Agricultural Subsidies Research Articles

Nutrients from spawning salmon influence leaf area, tissue density, and nitrogen-15 in riparian plant leaves.

Nutrient subsidies have significant impacts on ecosystems by connecting disjunct habitats, often through long-distance animal migrations. Salmon migrations on the North Pacific coasts provide these kinds of nutrient subsidies from senescent fish at the end of their life cycle, which can have significant ecological effects on terrestrial species. This can include impacts on individuals, populations, and communities, where shifts in community composition towards plant species that indicate nitrogen-rich soils have been documented. We investigated the effects of variation in salmon spawning density on the leaf traits of four common riparian plant species on the central coast of British Columbia, Canada. We found that all plant species had higher foliar salmon-derived nitrogen on streams with a higher spawning density. Three of the four species had larger leaves, and one species also had higher leaf mass per area on streams with more salmon. However, we found no differences in leaf greenness or foliar percent nitrogen among our study streams. These results demonstrate that nutrient subsidies from spawning salmon can have significant impacts on the ecology, morphology, and physiology of riparian plants, which lends support to a mechanism by which certain plants are more common on productive salmon streams.

Evaluation and Optimization of Equipment Equipping Efficiency of Agricultural Machinery Purchase Subsidy in Jilin Province

The scope of agricultural machinery purchase subsidy is getting wider and wider, the subsidy fund of some provinces is tight, the structure of subsidy fund use in some provinces does not match the structure of agricultural industry in the province, and many other problems, it is necessary to study the effect of the use of the central financial funds of the agricultural machinery purchase subsidy, the funds of the subsidy for the purchase of agricultural machinery are used for the purchase of agricultural machinery, and this dissertation will be an example of the province of Jilin, and evaluate the efficiency of the equipment equipment in the province of Jilin and optimize, so as to be able to guide the specific implementation of the subsidy for the purchase of agricultural machinery of other provinces in the country to serve as a reference, and increase the efficiency of the subsidy for the purchase of machinery.

Does ecologization matter for technical efficiency in crop production? A case of Swedish agriculture

The effect of ecologisation on crop production performance in Sweden, measured as technical efficiency, was investigated by incorporating ecologisation into the production function and technical inefficiency determinant model. An unbalanced panel of data from the Swedish Farm Accounting Data Network (FADN), comprising 1944 observations on 346 crop farms 2009–2019, was used in stochastic frontier analysis. Ecologisation indicators considered were crop diversity index, organic farming, and environmental subsidies. The results showed that ecologisation affected the technical efficiency of crop production. Crop diversity index for the current year and the two preceding years had a positive effect on performance, with crop diversity index for current year in particular being positively associated with production performance of crop production. Organic farming was estimated to be negatively significantly associated with production performance. Rural subsidies were positively associated with production performance, but no association was found between environmental subsidies and production performance. Mean technical efficiency was 0.715, with higher values in southern Sweden than northern Sweden. These findings on the impact of ecologisation on arable farming can be useful when designing policies to encourage farmers to adopt ecologisation approaches.

Assessing the impact of China's agricultural subsidy reform on fertilizer management: a county-level empirical analysis based on difference-in-difference model

Agricultural subsidies are widely acknowledged to be a crucial cause in food security and environmental protection, with a substantial impact on fertilizer consumption. China is also attempting to promote the green transformation of agricultural subsidies and sustainable food production. Existing research has explored the impact of China's agricultural subsidies reform (ASR) on farmers' fertilizer application behavior at household level, but little is known about the overall effect of ASR at the regional level. This paper investigates the effect of on fertilizer inputs using the staggered difference-in-difference (DID) approach, based on county-level panel data for 723 counties in China's Main Grain Producing Area (MPA) from 2013 to 2020. The results show that the ASR obviously increases fertilizer consumption by 5–6% in MPA during the study period. An analysis of mechanism reveals that ASR boosts fertilizer input through increased grain output and on-farm employment, which both play a 13.83% and 6.42% partial mediator role. Conversely, the growth of planting scale is the primary conduit for fertilizer reduction, accounting for 11.78% of the total. Furthermore, this positive effect is significantly lower in counties with low farmer disposable income or high agricultural mechanization than in others. These findings offer valuable insights for other developing countries aiming to promote green transformation of agriculture.

