National Agricultural Policy Research Articles

Change Analysis on the Spatio-Temporal Patterns of Main Crop Planting in the Middle Yangtze Plain

As a traditional agricultural production base in China, the Middle Yangtze Plain (MYP) is a typical region to explore the intensification, large-scale, and agglomeration of agricultural land, and its crop planting situation is sensitive to changes in national agricultural policy and economic development. So far, the research of crop remote sensing extraction mainly has focused on the areas with simple crops rotation patterns, by using short-time sequence remote sensing data with low spatial resolution. The objective of this study was to address how to accurately map the spatial distribution of main crops considering their spectral and phenological features, and what characteristics of spatio-temporal patterns dynamics of crops occurred in the MYP in 1990–2020. Based on Landsat and MODIS data, using the Enhanced Spatial and Temporal Adaptive Reflectance Fusion Model (ESTARFM) as well as the raster-based spectral and phenological differential change method (RSPDCM), this study mapped the spatial distribution of main crops (rice, cotton, maize, soybean, rapeseed and winter wheat) in the MYP during 1990–2020 and analyzed their planting characteristics. The RSPDCM has a good overall accuracy of more than 89%. The planting characteristics of the main crops were highly intensive and agglomerate double-cropping rotation in the MYP’s paddy field. Rice and rapeseed were the two most important crops, accounting for 74.75% of the annual planting area. The highly intensive and large-scale areas were mainly distributed in the Dongting Lake Plain (DTLP) and Poyang Lake Plain (PYLP), while the highly agglomerate areas of main crops were mainly distributed in the Jianghan Plain (JHP). This study innovatively provides a high-precision multi-cropping spatial dynamic mapping method and basic information, which is helpful to realize high-precision remote sensing extraction of crops in different regions of the world and provide basic data for optimizing the allocation of agricultural production resources in top grain-producing areas.

Towards a Deeper Understanding of Agricultural Production Systems in Sweden – Linking Farmer’s Logics with Environmental Consequences and the Landscape

Farm restructuring is a continuous on-going process supported by national agricultural policy in Sweden; while striving for more efficient farms in terms of labor and yields, farms enlarge their holdings of arable land and animals. The environmental consequences of more intensive land uses have in turn stimulated environmental policies to deal with negative environmental consequences. In this paper we argue that an underlying problem with both of these policy approaches is that they primarily emphasize specific components of farms and fail to see the farm as an interconnected system. In this paper we therefore focus on the farm as a ‘system’ and on the systemic role of farming in the broader landscape. We develop a theoretical framework of farming logics which help to better understand agricultural production systems. Drawing on 34 semi-structured interviews with farmers, we divide the farms into three farming logic categories: I) ‘production vanguards’; II) ‘landscape stewards’; and III) ‘environmental vanguards’. We use these categories to analyze the role of key aspects such as size, intensity of production, specialisation, how farmer preferences and knowledge influence land use systems, and interactions of these with the local landscape. The findings show how farms that on the one hand share some basic characteristics can display quite different farming logics and vice versa. We argue that these farming logics offer a potentially positive diversity in farming approaches, with complementary and mutually dependent roles in Sweden’s overall food system.

LEGAL INSTRUMENTS IN FISHERIES SECTOR OF NEPAL

Aquaculture is one of Nepal’s fastest-growing agricultural subsectors. The current total national fish production is 77,000 mt, with capture fisheries accounting for 28% and aquaculture accounting for 72%. Modern aquaculture and fisheries practices contribute nearly 1% of GDP and 2.68 % of Agriculture GDP (AGDP). This sub-positive sector’s performance, in contrast to others whose contribution to GDP has declined over time, suggests its popularity among farmers. Fisheries and aquaculture education, research, and extension policies are extensions of the main national agriculture policy. Fisheries and aquaculture are a thriving sub-sector of Nepal’s agriculture sector, with high growth potential but limited organizational capacity. The Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC) is mandated to conduct fisheries and aquaculture research. Overall, the country’s fisheries activities are primarily governed by the government’s policy strategy. As the focal institution, the Directorate of Fisheries Development of His Majesty’s Government of Nepal formulates and implements national fisheries and aquaculture development plans and programs approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives. The primary goal of the national fisheries policies and acts is to contribute to economic growth and poverty reduction through inclusive, equity-based, and ecosystem-based aquaculture practices (EAA). Specific laws and legislation on aquaculture development must be drafted or enforced to build capacity and facilitate entrepreneurship. Furthermore, Best Management Practices (BMPs) must be identified and implemented for the sub-sector to grow sustainably.

ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE IN AGRICULTURE OF UKRAINE: SEPARATE ASPECTS OF LEGAL SUPPORT

The article is devoted to the analysis of separate aspects of legal support of adaptation of agriculture of Ukraine to climate change. The relevance of the study is conditioned upon the fact that global climate change is one of the most acute problems facing humanity today. The aim of the article is to analyse the current state of legal regulation of issues related to the impact of climate change on agriculture at the international, European and national levels, and to develop practical recommendations for implementing measures to adapt to climate change in agriculture. The methodological basis of the study was the dialectical method of scientific knowledge, general scientific (formal-logical, methods of analysis and synthesis) and special-legal method (formal-legal). The article analyses international, European and national legislation governing climate change and its impact on agricultural production. The study found that the most vulnerable to climate change industries is agriculture, which is currently negatively affected by climate trends, which in modern conditions can not be avoided. In this regard, the problem of climate change requires the prioritisation of adaptation measures to minimise losses in agricultural production. At the same time, adaptation involves the creation of new institutions, the introduction of new policies, the inflow of new funds, and, most importantly — new forms of thinking. The need to accelerate the implementation of measures to adapt to climate change in the development of national agricultural policy in parallel with the policy to prevent climate change. Practical recommendations are offered to the state executive bodies on the implementation of tasks related to the adaptation of agriculture to climate change. Emphasis was placed on the need to develop measures aimed at implementing “climate-smart” agriculture in accordance with the Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) system, and preparing zonal recommendations for adapting agricultural production to climate change and combating desertification and drought. The necessity of creation of the system of scientific and methodical support of adaptation of separate subsectors of agriculture and the mechanism of support of realisation of adaptation strategies for separate groups of agricultural commodity producers is defined

Understanding collective action for the achievement of EU water policy objectives in agricultural landscapes: Insights from the Institutional Design Principles and Integrated Landscape Management approaches

This paper aims to identify drivers and barriers to the achievement of EU water policy objectives in the agricultural sector by adopting an institutional perspective on water quality management at the landscape level. We apply a conceptual framework combining Integrated Landscape Management (ILM) and Institutional Design Principles (IDP) perspectives to analyze cooperation initiatives involving water suppliers and agricultural stakeholders to protect drinking water catchments from agricultural diffuse pollution. Three cases representing different forms of cooperation in rural landscapes in France were investigated on the basis of primary data collected at the local, water-basin and national levels. The results show that the success of multi-stakeholder collective action depends on both local factors such as characteristics of the water resource and stakeholders (knowledge, resources, trust and social capital) and on factors linked to the EU and national water and agricultural policy frameworks. In addition to the identification of drivers of and constraints on the implementation of EU water policy in agricultural landscapes, the analysis highlights the conceptual added value in combining the IDP and ILM approaches to understand policy implementation processes at the landscape level.

Predicting future stability of ecosystem functioning under climate change

To maintain food security under global change, we need to consider the stability of ecosystem functioning into the future, particularly in resource production landscapes such as agricultural pasture. With ongoing climate change, extreme climatic events are predicted to become more frequent and severe globally, impacting crop production. The whole process of farming will become more uncertain, from choice of crop and crop productivity to the timing of the windows of opportunity for management decisions. Future agricultural policies, therefore, should not only consider changes in grassland production, but also its future stability. We use a case study of agricultural pastures on the island of Ireland to project different components of ecosystem stability (resistance, recovery time and recovery rate) to 2050 and 2080 under different future climate scenarios: a peak and decline scenario; and a continued emissions scenario. We show that future climate change will have substantial effects on both the future resistance and the recovery of ecosystem functioning following environmental disturbances, but the spatial pattern of effect sizes is not the same for these two measures of stability. National level analyses and agricultural policies, therefore, are likely to ignore regional variation in future change. From this, we encourage the translation of stability-based constructs, as well as maximum yield considerations, into future agricultural policy at the regional level.

