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Based on the Chinese county-level panel data from 2014–2018, in the study reported in this paper, we empirically tested the "complementarity and substitution" effects of internet finance and rural finance on rural economic development using the feasible generalized least squares (FGLS) estimation method. The research data were obtained from the China County Statistical Yearbook. Similarly, the data of agricultural credit societies were obtained from the unique database of the agricultural credit societies of Shaanxi Rural Finance Research Center, while the internet finance development index was obtained from the Digital Finance Research Center of Peking University. In this research, we found that rural finance and internet finance contribute to rural economic growth. In the context of rural economic growth, internet finance and rural finance development show a substitution effect. The scale and efficiency of rural finance contribute to rural economic growth, while the structure of rural finance has the opposite effect. The development of internet finance reduces the marginal contribution of the rural financial scale and efficiency to rural economic growth. It weakens the negative effect of the rustic financial structure on rural economic growth. Furthermore, the development of internet finance contributes to the rural economic growth of counties of high economic levels but hinders the development of counties of low and medium economic levels. In counties with a high economic status, the development of internet finance and rural finance have a complementary effect on rural economic growth, while in counties of low and medium economic levels, we can observe a substitution effect. These assessments provide guidance, a source for policy recommendations and a reference for researchers and policy makers seeking to optimize the structure and break the monopoly pattern of agricultural credit cooperation in the rural financial market and to strengthen innovation and significantly improve the operational level of rural financial institutions. Moreover, the development of internet financial business and technology is necessary to overcome the demerits of traditional financial institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main path of development credit funds in rural poverty alleviation in Y province is crucial. This paper studies the rural poverty alleviation work in extreme poverty areas in Yunnan and puts forward targeted and instructive policy suggestions for specific difficult areas. Research the relationship between credit resource allocation and rural poverty alleviation. The existing research is mainly based on the relationship between financial development and economic growth, income growth, income distribution, and, on the surface, the relationship between the scale of financial development and the efficiency of financial development and other indicators. The purpose is to put forward targeted measures and suggestions on the basis of theoretical research and model analysis to help the Yunnan banking industry support poverty alleviation. The results of the study show that there is a causal relationship between agriculture-related loans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a world increasingly shaped by data, its exponential growth demands global organizations to swiftly embrace and synchronize with the prompt evolution of our lives. Innovations in storage technology, the advent of IoT (Internet of Things), and the emerging regulations of the European Union, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), all underscore how "Big Data" propels economic transformation. Amid the rapid proliferation of artificial intelligence and technology, Europe's digital overhaul assumes paramount importance, as recent crises underscore the urgency for more effective alternatives that fuel the imperative shift towards sustainability. The concept of "Big Data" has been integrated as a central pillar in the EU's digital transformation strategy, set for 2030, and consequently, within the ambit of its green strategy. This sector's inherent opportunities contribute to the EU's pursuit of climate neutrality by 2050. At its core, "Big Data" involves the amalgamation of extensive and diverse information, subjected to algorithmic analysis to drive decision-making. The data's significance extends beyond economic implications, permeating diverse domains such as safety, health, agriculture, environment, law, and even individual contexts, thereby accentuating the intrinsic essence of "Big Data". This paper addresses the intricate demands posed by the rapid expansion of this type of data, which is experiencing exponential growth in terms of accessibility and automated integration within digital landscapes. Its efficacy is contingent upon not merely the escalating capabilities of technology to facilitate the accumulation and retention of substantial data quantities, but also on its proficiency to conduct thorough analysis, comprehension, and effective utilization of the data's complete worth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper intends to address the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the development of rural areas in Galati County, after the application of the state of emergency in Romania. The article is based on the interpretation of the change of certain economic indicators in rural areas and their impact on the population, economic environment, industry, and agriculture. Supplementary research has been conducted by interpreting the changes triggered by the COVID-19 crisis on the decisions of local and regional authorities to develop certain strategies and projects before and after the end of the present crisis. At the same time, it is analyzed that rural areas were perceived as providing a defense wall against this pandemic, motivating the population in urban areas to seek shelter in rural areas, thus contributing to the development of the economic environment. However, in reality, rural areas have been the hardest hit, unable