods in China. In this paper, taking Dali County of the Guanzhong Plain as an example, in accordance with the sustainable livelihoods approach (SLA), we adopted the comprehensive index method, statistical analysis method and relevant analysis method to explore the impact of rural industry development on farmers’ livelihoods by analyzing the evolution of farmers’ livelihood strategies in different times (2000, 2010 and 2019) and the differentiation of forms of livelihood capital and livelihood outcomes among different types of farmers in 2019 under the background of industrial development. The main conclusions were as follows: The degree of commercialization of the agricultural industry has improved, and the overall development of the rural industry presents an obvious trend away from agriculture. With the upgrading of the rural industrial structure, the leading livelihood strategies of farmers have gradually changed from the crop-planting type to the work-oriented type, and forms of livelihood capital and livelihood outcomes differ significantly among farmer households. Compared to traditional agriculture, the development of the fruit industry and service industry and the degree of participation in these industries are conducive to the accumulation of farmers’ livelihood capital, while migrant work alone has a negative impact on the improvement in farmers’ livelihood capital. The development of the fruit industry and nonagricultural industries and the degree of participation in these industries are more conducive to the improvement in farmers’ livelihood outcomes than is participation in traditional agriculture.