Vulnerability analysis of Nigeria's agricultural output growth and climate change

PurposeAside from oil, the Nigerian economy is largely agrarian, which is rain-fed. Hence the criticality of understanding climate change and its impact on agricultural output is more pressing than ever. This is in line with Sustainable Development Goal 13 which is to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. Regardless, Nigeria has in the past five decades experienced a significant increase in temperature, in the range of 10 to over 30 degree Celsius. Therefore, managing the effect of climate change on agricultural output now has the colouration of a developmental challenge.Design/methodology/approachIn light of this, this study gives due consideration to the impact of climate change on agricultural output between the years 1986 and 2015. For the purpose of analysis, descriptive statistics, unit root test and the ordinary least square (OLS) estimation technique were employed.FindingsFindings from the study reveal that the average annual rainfall, temperature and forest area positively influence agricultural output, whereas drought, floods and agricultural nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions have negative impact on agricultural output. The study suggests the need for a regulatory framework and also an explicit national agricultural policy essential to offset the negative effects of climate change especially on agricultural output.Originality/valueAs Nigeria look to diversify her economy which relied on oil, agriculture is among the alternative sector hoping to drive her economic growth, therefore, it is pertinent to examine the current output in the sector given the effects of climate change.

Agribisnis dengan Pendekatan Terpadu

The national agricultural development policy that oriented to agribussines system faced to farmer condition in Indonesia. So, we need farmer function as one of section from agriculture community with big agribusinessman as a locomotif. With integrated approach farmers can be part of agribusiness sub system that can compete in the grobal market. In addition to the farmers can be a subject of development agribussines system for prevent farmers more left in National development. Keyword: agribusiness system, agribusiness community and Integrated approach.

Survival analysis of dairy cows in the Netherlands under altering agricultural policy

Culling of underperforming dairy cows by replacement heifers is a fundamental part of Dutch dairy farm management. Changes in national agricultural policies can influence farmers’ culling decisions. The objective of this study was to analyse the relevancy of cow-level risk factors for survival of Dutch dairy cows under perturbations due to national policy changes related to the -milk quota abolishment of 2015 and the phosphate regulations since 2017. For this purpose, an accelerated failure time model was fitted on-longitudinal dairy cows’ data at national level covering the period 2009−2019. The associated cow-level risk factors for culling such as lactation value (relative production level), parity number, rolling average of inseminations over all parities, very high fat-protein ratio (highFPR) and very low fat-protein ratio (lowFPR) in early lactation, test-day somatic cell count, were fitted in the model. Along with these, a factor representing three target policy periods, namely Milk Quota period (MQ), Post-Milk Quota period (PMQ) and Phosphate regulation period (PH) were fitted. The mean survival age for all producing cows was 441 weeks overall. The predicted median survival time for the policy periods MQ, PMQ and PH were 273 weeks, 271 weeks and 256 weeks, respectively. Risk factors such as lactation value, parity and highFPR, rolling average of inseminations over all parities were positively associated with survival time in all three policy periods. Risk factors such as test-day somatic cell count and lowFPR were negatively associated with survival time in all three policy periods. In conclusion, this study demonstrated the differences in survival of Dutch dairy cows in response to changing agricultural policy. The association of cow-level risk factors for culling was consistent across the three evaluated policy periods.

