Transformation Of Rural Economy Research Articles

Sorting the facts from the lots: Contribution of artisanal and small-scale mining (galamsey) to rural livelihood configurations in sub-Saharan Africa

<p>In recent times, what is common in the scientific literature is findings showcasing the environmental and social menaces associated with artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM)–low-tech, low capital investment, and labor-intensive mineral extraction and processing. However, a better understanding of how ASM shapes livelihood and rural economies may present nuances as to how its negative ramifications can be addressed. As a result, this paper examines how <em>galamsey</em> engenders livelihoods and the transformation of rural economies in Ghana. We produced a nuanced counter-debate to the widely held view that <em>galamsey</em> is evil and a menace to national development by sourcing data from 236 operators using a questionnaire and key informant interviews with 11 relevant stakeholders in north-western Ghana. Findings show that <em>galamsey</em> is a source of employment, income, and accumulation of assets such as houses, motorbikes, cars, and filling stations, which together make the local economy thrive, thereby fostering a local economic boom. However, there is limited collaboration between regulatory agencies and local stakeholders in implementing sustainable mining policies in Ghana. To address this problem, the government should engage local community actors such as the chiefs and landlords, assembly members, and the lead miners on possible steps to streamline and effectively monitor <em>galamsey</em> operations as opposed to military clamp downs.</p>

Research on the Integrated Development of Digital economy and Rural Society under the background of Common Prosperity

In order to respond to the new situation and challenges of global digitalization economy, promote the development of digital economy and practice the great ideal of common prosperity of socialism, the Party's twenty major reports require taking digital economy as the engine to drive rural economic development, realize the transformation from traditional agricultural economy to digital rural economy, and comprehensively deepen rural revitalization in the new era. With the information network as the carrier and commercial trade as the core, the digital economy integrates social natural resources as a whole and promotes the innovative reform of the social economy. Integrating digital economy with rural social development, guiding rural areas to speed up the construction of digital infrastructure, promoting the establishment and improvement of modern "digital countryside", stimulating the development and transformation of rural economy, and exploring new roads for rural revitalization. This paper analyzes and studies the economic and humanistic aspects of the integration of digital economy and rural society. First, digital economy promotes the development of rural economy, reduces the economic gap between urban and rural areas, and promotes the development of social common prosperity. Second, the development of digital culture industry inherits excellent rural traditional culture and opens up a new mode of traditional culture development

Realising rural economic transformation: Pathways to inclusive and sustainable prosperity in post-COVID-19 Asia

The world is adjusting to regain control over direct economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. This adjustment is occurring whilst global collective action is also gearing up to tackle climate change, avert biodiversity collapse and redress unsustainable growth practices that featured in pre-Covid era global economic activity for decades. COVID-19 pandemic experience since December 2019 has been a period of pronounced anxiety and inspiration. Despite the angst of widespread calamity, and the loss of over six million lives, a coordinated global effort helped contain the impacts well short of initial predictions. Progress toward eliminating poverty, the central goal in rural economic transformation, has been set back by decades. The strength in organising — through social and business processes — marked the resilience endured. The recovery is patchy and uneven across individual nations, and the medium-term prospects remain contingent on the efficacy of funding essential human services and clear market bottlenecks. Bridging capacity constraints across the rural–urban continuum also remain a need to ease the regulatory burden as the world tackles widespread externalities of the past to create new growth opportunities.In this special issue, emerging and established academics from the Asian region and beyond,11These papers were drawn from presentations made at a conference organised by the Asian Development Bank Institute on ‘Rural economic transformation: embracing opportunities in better living in Asia’ held during 15–17 November 2021. All contributors are from Asian Development Bank member nations. draw insights from research and analysis on the challenges facing policy makers, businesses, and households in raising living standards and inspiring the pursuit of individual and social affluence during these uncertain but opportune times.

Study on the Countermeasures of Rural Economic Transformation and Development

China's rural areas are now in an important period of economic transformation. Xiaogang Village, Chuzhou City, Anhui Province, has a distinctive position in China's rural areas and is a typical example of China's rural reform and opening up. Through the research and research on the development status of Xiaogang Village, this paper puts forward the path choice of Xiaogang Village's economic transformation, discusses and analyzes the problems and constraints faced by Xiaogang Village's economic transformation, and how to overcome difficulties and help Xiaogang Village complete the economic transformation as soon as possible.