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.

Sustained use of marine subsidies promotes niche expansion in a wild felid

The use of marine subsidies by terrestrial predators can facilitate substantial transfer of nutrients between marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Marine resource subsidies may have profound effects on predator ecology, influencing population and niche dynamics. Expanding niches of top consumers can impact ecosystem resilience and interspecific interactions, affecting predator-prey dynamics and competition. We investigate the occurrence, importance, and impact of marine resources on trophic ecology and niche dynamics in a highly generalist predator, the caracal (Caracal caracal), on the Cape Peninsula, South Africa. Caracals have flexible diets, feeding across a wide range of terrestrial and aquatic prey. We use carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis of fur samples (n = 75) to understand trophic position and niche shifts in coastal and inland foragers, as well as the implications of a diet rich in marine resources. We found significant differences in isotope signatures between these groups, with higher δ13C (P < 0.05) and δ15N values (P < 0.01) in coastal foragers. Isotope mixing models reveal that these elevated signatures were due to non-terrestrial food subsidies, where approximately a third of coastal foraging caracal diet comprised marine prey. The addition of marine prey species to diet increased both the trophic level and isotope niche size of coastal foraging caracals, with potential impacts on prey populations and competition. Our results suggest that marine prey are an important dietary resource for coastal foraging caracals, where seabirds, including two endangered species, are a major component of their diet. However, there are likely risks associated with these resource benefits, as routine consumption of seabirds is linked with higher pollutant burdens, particularly metals. Increased encounters between this terrestrial predator and seabirds may be a result of increased mainland colonies due to changes in habitat availability and the highly opportunistic and generalist foraging behaviour of a native predator.

The role of land inequality in the poverty-forest loss nexus patterns: A case study from Chile

The predominant school of thought argues that poverty is a major cause of deforestation, but several studies have begun to contest this assumption by putting forward that a complex web of factors influences this connection and that multi-patterned nexuses can exist. We explore these nexuses taking southern Chile as a case study and using a Path Analysis for modelling. We relied on secondary data at the land property and municipality levels to construct the exogenous (land inequality, farm and forestry subsidies, and firewood consumption) and endogenous variables of the model (poverty, native forest loss, non-native tree afforestation, ecosystem services supply), which runs at the municipality scale (n = 147). We obtained a very good model adjustment as indicated by common goodness of fit measures. The model's path coefficients showed that land inequality (measured with the Gini coefficient) had a positive direct effect on poverty and forest loss. In turn, poverty had a negative direct effect on forest loss, whereas forest loss had a total negative effect on poverty. Thus, poverty per se does not cause forest loss or vice versa, and rather than a single poverty-forest loss nexus, “many-patterned” nexuses arise. We discus three of these patterns, namely i) development that aggravates poverty, ii) land inequality that aggravates forest loss and poverty, and iii) land inequality that “helps” the cause of forest conservation. These results suggest that policies that seek to solve poverty (e.g., farm subsidies) will not necessarily help prevent forest loss, but neither will neoliberal forest and conservation policies alone. As the SDGs state, solving inequality seems to be a necessary condition for both alleviating poverty and ensuring forest conservation.

Going the Extra Mile: Farm Subsidies and Spatial Convergence in Agricultural Input Adoption

Going the Extra Mile: Farm Subsidies and Spatial Convergence in Agricultural Input Adoption

Examining the U-shaped relationship between non-agricultural sources water pollution and the urban-rural income gap.