to provide the infrastructure needed for such a human wave. In the context of those presented, the paper is an analysis of economic and social factors but also of how the COVID-19 crisis has influenced the current situation in rural areas of Galati County. To reach the result of this analysis, research methods were used based on reports, studies, papers and specialized publications both online and offline. As a main result of this paper we can mention the identification at regional level of changes in social, demographic and economic factors with considerable impact on the rural economy in the coming years. Thus, agriculture will feel a decline due to this pandemic, after 2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of paper consists in developing the economic mechanism for increase in effective management of land resources in agriculture. Theoretical provisions of institutionalism, management, system approach, the general scientific and special methods were used in the course of the research. Considering influence of negative externalities on the market of the agricultural land and a deviation of the prices from equilibrium level, it is expedient to influence a market turnover of agricultural grounds by means of the priority directions of development: reductions of transactional costs for execution of transactions and registration of the property rights to the land plots, updating of cadastral cost of the land plots, accelerations of differentiation of the lands which are in federal, regional, regional property, etc. As a result of a research authors constructed the regional economic mechanism of management of land resources in agriculture on the basis of use of digital technologies. Thus, the mechanism includes the executive power, scientific centers, higher educational institutions, software products providing accumulation, updating, structuring, storage of cartographic and thematic information for adoption of optimal management decisions. The offered economic mechanism is recommended to be used when developing state programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large Cardamom stands as a cornerstone of Nepal's agricultural sector, presenting a significant opportunity for economic growth and export potential. The country's unique topography, climate, and soil conditions foster the cultivation of cardamom with distinctive flavor and aroma, positioning it as a valuable commodity in the international market. This review paper delves into the production dynamics, marketing practices, and future prospects of cardamom in Nepal. Utilizing secondary data from diverse sources including governmental reports, trade journals, and academic literature, the study offers a comprehensive analysis of production trends, trade dynamics, and commercialization challenges. The findings reveal a steady increase in cardamom production, highlighting its substantial contribution to the local economy. Despite this growth, the commercialization of Nepali cardamom remains nascent, hindered by issues such as inadequate scientific research, limited adoption of advanced agricultural technologies, insufficient investment, quality inconsistencies, price volatility, and inefficient marketing channels. To address these barriers, the study proposes several strategies: enhancing productivity through mechanization, adopting improved agricultural technologies, stabilizing prices, boosting market recognition, and investing in storage and processing infrastructure. Additionally, fostering diplomatic relations is essential for expanding global marketing and trade opportunities. This review aims to provide policymakers, stakeholders, and researchers with a nuanced understanding of the cardamom industry in Nepal, advocating for a strategic approach to overcome existing challenges and capitalize on the sector's growth potential. By addressing the interlinked aspects of production, marketing, and future development, the study aspires to promote a more sustainable and profitable cardamom industry in Nepal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture is a fundamental sector for a global economic and social development. It provides food, fiber, and raw materials for industries and contributes to the livelihoods of millions of people worldwide. However, agricultural production faces several constraints such as climate change, limited resources, and population growth, among others. These challenges require sustainable solutions to ensure food security, maintain ecological balance, and improve livelihoods. Agricultural technologies provide innovative approaches to overcome these challenges, enhancing productivity, efficiency, and profitability. This paper provides a discussion that agricultural technologies could be a viable and sustainable solution for agricultural production constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper x-rayed the various aspects of the agro-food economic diversification in Malaysia to draw lessons for Nigeria's agricultural economic growth and development. A descriptive statistical method was employed in the presentation. With a total population of 31.6 million people, Malaysia has been able to harness the factor endowments for its people such that its GDP per capita (USD, PPP) grew from 18,577 in 2005 to 25,669 in 2016, whereas Nigeria's GDP per capita (USD, PPP) grew from 4,149 in 2005 to 5,435 in 2016. Nigeria failed in its capacity utilization of the available factor endowments. In 2016, the percentage of prevalence of undernourishment of Malaysian people was 2.9, while Nigeria's data was 11.5%. Furthermore, there was no prevalence of severe food insecurity in Malaysia, but Nigeria recorded 24.8% in its prevalence of severe food insecurity, within the period under consideration. The paper concluded that Nigeria's economic performances are dwindling. It was recommended that to enhance stable and viable sustainable and economic growth for its people, Nigeria's mono-economy must give way to the productive development of all sectors of the economy, particularly the