Village Road Quality and Accessibility on Transforming Rural Development

Rural road infrastructure in Indonesia has increased significantly, especially during the last decade. This study presents an overview of how rural road quality and accessibility affected village economic transformation. It is the first empirical study in Indonesia addressing rural transformation. Village-level microdata, referring to the smallest administrative official, were utilized. Using a Random-Effects Panel Logit model, this study discovered that improving the type of road surface and accessibility for four-wheeled vehicles significantly increased the probability of village economic transformation. Different types of road infrastructure improvement affected the rural economic transformation both within and outside Java-Bali. Paved or concrete roads in Java-Bali had a higher marginal effect than on other islands, thereby increasing the likelihood of rural economic transformation. However, the road accessibility for four-wheeled vehicles in Java-Bali did not significantly affect the probability of rural economic transformation. Nevertheless, for villages on other islands, it did. Furthermore, the transformation significantly influenced other infrastructures, such as electricity coverage, market presence, information and communication technology (ICT), and flatland topography. Moreover, the road access to villages and the availability of water or irrigation significantly affected the probability of surviving in the agricultural sector. Following these findings, policymakers should prioritize villages’ infrastructure by considering different types of infrastructure provision across villages, referring to different infrastructure needs for Java-Bali and other islands.

Does rubber expansion hinder the migration of rural labor? Evidence from southwest China?

AbstractThe expansion of agroforestry crops in South Asia has resulted in the reallocation of local agricultural resources, including labor force. Based on two‐wave panel data collected from more than 600 smallholder rubber farmers in southwest China, this study examines the impacts of rubber expansion on the migration of rural labor. The results show that smallholders planting more rubber plantations have significantly fewer migrant family members and lower likelihood of migration, revealing a significantly negative effect of rubber cultivation on the migration of rural labor. Given that the migration of rural labor is a major trend in rural economic transformation, rubber farming appears to result in the resource curse in rubber planting areas. In addition, a positive interaction effect between rubber cultivation and the price of natural rubber on the migration of rural labor reveals that the resource curse effect of natural rubber decreases with the decrease in the price of natural rubber. A period with a relatively low price of natural rubber provides an opportunity to foster the migration of rural labor in rubber planting areas.

Local community’s role in tourism development

The transformation of rural economy is most acute at the local level among the native population. The goal of the article is to define possibilities for participation of local community in development of rural tourism. When applying the participatory approach, the following conclusions can be drawn: 1) when local communities are not actively involved in the development of rural areas and tourism within the local borders, it is almost impossible to speak of any promotion; 2) rural tourism is attractive to the local community, but its ability actively participate in its development is limited by objective and subjective reasons; 3) emphasis on the benefits of rural tourism for the consumers and producers can lead to increased employment and profits for the local community. The assessment of the local community’s capacity to develop rural tourism is a crucial point in its promotion. This in turn leads to further research into the experience of integrating rural tourism into local communities. The results of the article may help in the development of concept papers on rural tourism development and may be useful in some tourism projects.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AMONG WOMEN IN IKENNE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, OGUN STATE; AN APPRAISAL OF PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS

Purpose: This paper takes an incisive examination of economic development with specific focus on some of the problems confronting the involvement of rural women in development activities in Ikenne Local Government.
 Methodology: The paper addresses this issue through qualitative methodologies by relying heavily on Primary and Secondary Sources of data collection consisting of oral Interviews with selected rural women in the Local Government. Relevant Text books, Journals, and Internet Sources were consulted to corroborate evidences from the findings.
 Findings: Although women have served as critical agents of rural economic transformation, such roles has been limited by illiteracy, lack of adequate finance, lack of processing and storage facilities, unsteady power supply, poverty. Their impacts have been felt indirectly in subsistent agriculture, and directly at the domestic domain. The role of women in the economic development of Ikenne Local Government Area in Ogun State cannot be overemphasized. This is because, there is basically no aspect of economic development in Ogun State that rural women would not be found. Generally, Ikenne rural women are majorly involved in agricultural activities such as planting, weeding, harvesting, processing and marketing. They also keep some domestic animals and birds. Rural women’s limited access to productive resources, low educational level and illiteracy are contributors to rural women’s poverty. The study discovered that Illiteracy affects extent to which benefits can be accrued from newer, non-traditional methods such as: information and communication technologies.
 Unique Contribution to Practice and Policy: The research therefore recommended that rural women in Ikenne local government should be exposed to various economic platforms for knowledge mobilization, innovation, and partnerships for sourcing funds to carry out their economic activities. The work concluded that promotion of agricultural development should be through the provision of useful and relevant information to the farming communities by the extension services. There are many constraints making rural women farmers to be lagging behind economically, apart from lack of agricultural information. Further main constraints such as the lack of personal land and credit should be enhanced to suit the necessity of the rural women. Rural women are limited in terms of their potential in contributing to agricultural and socio-economic development.

Research on the influence of E-commerce on the adjustment of rural industrial structure under the background of “internet plus” using intuitionistic fuzzy sets

China remains one among largest agricultural countries in the world and one of the fastest growing Internet countries in the world. The further thorough and penetration of the Internet into the rural hinterland indicates that the combination of the Internet and the rural areas already has the technical foundation. The transformation of rural economy with Internet as medium is the future direction of rural development. Starting from the current situation of rural Internet development, based on the annotation of “Internet plus”, this paper explores the theoretical and practical application of rural e-commerce development. We utilize Intuitionistic Fuzzy Sets operator for modelling multiple attribute issues related to decision making to estimate influence of e-commerce in industries. This paper puts forward the measure method of industrial transformation and proves that “Internet plus” e-commerce has exerted a great influence on the commercial civilization, industrial structure and economic structure transformation of rural areas. The steady and lasting impact of this continuous release may become a new paradigm of technological economy. It is of great significance to the formation of the “four modernizing” linkage mechanism with information as media and the innovation of the conventional path of rural economic development and the rapid growth of rural economy.

Does the application of ICTs facilitate rural economic transformation in China? Empirical evidence from the use of smartphones among farmers

This paper investigates the role of information communication technologies (ICTs) in the transformation of rural economies by evaluating the use of smartphones among farmers in China. We use unique three-wave panel data to document the transformation path of rural economies in recent years. An endogenous switching probit model and a counterfactual analysis are applied to estimate the effects of smartphone use. The results show that from 2008 to 2015, rural economies in China could be characterized by the following three aspects: a) increased off-farm employment, b) expanded grain cultivation, and c) decreased crop diversification. The estimation results indicate that the use of smartphones among farmers had significant impacts on the transformation of rural economies by facilitating the off-farm employment of the farmers' family members, the cultivation of nongrain crops and crop specialization. These findings complement the empirical evidence on the role of ICTs, particularly smartphones, in the development of rural economies in China and other developing countries.

The behavioral impact of basic energy access: A randomized controlled trial with solar lanterns in rural India

How beneficial is basic energy access – typically lighting and mobile charging – for rural households? Despite research on the economic impacts of basic energy access, few studies have investigated how it changes household behavior. Here we report results from a randomized controlled trial in rural Uttar Pradesh, India, which identifies the behavioral impacts of providing solar lanterns to households that normally rely on kerosene as their primary source of lighting. Eighty-nine of the 184 households participating in the study were given a free, high-quality solar lantern. Comparing changes in responses from the baseline questionnaire and an endline questionnaires administered six months later, we find that the lanterns reduced energy expenditures, improved lighting, improved satisfaction with lighting, more use of lighting for domestic activities (e.g., reading), and improved satisfaction with lighting for domestic activities. Overall, our results show that basic energy access can offer substantial benefits within the households, even if broader rural economic transformation is not plausible.