Determining how the economy and society interact with the environment of water quality is essential to determining the financial impact of green development. Based on China's provincial panel data from 2010 to 2021, this research considers non-agricultural sources of water pollution (NASWP) as a negative factor of production, investigates its influence on the urban-rural divide, and explains the mechanism of action. The empirical results show that there is a significant correlation between NASWP and the urban-rural gap, with a "U-shaped" relationship between the two. Water pollution first reduces and then increases the urban-rural income gap, and the results are robust after considering endogeneity. Mechanistic research demonstrates that NASWP cause a loss in food output, which in combination with changes in food prices and food subsidy programs impacts the incomes of rural dwellers, thereby having an influence on the urban-rural income gap. Using the threshold effect model, it is discovered that under the combined influence of agricultural mechanization and food subsidy policy, the relationship between NASWP and urban-rural income divide exhibits an U-shape in areas with high agricultural mechanization and an "inverted U" shape in areas with low agricultural mechanization.

Impact of Agriculture Subsidy on Environment in Haryana State

Agriculture remains a cornerstone of Haryana's economy, bolstered by extensive government subsidies designed to increase productivity and food security. Despite the positive impact on crop yields, these subsidies have raised pressing environmental concerns, particularly related to groundwater depletion and the sustainability of cropping practices. This study provides an in-depth analysis of the effects of agriculture subsidies on cropping patterns, focusing on the increasing shift towards water-intensive crops such as rice and sugarcane, which are heavily subsidized and resource-demanding. The research examines the direct correlation between subsidy allocations and the selection of crops that exacerbate groundwater depletion, revealing the complex trade-offs between short-term economic gains and long-term environmental sustainability. Employing both quantitative data analysis and regression models, the study explores how subsidy-driven agricultural practices are influencing groundwater levels and contributing to ecological strain. Results indicate a significant negative impact of subsidies for water intensive crops on groundwater resources, posing challenges to Haryana's environmental stability. Additionally, the paper assesses farmers' perceptions of these subsidy programs, alongside their environmental awareness and adoption of sustainable practices. Findings suggest a positive correlation between farmers' understanding of subsidy benefits and their agricultural decisions, highlighting the need for policy reform that emphasizes sustainability. This study contributes to the ongoing discourse on agricultural policy by offering actionable insights for policymakers. It advocates for a balanced subsidy approach that aligns with sustainable agricultural practices to minimize ecological harm while continuing to support Haryana's agricultural sector. The research underscores the urgency for policy interventions that not only promote economic productivity but also prioritize groundwater conservation and environmental health.

Have agricultural subsidy policies raised the incomes of rural and urban residents?

Have agricultural subsidy policies raised the incomes of rural and urban residents?

Automated coupon generator: A web app for farm subsidy in malawi

This proposed system introduces a dynamic coupon generation mechanism empowered by machine learning algorithms, particularly reinforcement learning, to enhance people's engagement and optimize coupon distribution in such a way that the coupon for the subsidy is given to farmers fairly by prioritizing those in need. This process involves key stages, including data gathering, preprocessing, feature enhancement, and autonomous decision-making logic development, taking into account diverse factors such as farmer segments and budget constraints. The system interacts with HTML, PHP, CSS, and JavaScript, with Python supporting the implementation. This paper aims to continuously adapt the model to meet evolving customer behaviors and preferences. This technological approach is essential for optimizing coupons effectively and staying responsive to real-time customer interactions and preferences.