Biophysical and policy factors predict simplified crop rotations in the US Midwest

Over 70% of the 62 million hectares of cropland in the Midwestern United States is grown in corn-based rotations. These crop rotations are caught in a century-long simplification trend despite robust evidence demonstrating yield and soil benefits from diversified rotations. Our ability to explore and explain this trend will come in part from observing the biophysical and policy influences on farmers’ crop choices at one key level of management: the field. Yet field-level crop rotation patterns remain largely unstudied at regional scales and will be essential for understanding how national agricultural policy manifests locally and interacts with biophysical phenomena to erode—or bolster—soil and environmental health, agricultural resilience, and farmers’ livelihoods. We developed a novel indicator of crop rotational complexity and applied it to 1.5 million fields across the US Midwest. We used bootstrapped linear mixed models to regress field-level rotational complexity against biophysical (land capability, precipitation) and policy-driven (distance to the nearest biofuel plant and grain elevator) factors. After accounting for spatial autocorrelation, there were statistically clear negative relationships between rotational complexity and biophysical factors (land capability and precipitation during the growing season), indicating decreased rotation in prime growing areas. A positive relationship between rotational complexity and distance to the nearest biofuel plant suggests policy-based, as well as biophysical, constraints on regional rotations. This novel RCI is a promising tool for future fine-scale rotational analysis and demonstrates that the United States’ most fertile soils are the most prone to degradation, with recent policy choices further exacerbating this trend.

Extension Agents’ Perceptions of the Role of Extension Services in Organic Agriculture: A Case Study from Saudi Arabia

Extension services (ES) play a crucial role in addressing the various needs of organic farmers and little is known about the extension agents’ (EA’s) perceptions of organic agriculture and the role of ES in organic agriculture. This study investigated EA’s perceptions of the role of ES in organic agriculture. Data were collected via a questionnaire, which was sent electronically to all enlisted extension agents in Riyadh Region, Saudi Arabia. In total, 69 extension agents completed the questionnaire, representing a 54% response rate. Overall, extension agents had slightly positive attitudes toward organic farming but were unsure about their role and participation in this. Furthermore, their perceptions of the role of ES in organic agriculture significantly varied according to their age, work experience in organic agriculture, and education level. These findings have implications for the design of future training programs for the professional development of extension agents and will enable planners, policy makers, and related ministries to devise viable and workable policies and plans that truly reflect the concerns and challenges of extension agents and consider the skills of extension agents that need to be improved. This research will also have positive implications for the national organic agriculture policy, as it provides research-based information on the actual players in the farming systems of Saudi Arabia.

Analysis of past 26 years landing data to understand the status of Acetes spp. populations in Malaysia

Acetes spp. is one of the sergestid species that living mainly in the estuaries and shallow waters of the tropical and subtropical regions. In Malaysia, it is known as ‘Udang Baring’ in Peninsular Malaysia and ‘bubuk’ in Sabah and Sarawak. Acetes shrimp pastes are being produced widely throughout Southeast Asia. Economically, these shrimps contribute to the local in Malaysia as they are commercially being sold as dried, salted or fermented shrimps as part of the local delicacies such as ‘belacan’ and ‘cencaluk’. Data on Acetes landing (1993-2018) was collected from Department of Fisheries of Malaysia (DOFM) and Department of Fisheries Sabah (DOFS). Several missing data from Sabah (DOFM) was replaced by data from DOFS. All data were analysed using Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) and cluster analysis to determine the similarities of Acetes landing throughout the study years. Results of MDS indicate that at 80% similarity, the landing years were clustered into 11 groups. Correlation analysis indicates that three states were negatively correlated with landing years while another three states showed a positive correlation (p< 0.05). The significant increase of landings in early 2000s might due to the government effort in 1996 that had initiated Malaysia’s National Agricultural Policy (NAP) 3 (1998 – 2010). Results showed landings 1990s’ and early 2000s’ were low and all impacted by the climatic events (El Niño, La Niña, or both). In conclusion, the increasing trend in Acetes landings lately potentially show that Acetes industry is getting more recognized in Malaysia even though some states showed a drastic decreasing trend that probably indicates overexploitation which needs further investigation for confirmation.