agro-technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the continuous development of economic globalization, the research demand for intelligent agricultural machinery equipment in modern agriculture is increasing. This paper, which aims at the positioning problem of mobile robots in agriculture production, proposes a low-cost magnetic positioning scheme for cement ground. First, the analytical magnetic field model of ground magnets was established. Then, by comparing the analytic computing results, simulation results, and measured values, the modified model of magnetic fields was built and the relevant impact factors were calculated. After that, acquisition devices were used to collect the ground magnetic field data for the establishment of a magnetic field matching algorithm. Finally, the result showed that the positioning displacement error was ±1 mm, and the positioning accuracy was higher than the conventional indoor positioning method, which solved the problem of the low indoor positioning accuracy of agriculture mobile robots and contributes to the efficient production and modernization of agricultural machinery equipment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural R&D has been identified as an important determinant of economic output in the agricultural sector. Surprisingly, in previous studies, spatial spillover associated with R&D spending in the agricultural sector has not been taken into account. This paper investigates the effects of spatial spillover of agricultural R&D on regional economic growth across EU-28 NUTS-II regions in the period 1995-2014. In particular, we extend previous studies by considering spillover in all sectors of agricultural R&D performance including business enterprise, government and higher education. The spatial Durbin panel data model is employed to estimate brooders effect including direct and indirect effects. Empirical results show a positive effect of agricultural R&D and its spatial spillover on regional growth in all performance sectors. Moreover, the impact of spatial spillover of agricultural R&D on regional growth depends on the performance of the R&D sectors; positive spillovers are stronger in the business enterprise sector. Finally, the interaction effect between the economic output of the agricultural sector of each region with that of its neighbours is significantly positive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving global climate change mitigation targets requires low-carbon production in agriculture. In such an endeavor, a new classification of climate-adaptive technology is defined to affect agriculture towards the low-carbon direction, but such an impact has seldom been empirically tested in the literature. In this paper, we investigate the impact of climate-adaptive technological innovation on agricultural carbon efficiency, a proxy for low-carbon agriculture. We use a stochastic directional distance function framework and a cross-country dataset covering 38 OECD countries. Additionally, we test the heterogeneous impact, considering that regional economic development is a crucial condition for deploying advanced technologies. The findings show that climate-adaptive technological innovation can promote carbon efficiency in agriculture, and this aggregate effect hides significant heterogeneity at different levels of economic development. The higher the economic development level is, the better climate-adaptive technological innovation contributes to improving agricultural carbon efficiency. Then, related policy implications are set forth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a critical reflection on the operational logic, ideological inconsistencies, and material fallout of the tea plantation economy of northeastern India, a large-scale commercial enterprise that induced transformative changes to the region's biosocial landscape for a century and more. Unlike existing works on the subject, however, this study focuses on agro-economic ideology - namely the relationship between the crop and its built environment - to highlight the impact of tea on labor, disease ecology, and modernist parables of "progress" in British East India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The IAASTD - the International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development - which ran between 2003 and 2008, involving over 400 scientists worldwide, was an ambitious attempt to encourage local and global debate on the future of agricultural science and technology. Responding to critiques of top-down, northern-dominated expert assessments of the past, the IAASTD aimed to be more inclusive and participatory in both design and process. But to what extent did it meet these objectives? Did it genuinely allow alternative voices to be heard? Did it create a new mode of engagement in global arenas? And what were the power relations involved, creating what processes of inclusion and exclusion? These questions are probed in an examination of the IAASTD process over five years, involving a combination of interviews with key participants and review of available documents. The paper focuses in particular on two areas of controversy - the use of quantitative scenario modelling and the role of genetically-modified crops in developing country agriculture. These highlight some of the knowledge contests involved in the assessment and, in turn, illuminate four questions at the heart of contemporary democratic theory and practice: how do processes of knowledge framing occur; how do different practices and methodologies get deployed in cross-cultural, global processes; how is 'representation' constructed and legitimised; and how, as a result, do collective understandings of global issues emerge? The paper concludes that, in assessments of this sort, the politics of knowledge needs to be made more explicit, and negotiations around politics and values, framings and perspectives, need to be put centre-stage in assessment design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's emergence in international standardisation has led scholars to debates over its intensifying