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Land-tenure security is integral to local communities' socioeconomic development. It has been a center of debate in academia and for legislators and advocates to implement reforms to enhance efficient and sustainable development in land management. Yet, knowledge gaps remain in how various contract-farming regimes contribute to land-improvement investment and technical efficiency. This study used a data set of 650 farm households collected through a two-stage stratified sampling to investigate the influence of three contract-farming regimes: long-term, medium-term, and short-term contracts, on the land-improvement investment, productivity, and technical efficiency of contract farmers in Punjab, Pakistan. The study used multivariate probit and ordinary least square regression models to examine the posit relationships. The findings highlight that farmers with long-term land contracts have higher per hectare yield, income and profit than those with medium-term and short-term contracts. The results confirm that farmers with medium- and long-term contracts tend to invest more in land-improvement measures, i.e., organic and green manure. Further, the study findings demonstrate that long-term land tenures are more effective when farmers make decisions regarding the on-farm infrastructure, like tube-well installation, tractor ownership, and holding farm logistics. Last, the study results confirm that long-term contracts are more robust regarding technical efficiency. Moreover, the findings support the Marshallian inefficiency hypothesis and extend the literature on contract farming, land-improvement investment, and land use policy, and offer coherent policy actions for stakeholders to improve farmers' productivity, technical efficiency, and income. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In developing countries, supply chains are rapidly transforming. However, smallholder farmers, in particular, have experienced mixed impacts in inclusion and exclusion from modern supply chains (MSCs). Therefore, by taking Pakistan's mandarin industry as a case, this study aims to analyze the farmers' efficiency and inclusiveness in modern supply chains and compare them across the farm size categories, i.e., small, medium, and large. For that purpose, cross-sectional data from 300 farmers were collected to test the posit objectives. The empirical investigation was made using the endogenous treatment effect model and the propensity score matching approach. Findings show that large farmers prefer to participate in MSCs, driven by contractors, processors or exporters. Conversely, the smallholders are more inclined to participate in the traditional supply chains (TSCs), driven by village vendors, local retailers/consumers, middlemen, and traditional fruit and vegetable markets. The results also revealed a positive connection between efficiency and farmers' inclusion in the MSC. Orchard size, education, off-farm income, and extension services positively impact profitability. In terms of an increase in farmers' profitability, the efficiency improvement can benefit the resource-poor smallholders who make up 74% of the total farmers in the sample. Therefore, these results are noteworthy for devising policy actions to facilitate smallholder inclusion in the modern agri-food supply chains to alleviate rural poverty and ensure farmers' wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigation falls in the very few studies that seek the association between city development and sustainable urban planning. This study emphasized to examine and explore effects of urban village disamenity on Nanjing suburban and posh area property valuation. Globally, slums exist in almost every country; however, researchers focused less on slums' crumbled infrastructure, crimes, and other social problems; however, few kinds of research studies covered the adverse impact on the property value. This paper plans to seek the effects of rural area migrants on Nanjing City in response to the late 1970 economic reform implementation as they aimed to extract benefits of reforms offering enhanced economic opportunities, higher rate of income and employment, and comprehensive social benefits. This study examined the negativity of urban villages on the surrounding area valuation and its impact on residential properties. The results of this study specified an adverse effect of urban villages on the value of nearby apartments; however, residential units closer to these villages experienced the worst impact compared to the residential apartments located far away. The findings revealed that urban villages' neighborhood negatively influences home selling value when compared with other houses located far away. This study is helpful for government officials and policymakers to resolve urban villages' issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]