Problems and prospects of technical and technological renovation of the regional agro-industrial complex

Technical and technological renewal of the agricultural sector is the main priority of the national agricultural policy, thanks to which the country will be able to reach food independence and security. The modern material and technical base of the industry in most regions, as well as in the country as a whole, is distinguished by a high degree of physical and moral deterioration. It is impossible to produce agricultural products that meet the requirements of world standards with the help of an outdated material and technical base. Due to low profitability, technical and technological renewal and modernization of the material and technical base of agriculture must rely on solid state financial support. Currently, the industry is deeply dependent on technical provision with imported machines and equipment. The key task of the current agro-industrial complex should be considered its transfer to innovations, digital technologies, and robotization. The industry’s orientation towards these areas requires the development of modern methods for assessing the efficiency of using fixed assets, innovations and investments.

Delineating the rice crop activities in Northeast China through regional parametric synthesis using satellite remote sensing time-series data from 2000 to 2015

Accurate rice area extraction and yield simulations are important for understanding how national agricultural policies and environmental issues affect regional spatial changes in rice farming. In this study, an improved regional parametric syntheses approach, that is, the rice zoning adaptability criteria and dynamic harvest index (RZAC-DHI), was established, which can effectively simulate the rice cultivation area and yield at the municipal level. The RZAC was used to extract the rice area using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer time-series data and phenological information. The DHI was calculated independently, and then yield was obtained based on the DHI and net primary productivity (NPP). Based on the above results, we analyzed the spatial–temporal patterns of the rice cultivation area and yield in Northeast China (NEC) during 2000–2015. The results revealed that the methods established in this study can effectively support the yearly mapping of the rice area and yield in NEC, the average precisions of which exceed 90 and 80%, respectively. The rice planting areas are mainly located on the Sanjiang, Songnen and Liaohe plains, China, which are distributed along the Songhua and Liaohe rivers. The rice cultivation area and yield in this region increased significantly from 2000 to 2015, with increases of nearly 58 and 90%, respectively. The rice crop area and yield increased the fastest in Heilongjiang Province, China, whereas small changes occurred in Jilin and Liaoning provinces, China. Their gravity centers exhibited evident northward and eastward shifts, with offset distances of 107 and 358 km, respectively. Moreover, Heilongjiang Province has gradually become the new main rice production region. The methodologies used in this study provide a valuable reference for other related studies, and the spatial-temporal variation characteristics of the rice activities have raised new attention as to how these shifts affect national food security and resource allocation.

Comparison of Public Risk Management Tools in Slovak Agriculture

Research background: Risk in agriculture is a difficult concept to recognize, because farmers are exposed to different types of risks that influence their agricultural activity. The stability of farmer´s income is threatened by various factor interconnected to each other, such as market risks (price volatility, market shocks), financial risks (indebtedness, loans and credits), production risks (climate change, pests and diseases, biosecurity), technological risk (digitization, technological progress), institutional risk (regulations, environment and tax policy), and human resource risk (physical and mental health). Therefore, for the farmers it is very challenging to implement appropriate and effective risk management tools, in order to stabilize their income. Purpose of the article: Risk management offers a variety of strategies and instruments on the farm or aggregate level to copy with the risk. Also in the Pillar II of CAP 2014-2020 were introduced new risk management tools, as a response to greater price and yield variability among European countries. In the paper, we decided to analyse and compare several public risk management tools that can farmers use to increase their welfare and stabilize income. Methods: The national agricultural policies, as well as CAP are aimed at compensating farmers for the negative effects, however it is not so easy to govern and implement the tools on the farm level. The paper provides a comparative analysis of selected tools that are the most suitable for Slovak agricultural producers. Findings &amp; Value added: The results of the paper can give the farmers ability to compare and choose between public risk management tools that could be used for risk exposure.