Factors Influencing Food Choices and Self-Efficacy on Healthy Consumption Practices among Secondary School Students in Ekiti State, Nigeria

Background: This study examined the factors that influence food choices and self-efficacy on healthy consumption practices among secondary school students in Ekiti State, Nigeria. The study determined the relationship among personal factors, environmental factors, traditional factors and economic factors, and self-efficacy among secondary school students. Methods: The descriptive survey research design was used for this study. The population for this study consisted of all students in public secondary schools. A sample of 600 students was selected from the public secondary schools, using a multistage sampling procedure involving simple, stratified, purposive, proportionate, and systematic random sampling techniques. A self-developed structured questionnaire was used as an instrument for the collection of data. The instrument was subjected to face and content validity which was done by experts in Human Kinetics and Health Education, and Tests and Measurement. It gave a reliability coefficient of 0.89 using Cronbach Alpha to test for internal consistency and this was considered high enough. The data obtained for the study were subjected to descriptive statistics of frequency counts, percentages, mean and standard deviation while inferential statistics of t-test, multiple regression, ANOVA and ScheffePosthoc analysis were used to test the hypotheses. Results: The findings revealed that the level of self-efficacy on healthy consumption practice was moderate among secondary school students; there existed positive and significant relationship between personal factors, environmental factors, traditional factors and economic factors and self-efficacy on healthy consumption practices among secondary school students. Age of students has significant influence on environmental factor, traditional factor and economic factors as factors influencing food choices but has no significant influence on personal factor influencing food choices as well as self-efficacy on healthy consumption practices among secondary school students. Conclusions and recommendations: Based on the findings, it was recommended that proper sensitization should be given to students on the types of food that is good for their health to enable them to make rightful choice in food consumption. Government should be encouraged to support the parents of secondary students in providing food subsidy in order to reduce economic barriers to self-efficacy on healthy consumption practices among secondary school students.

Uplands Rural Development Programme and Investigation of the Program Process in Kastamonu Province

There are significant threats to the security of agricultural supply from people migrating from rural areas to urban areas due to economic difficulties and disadvantages arising from a lack of extension. However, agricultural production is strategically important for Türkiye and the most important economic activity for rural areas. People who migrate to cities prefer to stay in output if agricultural subsidies are provided to encourage production. In addition to the support of the Turkish government, it is important to benefit from the work of international organizations such as the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), which works in rural areas and supports the agricultural sector. IFAD is well aware of the needs of Türkiye's rural areas with 11 projects implemented with a total cost of USD 697.91 million and IFAD contribution of USD 251.84 million. In Türkiye, Uplands Rural Development Programme (URDP), financed by IFAD, supports the disadvantaged people living in rural areas. In this study, information about IFAD and its activities in Türkiye is given the ongoing URDP of the organization in Türkiye, the studies carried out in the process of including Kastamonu province in the programme, the project acceptance process in Kastamonu province and the results of the programme in Kastamonu province in 2020 when the programme was implemented for the first time in Türkiye, are examined in detail. As a result of the research, the utilisation of the fund by taking into account the needs of rural areas and the monitoring process were found to be positive.

Factors Affecting Farmers’ Access to Agricultural Subsidy in Makwanpur and Dhading Districts of Nepal

The government of Nepal has been providing high priority to subsidy programs to support farmers and boost the national economy. Increasing access to and effectiveness of the subsidy program is important to enhance growth of agricultural sector. However, there has always been a concern about access to and effectiveness of the subsidy programs to address the problem of farmers in Nepal. This study was carried out to determine the factors affecting farmers' access to the agricultural subsidy. For this, a multi-stage sampling method was employed, and altogether 120 commercial vegetable growers from Dhading and Makwanpur districts of Nepal were selected using simple random technique. Descriptive statistical tools and binary logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Out of the total sampled households, 55.83% had accessed at least one agricultural subsidy program, and the highest number of sampled households (39.17%) received the subsidy for agricultural tools. The result of binary logistic regression revealed that factors like ethnicity, membership in agricultural groups or co-operatives, farm visit by extension agents, and participation in agricultural training were significantly (p&lt;0.01) influencing farmers' access to agricultural subsidy. Hence, the farmers are suggested to operate through agricultural groups or co-operatives, and the concerned authorities and policymakers should emphasize agricultural extension services and agricultural subsidy simultaneously for synergistic effects. SAARC J. Agric., 21(2): 263-276 (2023)