Female Workers and Transformation of Rural Economy into Urban Economy

Many rural areas have been classified as an urban area, specifically as census towns, in the 2011 Census. Shift of majority of working population from farm employment to non-farm employment is the main criterion, among other demographic characteristics, for the classification of rural areas as the urban areas. Change in occupational structure has changed the economy of these settlements. An attempt has been made to analyse the employment structure of female labour in these settlement, particularly census towns of Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Census towns which are far away from the nearest class I city, more than 100 km, have been selected for the study. An assessment of evolution of employment patterns among female and male workers during the decade of 2001–2011 has been attempted by using data provided by 2001 and 2011 Census. A substantially high percentage of female workers are agricultural labours in these census towns. This pattern is contrary to the pattern observed in the case of male workers. Further, employment vulnerability has increased more among female workers as compared to male workers in these settlements during the period of 2001–2011. Moreover, majority of these settlements experienced comparatively lower intensity of farm to non-farm employment shift among female workers as compared to male workers. The trend is same in both Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

Fertiliser adoption and sustainable rural livelihood improvement in Nigeria

Poor soil fertility emanating from land degradation is one of the causes of low crop productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa. Therefore, the issues of food insecurity and poverty have become prevalent in these countries. It is however imperative to explore agricultural innovations such as mineral fertiliser to improve soil fertility of the arable lands in Africa including Nigeria. In this study, we analyse the adoption of mineral fertiliser and its economic impacts on the livelihoods of 400 rural farmers in Nigeria. We apply the endogenous switching regression and propensity score matching approaches in the empirical analyses. We find that the adoption of mineral fertiliser increases cassava yields and net revenues of rural farmers. The enhanced cassava yields and net revenues have implications on the transformation of rural economy by reducing food insecurity, minimising poverty, and improving the overall well-being of rural farmers. The results also show that farmer age and leasing negatively influence the adoption of fertiliser whereas farmer education, experience in cassava farming, household size, keeping of farm record, location differential, access to credit, membership of farmer association, and herbicides show positive effects. To achieve higher adoption of fertiliser among rural farmers, we recommend that agricultural policies could target the aforementioned key factors.

On Rural Collective Economy and Rural Green Tourism

The ecological crisis brought by the rapid development of rural tourism has become a major practical problem that demands prompt solution in the process of rural economic transformation. Seen from the concept of green development, the application of the weight of the green evaluation indicator system in measuring and comparing influences of different economic organizations on the development of rural green tourism aims to analyze and evaluate the positive influence of the rural collective economy on rural green tourism from an empirical perspective. Results show that the collective economy strengthens the overall utility and development level of rural green tourism, contributes to the promotion of economy and the protection of the environment and happiness index, and even contributes to the formation of the “core” of the alliance of the collective economy and individual behavior. Therefore, the conclusion of the research provides new empirical evidence for the in-depth understanding of the development of collective economies under the background of a rural revitalization strategy.

Urbanization and land use pattern in Arba Minch town, Ethiopia: driving forces and challenges

The objective of this study was to explore the driving forces of urbanization, land use pattern, and its challenges in Arba Minch town, Southern Ethiopia. Mixed research design was employed to generate and analyze data. Four sample kebeles [Mehal Ketema, Dilfana, Bere and Woze] were selected using simple random sampling technique. Stratified proportional sampling technique was used to obtain data from selected kebeles (197 households) through questionnaires. Interviews were made with key informants. Aerial photo, Google Earth Image and Satellite images of LANDSAT (1975, 2000 and 2018) were visualized to quantify land use and land cover [LULC] change and its pattern. Field observation was made to cross-check results from other sources. Data was analyzed using SPSS (23), Erdas Imagine (2014) and ArcGIS (10.3). The study revealed rapid urbanization mainly induced by migration. Physically, Arba Minch has grown from fragmented neighborhoods (since 1950s to mid 1970s) to a conurbated urban fabric in recent years. Built-up area has increased by 780 ha at the expense of agriculture, plantation and mixed forests between 2000 and 2018. Continual land demand for development [road infrastructure, education and tourism] and rural economic transformation ignited rapid urbanization in Arba Minch. The study revealed housing shortage and the proliferation of informal settlements in different pockets of the town and poor vacant land management as challenges. Therefore; Arba Minch municipality and other stake holders should work hand-in-hand to promote sustainable urban development through: optimal vacant land management; monitoring informal settlements; promoting vertical development and preserving the scenic urban fabric.