Leveraging Endogenous Research and Innovation for Sustainable Livestock Production, National Food Security and Poverty Alleviation In Nigeria

In this treatise, a quick look is taken at the spectrum (range) of research from pure basic, strategic basic, applied, experimental development or research and development (R&amp;D) to endogenous research and innovation (ER&amp;I). It also defines development, innovation, food security, poverty; and discusses some contemporary theories of innovation within the context of organizational/national development. This was followed by an overview of global and Nigerian livestock, Food Security and Poverty situations; and the characterization of the Nigerian agriculture. It emphasizes the strong link between poverty and low agricultural productivity and chronicles the impact of some generated technologies by the National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) on food production. The trends and patterns of Industry-Government-University research relationships in Nigeria are examined and some illustrations given to show in concrete terms, with examples of the “Asian Tigers” and the BRICS nations, how socio-economic development and human development indices (HDI)have become Research and Innovation-driven.Among the identified constraints to the attainment of food and nutrition security and the curtailment of deepening poverty despite Nigeria's huge agricultural resource endowments include: high cost of agricultural inputs; incessant power outages; chronic under-funding of agricultural research by government and the society, including industries; poor market outlets; huge post-harvest losses due, largely, to the decay of research infrastructure needed for value-addition; low value accorded University-Industry R&amp;I partnerships; lack of political will to make existing National Agricultural policies achieve set targets; information dearth and/or low diffusion of the available significant local agricultural R&amp;I outcomes. Others were poor food distribution networks and very limited ACCESS to food and means of food production – land, water, animals, seeds, fertilizers, extension education, technology etcConsequent on the structural issues involved in food security: ie, the scientific challenge of enhanced productivity; the logistical and political questions of distribution; and socio-economic issues of access, robust mitigation paradigms are proposed. First, is to give full and true autonomy to Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria to effectively harness the synergies of the Universities, NARS, Research Institutes and Industries with regard to competencies, endowments (both material &amp; intellectual) to pursue National Food Security programme without undue interference from a supervisory ministry. Also proposed, for poverty mitigation, is a Value Chain model which entails the active promotion of local content policy by government which strategically links ER&amp; I with MSMEs for the manufacture of strategic basic agricultural equipment, foods, animal feeds, drugs/vaccines, goods and supplies with incentives such as tax holiday, low interest rates etc, provided such firms by government; substantial improvement in the power and transportation sectors, among others.

What Does Gender Yield Gap Tell Us about Smallholder Farming in Developing Countries?

This study examines the extent of the productivity gap between male and female bean producers, its discriminatory nature and implications for the policymakers in agriculture in Tanzania. Generally, women are distinctively “invisible” in agriculture, due to social norms and even from the national agricultural policy perspective. Their discrimination arises from uncounted and unaccounted for farm work, and their productivity is reduced by triple roles, limited access to education, having triple effects on access to technology, training and land rights. In research, issues of concern to them such as nutritious food crops, varietal selection on important attributes, household food security, convenient home storage and small-scale processing are widely ignored through unfavourable policy design. Given the above discriminatory issues surrounding women in agriculture, they are hypothesised to be less productive and often lag behind male counterparts in crop production. To test the above hypothesis, a three-stage stratified sampling method was used to collect cross-sectional data in 2016 across four regions of Tanzania. Then, an Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition method (at means) was used to apportion the sources of the difference between men and women into explained and unexplained variations. Further improvements through the newly developed Re-Centered Influence Functions (RIFs) remarkably improved outcomes as the differences were analysed through unconditional partial effects on quantiles. Using a counterfactual approach and correcting for selection bias, the model provided consistent estimates for easy comparison of the two groups. Besides this, it emerged that interventions such as providing improved bean seed varieties and training farmers on good agricultural practices reduced the gender yield gap and provided a potential avenue for addressing the discrimination observed in productivity among males and females. Controlling for selection bias also improved the model, but the real discrimination was observed at the 50th percentile, where the majority of the respondents lay within. However, if a female’s age, family size, additional years of schooling and discretion to spend income from beans were taken away, they would be worse off. Our study finds that females comprised 25 percent of the sample, had 6 percent lower productivity, provided 64.70 percent on-farm labour and had 0.32 hectares less land compared to males, ceteris paribus. Access to improved varieties contributed to a 35.4 percent improved productivity compared to growing indigenous/local varieties. The implication is that the gender yield gap can be reduced significantly if efforts are focused on preventing or correcting factors causing discrimination against women.