Does Land Fragmentation Affect the Effectiveness of Fiscal Subsidies for Agriculture: Evidence from China

Fiscal and land policies are important tools in developing agriculture in China. Understanding how agricultural subsidies and land fragmentation jointly affect agricultural Total Factor Productivity (TFP) is crucial for building a strong agricultural nation. This paper utilizes microdata from fixed observation points in rural China from 2003 to 2017 and employs panel bidirectional fixed-effect models and moderation-effect models to empirically analyze the impact of agricultural subsidies and land fragmentation on agricultural TFP. The research finds: (1) Agricultural subsidies positively affect agricultural TFP, while land fragmentation leads to decreased agricultural TFP. (2) Land fragmentation hinders the positive effects of agricultural subsidies on agricultural TFP. A 1% increase in land fragmentation could lead to approximately a 3% decrease in the enhancement effect of agricultural subsidies, with significant impacts on households in major grain-producing areas and those primarily engaged in agriculture. (3) There is no evidence that reforms in the “three agricultural subsidies” would alter the combined effect of agricultural subsidies and land fragmentation on agricultural TFP. The obstructive role of land fragmentation cannot be mitigated through the “three agricultural subsidies” reform. The study indicates that the incentivizing role of agricultural subsidies has not been fully realized, and land fragmentation remains a key bottleneck in agricultural development. Fiscal support for agriculture should be coupled with effective land reform policies for synergistic efforts.

Using water‐landing, fixed‐wing UAVs and computer vision to assess seabird nutrient subsidy effects on sharks and rays

AbstractBird colonies on islands sustain elevated productivity and biomass on adjacent reefs, through nutrient subsidies. However, the implications of this localized enhancement on higher and often more mobile trophic levels (such as sharks and rays) are unclear, as spatial trends in mobile fauna are often poorly captured by traditional underwater visual surveys. Here, we explore whether the presence of seabird colonies is associated with enhanced abundances of sharks and rays on adjacent coral reefs. We used a novel long‐range water‐landing fixed‐wing unoccupied aerial vehicle (UAV) to survey the distribution and density of sharks, rays and any additional megafauna, on and around tropical coral islands (n = 14) in the Chagos Archipelago Marine Protected Area. We developed a computer‐vision algorithm to distinguish greenery (trees and shrubs), sand and sea glitter from visible ocean to yield accurate marine megafauna density estimation. We detected elevated seabird densities over rat‐free islands, with the commonest species, sooty tern, reaching densities of 932 ± 199 per km−2 while none were observed over former coconut plantation islands. Elasmobranch density around rat‐free islands with seabird colonies was 6.7 times higher than around islands without seabird colonies (1.3 ± 0.63 vs. 0.2 ± SE 0.1 per km2). Our results are evidence that shark and ray distribution is sensitive to natural and localized nutrient subsidies. Correcting for non‐sampled regions of images increased estimated elasmobranch density by 14%, and our openly accessible computer vision algorithm makes this correction easy to implement to generate shark and ray and other wildlife densities from any aerial imagery. The water‐landing fixed‐wing long‐range UAV technology used in this study may provide cost effective monitoring opportunities in remote ocean locations.

Movement ecology and minimum density estimates of red foxes in wet grassland habitats used by breeding wading birds