techno-nationalism. This paper examines ginseng standardization using interviews and archives. Standardisation on the ginseng production started in low-income regions, which later changed into the techno-nationalism agenda over the product origin. Upon international standardisation, the sales volume and unit price in ginseng production increased. Yet the effects occurred in the domestic market and the market leader countries moved to the premium segment by product differentiation. The ginseng standard initiative did not achieve the commercial dominance in the global market but was a local development policy tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Agricultural Resources & Environment / Nongye Ziyuan yu Huanjing Xuebao is the property of Journal of Agricultural Resources & Environment Editorial Board and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article focuses on the development in digital agriculture in China, as of December 2020. It discusses the "White Paper on China's Digital Economy Development and Employment (2019)" by the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT) on digital agriculture economy. It offers suggestions on the development of digital agriculture which include establishment of Big Data centers, use of "chain and block" approach in the construction of database and promotion of innovation.

Copyright of Latvian Journal of Physics & Technical Sciences is the property of Sciendo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The paper examines the main issues surrounding distributional effects in the domains of natural resource management and land policies, agricultural technology and research policies, agricultural market and trade policies, and consumer-oriented policies, including standards, subsidies, and labeling. Agriculture is drifting into an ever more drastic bifurcation at a global level and within many countries. Correcting that bifurcation will require large investments in rural areas and rural people, in institutions, and in information and biological technologies accessible by the poor in the world's smallholder sector. Large and growing national and international inequalities related to agriculture and rural areas threaten peace, growth, and sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of agricultural technologies on the growth of agricultural value-added based on time series data of Bihar (India) over the period 1990–2016 has been examined in this paper. The technological progress appears to be a major determinant of boosting the potential productivity of land and affecting positively the economic growth. The results indicated that there are significant and certain benefits from the utilization of a system of technological innovations including mechanization, renewed capital stocks, as well as transfer of new knowledge to farmers' and permanent cropping practices. Farming practices involving crop rotation, multi-cropping, and agro forestry are recommended to sustain agricultural sustainability since they seem to be economically viable and environmentally friendly. It was found that technological innovations pertaining to soil conditions, irrigation systems and chemical fertilizers might be beneficial to agricultural production growth in the long-term when they are managed in accordance with soil characteristics and in a balanced way. The results also showed that the labour force, the forest area, the amount of credits to agriculture, and the amount of energy consumed to power irrigation are likely to be insignificant to boost directly the growth of agricultural value-added. Thus, it is recommended that Bihar makes a large scale investment in agricultural capital and carry on renewal at opportune moments so as to keep steady the positive trend of the agricultural growth over the years. The investment may be in terms of mechanized technologies, supporting infrastructure and appropriating the knowledge relating to their management; and adopting new farming technologies and practices involving crop rotation, multi-cropping and agro-forestry so as to sustain the growth of agricultural value added. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human societies have experienced three basic revolutions namely the agricultural, industrial and knowledge-based economic revolutions in modern socio-economic era. During those revolutions not only economic structure but also social and cultural structures have evolved. During the last two decades, the third revolution or knowledgebased economy has started; an era in which application of knowledge is the most important factor for production and it is a driving force behind industrial and economic progress more than any other factors. Given the present conditions and their profound changes, governments have prompted special measures in order to fulfill the prediction of their development. The process of development in this era depends on the right choice of leading knowledge and precise and systematic planning for pioneering it. In order to advance these measures, in addition to knowing the leading knowledge, selection criteria should also be analyzed. This paper utilized a descriptive-analytical approach to explain the subject, only from the economic point of view, and data collection was conducted using the existing documents and evidence, such as articles, books, credible websites, etc. The findings of this research indicated that the four basic criteria for an accurate and systematic selection include the capacity to create added value, the capacity to cluster, the possibility of infrastructure, and the capacity to create sustainable employment opportunities which are all discussed in details in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The TseTse fly is unique to Africa and transmits a parasite harmful to humans and lethal to livestock. This paper tests the hypothesis that the TseTse reduced the ability of Africans to generate an agricultural surplus historically. Ethnic groups inhabiting TseTse-suitable areas were less likely to use domesticated animals and the plow, less likely to