Agriculturale Extension and Speaker Acceptance: A Simple Cross Analysis between Groups at University Stage

Effective communication skills is one of the many abilities that agricultural extensionists should possess. This is because, these officers will be required to disseminate the latest knowledge and introduce new technologies to farmers to fulfil national agricultural policies and vision. Anxiety is a common issue faced by extensionists, especially during oral briefings or presentation and for officers who are still new at their job. The problem could arise from situational or personal effects, which play significant roles in regulating anxiety. Controlled anxiety allows for a remarkable speech delivery and accelerate audience attention and involvement. The study focused on determining the challenges or factors influencing the fluency/smoothness in giving speeches by academic and non-academic personnel in UPMKB. Both groups are irregularly involved in extension services to the Bintulu community. A semi-structured questionnaire was prepared and distributed among 30 respondents. This study used an in-depth interview and content analysis to highlight the challenges among respondents. Our findings indicated two main challenges, namely the occurrence of speech anxiety and insufficient preparation before speech delivery. Older and more experienced respondents (&gt;16 years job experience) showed controllable anxiety compared to the younger ones due to the younger officers limited public speaking experience. The response of the audience during agricultural talks significantly affects the respondent’s anxiety by either reducing or increasing the anxiety through non-verbal communication — moreover, sufficient time to prepare the information for the speech also regulates anxiety in respondents. Therefore, invitation for agricultural extension talks or speeches must consider a speaker’s expertise and provide sufficient advance notice.

Non-point source pollution in response to rural transformation development: A comprehensive analysis of China's traditional farming area

Controlling non-point source pollution (NPSP) has been viewed as a priority for realizing rural sustainability. Substantial literature has examined the effects of economic growth or urbanization on NPSP, while little work has been undertaken to investigate how rural transformation development (RTD) influence NPSP, and how differences in the process itself affect the impact that RTD has on such emissions. To fill these gaps, this paper empirically and comprehensively investigates the multiple effects of RTD on NPSP, by addressing three different dimensions of the RTD process-namely, regional urbanization, agricultural modernization, and land use transition. Longitudinal trends analysis of NPSP loads over the long-term (1990–2017) using the approach of inventory analysis was conducted to overcome the difficulty in gathering pollution monitoring data. Our results suggest that RTD generally presents an inverted “U” shaped relationship with NPSP, and differentiated evolution trajectories exist between different dimensions of RTD and different components and sources of NPSP. The turning points of total phosphor (TP) and planting industry-induced NPSP emission appear later than others. Land use transition and agricultural modernization process have significantly positive relations with the emissions from the planting industry. Furthermore, the evolution of NPSP is highly coupled with the shifts in national strategies, agricultural policies, and environmental regulations. These findings provide insights into the human-environment relation, suggesting that reasonable countermeasures should be formulated corresponding to the development stage of RTD.

FACTORS AFFECTING THE PERFORMANCE OF GRAIN COOPERATIVE SOCIETIES IN LATVIA

The present research continues and complements previous research by the authors on the performance of grain cooperative societies in Latvia. The research aim is to identify and assess the factors affecting the performance of grain cooperative societies in Latvia.The research results revealed that the main endogenous factor hindering the performance of grain cooperatives was technological – underdeveloped grain processing –, as the cooperatives did not own processing enterprises, which was mainly due to an unclear situation in the sales market. The industry experts referred to the socio-economic factor as the key opportunity for improving the performance of cooperative societies – cooperation between small cooperative societies and large ones within the industry –, as well as the promotion of cooperation with scientists, technological progress and the positive effects on industry development in the country and the region. The research results revealed that the main threat to the development of cooperative societies was the political factor – possible sudden and significant changes in the national agricultural policy, which might be affected by the turnover of policy makers and the priorities set for the industry, as well as the economic situation in the country.The research employed the following methods: monographic, induction and deduction, graphical, comparison, a sociological research method – structured expert surveying –, SWOT analysis, pairwise analysis and statistical analysis.