The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is a widely distributed generalist meso-predator implicated in declines of wading bird populations. In the wet grassland habitats where waders breed, wildlife managers work to mitigate fox predation risk to waders during the nesting period through lethal and non-lethal control methods. However, limited knowledge on fox movement ecology in these habitats makes it difficult to design effective management strategies. We used GPS telemetry to understand fox home range size, daily activity and movement patterns, and how these metrics may vary among wet grassland sites with different management. We caught and GPS-tagged 35 foxes in the March–June wader nesting period on two wet grassland sites in central southern England; Britford during 2016/17 and Somerley during 2018/19. We estimated home range areas from location data using local convex hulls, and from these estimates we derived the minimum fox density at each site and year. Daily activity patterns and movement behaviour of each fox were obtained using both telemetry and trail camera data. Mean fox home range area at Britford (0.21 km2, SE = 0.025) was significantly smaller than at Somerley (0.68 km2, SE = 0.067), and estimated minimum densities were around four times higher (Britford = 10.6 foxes/km2, Somerley = 2.4 foxes/km2). Foxes were more active and moved faster during twilight and night hours, but both telemetry and camera data indicate they were also active for one-third of daylight hours. Distances moved per day were variable between foxes but generally smaller at Britford. We also found evidence for dispersal during spring, with movements of up to 19 km per day. Home ranges at both wet grassland sites were smaller than comparable sites elsewhere. These indicated foxes were living at exceptionally high densities at Britford, where there is no fox control, increased food availability and where waders no longer breed. Spatio-temporal movement patterns were closely related to home range metrics, with higher levels of fox activity at Somerley, where home ranges were larger. The movements of itinerant and dispersing foxes during the nesting period suggests that lethal control would need to be very intensive to be effective. The likely anthropogenic food subsidy of fox density at Britford suggests that controlling access to similar food resources would help reduce predation pressure on breeding waders.

Agricultural subsidies on common prosperity: Evidence from the Chinese social survey

Based on the data from the Chinese Social Survey (CSS) of 13,359 interviewed farm households, the paper systematically evaluates the impact of agricultural subsidies on the farmers' common prosperity by measuring the development of common prosperity from the aspects of “comprehensive” prosperity and “universal” affluence. The research draws the following conclusions: (1) Agricultural subsidies significantly raises the per capita income level of rural households, reduces income inequality between households, contributes to “comprehensive” prosperity and “universal” affluence, and realizes the goal of common prosperity. Also, this paper uses 2SLS, LIML, GMM, replacement and combination of variables, simultaneous quantile regression, and exclusion of outliers to test the robustness of the baseline regression results, which remains robust after a series of tests. (2) The effect of agricultural subsidies on the farmers' common prosperity will show obvious heterogeneity phenomenon due to the differences in the natural conditions, economic development level, policy environment and agricultural business scale of the region, which need to be treated differently. (3) The transfer of agricultural land plays a mediating role. Agricultural subsidies will encourage farmers to enhance the transfer of agricultural land, thereby raising incomes and reducing income inequality, which will help farmers to realize common prosperity. Part-time farming plays a moderating role. The lower the degree of part-time farming, the stronger the effect of agricultural subsidies in promoting the common prosperity of farmers. Our study gives innovative experience and ideas for improving the agricultural subsidy policy system, optimizing the structure of agricultural subsidies, and then using agricultural subsidies to more comprehensively promote common prosperity in rural areas.

Analyzing EU’s Agricultural Sector and Public Spending under Climate Change

Climate change not only affects weather conditions, patterns, and the frequency and severity of extreme weather events but also changes the structure of government spending. Agriculture is an important sector of the European Union (EU). However, by 2050, the industry will most likely decrease by 16%. One-third of the EU’s budget has been spent on agricultural funding, adaptation, and climate action. The effect of climate change on agriculture is mixed and dependent on the location of the region. The southern EU is adversely affected, while the northern EU is positively affected by the changes in weather patterns. The main goal of this paper is to gain insight regarding the effect climate change has on public spending in relation to the agricultural sector of the EU, using the pooled Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) and Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) methodology. The study concludes that public spending is influenced by government expenditure and government support in agricultural research and development in the EU region. In the southern EU region, the variables impacting public spending are greenhouse gases from the agricultural sector, temperature, and GDP, while in the northern region, no variable has a significant impact on public spending proxied by agricultural subsidies. The policy recommendations include a better allocation of agricultural subsidies, reconsideration of the efficiency of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), and a focus on expanding investment in research and development in the agricultural sector.