Research on the Path of Rural Economic Transformation under the Background of Urbanization: A Case Study of Mucun Town

Mu Town belongs to Liulin County, Luliang City, Shanxi Province. It is a typ-ical resource-based township economy developed by relying on coal resources. In recent years, the economic development of Liulin County is in a period of strength. According to the national rural revitalization strategy, the economic transformation of Mu villages and towns is imminent. Based on the analysis of the current economic and social development in Mucun town, this paper focuses on the transformation of coal industry, and explores how to integrate resources and realize economic transformation in the process of urbanization in Mucun town in combination with its transformation ideas in agricultural de-velopment, resource development, ecological environment and regional devel-opment.

Study on the Rural Economic Transition in the Context of Modernization Based on the Perspective of Economic Anthropology

ABSTRACTThis paper researches on the rural economic transition in the context of modernization based on the perspective of economic anthropology. On the basis of the analysis in rural China and its limitations, this thesis reviews the theory and practice of rural economic transformation. It comes to the conclusion that the main body of rural economic and social transformation is the peasants, the inner basis is industrialization and urbanization, and small-scale farming must to be changed in production methods and lifestyle. The transformation of economy in the Chinese ethnic minorities’ villages is restricted by reforms guided by state and market. This paper analyzes the national rural economic characteristics, the transformation of the stage, transformation of the barrier and the direction, pointing out that the transformation of rural economy in Ethnic Regions is not only the standard and mode, but should be diversified and the direction of development way.

IMPACT OF ROW-PLANTING ADOPTION ON PRODUCTIVITY OF RICE FARMING IN NORTHERN GHANA

This paper employed the endogenous switching regression and propensity score matching methods to analyse the impact of row-planting technology on rice productivity using 470 rice farms in Northern Ghana. The empirical findings showed that the adoption of row-planting technology exerted greater positive impact on rice yields of smallholder farmers. In addition, rice yields of adopters and non-adopters are driven by farm inputs, socioeconomic, institutional and technological factors. We suggest that achieving self-sufficiency in rice and rural economic transformation in sub-Saharan Africa requires promotion of agricultural technologies including row-planting. Different specific policy interventions are also required to promote rice yields for adopters and non-adopters.

Economic growth and rural transformation in eastern India: strategies for inclusive growth

There is an emerging consensus that the well-being of rural households improve with the blending of farm activities with non-farm economic activities. The diversification of rural livelihood positively impacts the wellbeing of the rural households. Eastern states however remained laggard in rural transformation due to myriad of endogenous as well as exogenous factors. With uneven distribution of production assets, poor infrastructure and governance, low levels of literacy, skills, awareness and connectivity and limitations of alternative options for livelihood, the high prevalence of poverty in the region becomes the structural corollary. This paper delves into its multiple dimensions of rural transformation with focus on selected eastern states of India. Considering very small landholding of the farmers and thereby negligible employment elasticity to agricultural growth, creation of non-agricultural opportunities, diversification, and transformation of rural economy towards expanding rural non-farm employment are adjunct to the strategies of managing vulnerabilities associated to the region bringing meaningful structural change in the rural socio-economic conditions.

Women and Rural Development in Nigeria: Some Critical Issues for Policy Consideration

This paper examines the broad idea of gender and development with specific focus on some critical issues and challenges confronting the involvement of rural women in development activities in Nigeria. The paper addresses this issue through some theoretical and empirical review of literatures. Major impacts of women in rural development in Nigeria have been discussed and situated at historical perspectives through analysis of policies and programmes of government. Although women have served as critical agents of rural economic transformation, such role has been limited in scope, mostly shaped by the dictates of local patriarchy and religious beliefs. Their impacts have been felt indirectly in subsistent agriculture, and directly at the domestic domain. A number of challenges affecting their active involvement in rural development have been discussed to include the prevalence of cultural and institutional barriers as well as limited access to critical infrastructures in the rural areas. Policy recommendations focus on practical, legislative, legal and administrative actions that are particularly targeted at addressing those barriers.