be politically centralized, and had a lower population density. These correlations are not found in the tropics outside of Africa, where the fly does not exist. The evidence suggests current economic performance is affected by the TseTse through the channel of pre colonial political centralization. (JEL I12, N57, O13, O17, Q12, Q16, Q18) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of agricultural technology to meet the growing demands of a rapidly increasing population and economic development, intensive agriculture practices have been widely adopted globally. However, this intensification has resulted in adverse consequences for soil structure due to intensified farming activities and increased usage of heavy farm machinery. Of particular concern is soil compaction, which leads to the degradation of physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil. Soil compaction negatively impacts crop growth, reduces yields and poses a significant threat to food security and the overall sustainability of agricultural systems. Recognizing these challenges, this review aims to deepen understanding of the factors contributing to soil compaction and to develop effective mitigation strategies. By doing so, it is intended to attenuate the adverse impacts of soil compaction, improve soil structure, increase crop yield and ultimately enhance the sustainability of agricultural practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development scholarship and policy have recently returned to endorsing a ‘new’ Green Revolution (NGR) in Africa for the promotion of food security and economic development. The attention received by such programmes as the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa and the Millennium Village Projects are some prominent examples of this. Meanwhile, the government of Malawi has been lauded internationally for having averted widespread hunger within its borders through a subsidy that provides discounted chemical fertilizers and improved seeds to smallholder farmers. Many view the increased use of chemical fertilizer in Malawi agriculture and the resultant rise in maize yields – described by such publications as the New York Times as the ‘Malawi Miracle’ – as evidence that the prescribed NGR is indeed a recipe for success. Based on household-level surveys from the Zomba District of southern Malawi, this paper argues that although this subsidy programme seems to have filled the national ‘food gap’ in Malawi, shortfalls continue at the household level because of unresolved production issues and household vulnerability. I argue that the problems of accessibility and effectiveness of the subsidy are symptomatic of the inequalities inherent in the current food system, as described in interviews with respondents. These weaknesses are characteristic of NGR-style food security strategies and while programmes can be adjusted, they will remain subject to the same systemic processes that allow some to prosper while others want. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last four decades, the Indonesian state has effectively combined rapid economic growth with significant reductions in poverty, i.e. pro-poor growth. This paper argues that the effective reduction of poverty resulted from rapid agricultural growth. This in turn was the result of a strategy of development involving significant agricultural investment. It will be argued that the ruling elite chose this path because it was dependent on agriculture for its political survival and a backlog of agricultural technology was readily available. Without the latter, Indonesia would likely have followed an extractive strategy with respect to agriculture (similar to Africa). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tin mining carried out on the Jos Plateau since the beginning of the last century has disturbed some 320 km2 of agricultural land. Formal attempts at reclamation of this land failed, but local farmers have developed a successful informal strategy for reclamation. This paper reports on a study undertaken to comprehend the farmers’‘informal’ approach to soil fertility management. Their soil fertility management practices centre on the use of a complex combination of traditional organic manures and ‘modern’ inorganic fertilizers that they have developed entirely on the basis of experimentation. A central focus of this paper is therefore the empirical knowledge base of the farmers and an assessment of any underlying scientific explanations for their strategies, including an analysis of their assertion that different brands of NPK fertilizers differ in their nutrient value. This discussion is followed by a consideration of the difficulties in accessing and understanding empirical knowledge. It is concluded that farmers’ knowledge and understanding of the values of different fertilizers and manures does have a scientific basis. It is argued that for further agricultural development to take place on the Jos Plateau, there must be synergy between farmers’ empirical knowledge (which has led to the development of successful and effective soil fertility management strategies, unlike the attempts of the local ‘scientific’ communities) and scientific knowledge (which can identify health and environmental hazards which may not be immediately visible to farmers). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The futures of regional communities are a matter of worldwide concern. In Australia, given the rapidly changing nature of rural and regional communities, a futuring program was proposed to explore 'community development' scenarios guided by local stakeholder participation. The venue for our futuring research was the regional city of Toowoomba, in Queensland, Australia. Over the past decade, Toowoomba has reacted to significant change in response to local and global effects, such as the resource boom and shifts in agricultural production. As a consequence there are a number of social, economic and environmental impacts whose cumulative effect could threaten the city's future vitality. An inter-disciplinary research team co-developed a Futuring Tool-Box (FTB) incorporating a comprehensive range of acknowledged tools and methods. A futuring workshop was held to identify the futures issues specific to Toowoomba. Participants were professionals, CEOs and NGOs living in the Toowoomba region, identified as actively futures-aware. This paper focuses on their voices and the future scenarios they co-created, and concludes with a suite of follow-up strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Support for investment in agricultural holdings - an undivided part of the Common Agricultural Policy. During 2015-2016 IAE developed scientific project “Impact of investment support on the economic viability of farms”. One of the aims of the project was to quantification of this influence and to prepare ex-post and ex-ante analysis. Investment aid cover part of the total cost of the programs related to investment activities in a farm. Support for investment in Europe is priority since the Treaty of Rome in 1957. EU member states under Regulation 1257/1999 and 1698/2005 may include support for investment in its plans for rural development. The objectives of investment support are different in different stages of development of the CAP. Since 2000, especially in 2014-2020 investment support aims at building high-performance farms in the sustainable management of resources and reduce environmental risks. The aim of this paper is to present the results from the analysis of the investment support and activity impact on farms' economic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to decompose total factor productivity (TFP) changes of the agriculture sector in ten African countries.Design/methodology/approach A fixed-effects estimation is applied to estimate the translog production function.Findings The study results are consistent with previous studies, indicating low TFP. Furthermore, of the TFP components, only technical change (TC) is positive. This study proposes that credit be made available to farmers in Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. Furthermore, agricultural development programs should be implemented in South Africa and Senegal to improve TFP in these countries.Originality/value This study measures the following TFP components for the African agriculture sector: TC, technical efficiency, and scale effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Irrigation & Drainage is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Agricultural Science & Technology (1008-0864) is the property of Journal of Agricultural Science & Technology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The aim of this study to find the agricultural and economic impacts of growing methane emissions, where livestock index and GDP per capita are the proxy variables to measure the effect of these two sectors, respectively. As methodology, a Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) applies for this research. However, Augmented Dicky Fuller and Phillips–Perron tests pertained to investigate the study variables' in stationary level. This study has investigated the long-run dynamic causal relationship among the study variables by employing co-integration test. Under VECM framework, the short-run dynamics among the variables has been examined. This research study evidenced that livestock agriculture has affirmed the significant positive association with the environmental pollution in both dynamics. According to the long-run estimate, a 1% increase in livestock production results in a 0.29% increase in methane emissions, whereas the short-run estimate results in a 0.14% increase in methane emission. In contrast, economic growth has only confirmed a significant positive effect on environmental degradation in the short term. Furthermore, the outcome of the Granger Causality Test indicates that there exists one-way causality from GDP per capita and livestock production to methane emission. In addition, these findings will help policymakers establish a low methane emission structure by assessing the effect of other study variables that lead to Bangladesh's environmental sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews what has been learned from experiences of African agriculture and hence what policy lessons may be. Views of African agriculture over the last 130 years have changed from optimism to pessimism and at least halfway back again as the performance of the sector has fluctuated. Fortunately it seems the deep pessimism about agricultural prospects expressed in the 1980s and 1990s has receded. The performance of African agriculture since 1990 suggests that neither those who doubt that any significant advances are taking place, nor those who see advances in some remarkable but perhaps isolated cases of rapid transformation of farming and agricultural supply chains, have sufficient evidence - either from national data or small-scale studies - to support their positions. Hence policy has to rely largely on general principles and historic lessons, rather than more clearly proven propositions. Policy debates over African agricultural development may sharply divide on some topics, but there is little debate over the importance of basic conditions for agricultural development of an enabling investment climate and the provision of rural public goods. Beyond these basics, the challenge is to remedy the failings of markets that deny most smallholders access to inputs, financial services and insurance. Here opinion divides between whether to return to public provision, as with fertiliser subsidies, or whether private and collective institutional innovations will be sufficient. Recent initiatives to test and scale up the latter look promising, but most have yet to be evaluated. If agricultural development is first and foremost about establishing the basic conditions for growth, then most countries in Africa may be better placed than they have been in the past. Given the many examples that show African smallholders investing and innovating when they have the chance, then there are reasons to hope that the modest growth of production and productivity seen in the last two decades may accelerate in the future - thereby allowing African countries to make the transition from agrarian to urban economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cooperative is one of the most important forms of business in the agricultural sector, due to its special characteristics for small farmers and livestock producers in order to gain access to greater comparative advantages. In addition, cooperatives are a driving force in the social economy, which means that investment in agricultural cooperatives can be seen as a sustainable investment. The aim of this paper is to analyse the preferences of investors in agricultural company cooperatives, looking in depth at the role of the cooperative as a business form. In order to achieve this objective, the choice experiment methodology was applied by carrying out a questionnaire to a total of 282 investors. Latent class models were also used to identify possible groups of investors. Two classes of investors have been identified based on their preferences: owners (return seeking) and workers (risk averse). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyze the growth effects over space arising from the adoption of new agricultural technology in a rural-urban setting. We use a dynamic model to study the impacts of technology and learning on the steady state growth rates of rural and urban regions that produce agricultural goods. New applications of agricultural technologies are tested and adopted in the rural region and they are gradually learned by the urban region. Our analysis leads to four results. First, we determine the steady state growth rate of agricultural output per worker in the rural region. Second, we define an urban to rural region agricultural technology knowledge ratio, analyze its stability properties, and then use this ratio to compute the steady state growth rate of agricultural output per worker in the urban region. Third, for specific parameter values, we study the ratio of agricultural output per worker in the urban to the rural region when both regions have converged to their balanced growth paths. Finally, we discuss the policy implications of our analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integrated development of agriculture and tourism is an effective driving force to boost farmers' income. We utilize a quasi-natural experiment design to test how such integrated development promotes the comprehensive rural revitalization. By adopting a panel dataset of 72 counties within Guangxi province from 2005 to 2020 and a PSM-DID method, we attempt to explore the effect of the integrated development of agriculture and tourism on farmers' income growth. The empirical results support our hypothesis that the integrated development of agriculture and tourism can effectively promote farmers' income growth and its regional heterogeneity with respect to tourism resource endowment and economic development level. We further discuss the transmission mechanism of the integrated development of agriculture and tourism and reveal that the agricultural technology level and agricultural production efficiency have mediating effects on improving farmers' income growth. However, a masking effect exists between the integrated development of agriculture and tourism and the level of non-agricultural employment. The possible reason is that industrial and commercial capital investment has crowded out the welfare originally belonging to the wage income and only allowed farmers to obtain the one-time land rent income. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

African agriculture is bound to face challenges for its future food systems development and economic transformation. Indoor vertical farms with artificial lighting represent an opportunity that has been gaining relevance worldwide, thanks to their potential to enable high productivity rates, food quality and safety, year-round production, and more sustainable use of water and mineral nutrients. The present study assesses the potential for vertical farming technology integration within the African continent, targeting the countries where a more sustainable approach could be achieved. A deep analysis of each territory's major opportunities and challenges was built through an updated database of 147 development indicators from 54 African states. Countries such as South Africa, Seychelles, Egypt, Mauritius, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Cape Verde, and Nigeria showed the best prospective for indoor vertical farming implementation. Moreover, Seychelles, South Africa, and Egypt resulted to be the countries where vertical indoor farming could be more sustainable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Feminisation U describes the tendency of female labour force participation (FLFP) to first decline and then rise in the process of economic development. While the Feminisation U is often presented as a 'stylised fact' of development, empirical support for it is mixed. Here, we show that cultural norms inherited from ancestral plough use exert a moderating influence on the shape of the Feminisation U. Specifically, we find a significantly U-shaped path of FLFP only in countries whose ancestors employed a plough-based agricultural technology. The shape of the U-curve becomes progressively more muted as the share of a country's ancestors that practiced plough agriculture decreases. In countries with little or no legacy of historical plough use, the time path of FLFP is effectively flat. This pattern of results is robust to correcting for dynamic panel bias, instrumenting for per-capita income, and controlling for other potential effect modifiers. Our findings are compatible with a nuanced reading of the main theoretical models proposed in the literature to explain the Feminisation U. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's National Agricultural Science and Technology Parks (NASTPs) play a key role in improving the nation's agro-industrial structure and regional economic development; notably, NASTPs can demonstrate innovations in modern agricultural science and technology and, relatedly, incubate emerging modern agri-industries. However, after more than 20 years of development, scholars have not yet to confirm whether NASTPs contribute to local economies. This study sought to explore the impact of NASTPs on county economic development, to identify the mechanisms behind this impact, and to verify these effects using a multi-period double difference method based on panel data from 1743 counties in China collected between 2000 and 2019. The study found that the NASTPs significantly improved county economic development. The policy effects were mainly evident in western regions and counties with higher levels of financial resources. No spatial spillover effects were observed. The NASTPs drove county economic growth through three main channels: agglomeration, institutional environment, and innovation effects. These findings provide insights useful for designing policies related to the high-quality construction of agricultural sci-tech parks, the high-quality growth of county economies, and a reduction in regional economic development gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary This paper explains the processes behind the framing of drip irrigation as a promising technology to address current poverty and environmental challenges in the developing world. I draw from critical development and science and technology studies and highlight that this imagery has been actively performed. Insiders elaborated a compelling narrative calling upon a will to improve through technology and the moral legitimacy of social entrepreneurship in development; they worked hard to establish a supportive coalition in an ever wider network. This story hinges on several assumptions, which upon closer scrutiny appear to be problematic: the unicity of smallholder farming, the attribution of inherent technical characteristics to a specific object—the “drip kit”—regardless of the context in which it is used, and the framing of social entrepreneurship and market-based approaches as alternative models even though these rather constitute a re-working of existing arrangements within the international development community. Nonetheless, the pro-poor and environmentally friendly smallholder drip irrigation narrative still continues to be successful in harnessing the support of the international development community, despite the little capacity drip irrigation has had to transform smallholder farming, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Unpacking the origins, actors, and building blocks of the discursive success of smallholder drip irrigation provides fresh perspectives on the practices of development in the sector and is the first step toward more meaningful engagement with smallholder farmers in the developing world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Internet of Things economy is necessary for the reform of China's economic industrial structure and international development, and it brings new opportunities and new challenges to the Chinese economy. The comprehensive informatization of the society is the prerequisite for the economic development of the Internet of Things. The Chinese government will adopt a strategy of simultaneous development to continue to accelerate the development of traditional agriculture while developing emerging strategic agriculture of the Internet of Things, accelerating the transformation of economic production methods. Family farming is a new type of agricultural business in the microeconomy. It is not only a producer and mobilizer of agricultural products but also an important carrier for implementing agricultural innovation technologies and promoting agricultural modernization. This article uses game theory, resource endowment theory, expectation theory, etc. to describe the impact mechanism of economies of scale, profit maximization, and environmental behavior on family farms from a game perspective and discusses the specific effects of resource endowments and psychological expectations. Through the research of the Internet of Things and the rural green energy cycle, this article applies it to the new agricultural business entities, thereby promoting the development of proenvironmental behavior analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digitalisation is promoted by both private and public actors as a way of contributing to the ecologisation of agriculture. However, this idea remains controversial. The debate is all the more crucial, as different ecologisation models exist, and as agriculture is experiencing new levels of industrialisation. In the literature, use of digital technology in agriculture has mainly been approached from a linear perspective of adoption but is rarely linked to ecologisation. In this paper, we aim to define digital use profiles of farmers and explain how they relate to ecologisation models. We distinguish production and information technologies. Based on 98 interviews with crop farmers in Occitanie (France), we show that there is a diversity of digital profiles. Through a mixed-method, we relate these profiles to a set of variables representing ecological and economic transformation in agriculture. It highlights links between some digital profiles and the further industrialisation of agriculture intertwined with weak or symbolic ecologisation. However, some digital uses associate with new forms of ecologisation that are based on input substitution. Digital use does not appear to support stronger ecologisation of farming. This study highlights the risk of a single model of digitalisation that only promotes one type of ecologisation pathway. • A diversity of digital technology use profiles exists. • Some digital uses are linked to the industrialisation of farming models. • Some digital uses are associated with the industrial development of organic farming. • Digital technology for information helps ecologisation changes already underway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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