Converting to organic agriculture—Danish farmers' views and motivations

Expanded organic food production has been an issue of public debate in Denmark since its promotion by two government-sponsored plans. Yet the number of organic farms, constituting 5% of alt Danish farms, is still small. Farmers' attitudes and motivations around converting their farms to organic agriculture were surveyed in the counties of Ribe and Vestsj?lland in order to assess the feasibility of expansion. New organic farmers come either from the ranks of conventional farmers or from ‘beginners’ who initiate organic agriculture from the start. Only 7% of conventional farmers plan to convert their farms by the year 2003, but beginners will have increasing importance and augment the number. Farmers most frequently mentioned consideration for the environment as a reason for conversion. A considerable expansion of organic agriculture will be difficult, due to an insufficient number of farmers interested in organic agriculture. A high number of less productive hobby or spare-time farmers among new organic farmers also hinders expanded organic food production. Organic agriculture shows parallels to conventional agriculture, with a surplus of very small and very large farms, regional specialisation, and oil-farm specialisation.     

黄土高原地区退耕还林工程的农户响应与影响因素——以甘肃定西大牛流域为例

以甘肃省退耕还林(草)重点实施区为例,通过问卷调查和定量回归分析,研究农户对退耕还林(草)工程的认识和态度。总体上农民有较高的生态环境保护意识,对退耕还林(草)政策的认识基本持积极支持的态度;年龄、文化程度、家庭人口、劳动力数量、人均耕地数量、退耕还林(草)面积是影响农户环保意识和对退耕还林(草)态度的主要因素,农业和非农业农户之间存在一定差异。     

Agriculture as Carework: The Contradictions of Performing Femininity in a Male-Dominated Occupation

Women in the US have farmed for centuries, but have infrequently had the farmer title. Rural sociologists have explored women’s on-farm roles, as well as rural conceptualizations of gender that influence who can be a farmer. As the proportion of women claiming the farmer title increases, it is important to explore women farmers’ experiences. This article focuses on sixteen farmers in Colorado across the conventional-alternative spectrum. Through engagement with feminist and rural sociological theory, and based on analysis of semi-structured interviews, we contend that women in this study expand what it means to be a farmer by performing femininity through carework within their farming practice. This study demonstrates how some women farmers adapt a variety of predominantly feminine-coded work—such as education, customer support, and feeding work—to make agriculture a space of carework, and farming a role expanded beyond a masculine ideal.     

Lesbian and Queer Sustainable Farmer Networks in the Midwest

Heteropatriarchy underpins contemporary U.S. agriculture, even within the alternative sector. This paper builds on the legacies of women farmers and farmers of color creating peer networks to circumvent heteropatriarchal hurdles by investigating how lesbian, bisexual, trans, and queer (LBTQ) sustainable farmers access human resources. If and how did the farmers encounter or resist heteropatriarchy in this process? Drawing on four years of ethnographic research with 40 LBTQ Midwest sustainable farmers, I argue that resources through government agencies, neighborhood farmers, and like-minded practitioners did not necessarily align with LBTQ farmers’ sustainable practices or queer identities. LBTQ farmers convened with others at the intersections of their queerness and sustainable practices formally, informally, and through the labor market to access human resources removed from heteropatriarchal domination. I conclude that LBTQ farmer networks bolster human resources in sustainable agriculture and conservation practices.     

Competitive Productivism and Australia's Emerging ‘Alternative’ Agri-food Networks: producing for farmers' markets in Victoria and beyond

This paper advances the theoretical argument for moving beyond the conventional/alternative divide in the analysis of emerging ‘alternative’ agri-food networks (AAFNs). In order to understand how ‘place’, ‘nature’ and ‘quality’-based food networks emerge and develop, we argue that careful attention needs to be paid to the way in which specific political-economic environments shape the options available to farmers and consumers. Australia's ‘competitive productivism’ is the outcome of an export-oriented economy and a neoliberal political orientation, and this environment affects the development of AAFNs in various ways. Most notably, a case study of farmers that sell at farmers' markets in the State of Victoria shows that the competitive-productivist policies pursued by Australian governments entice some farmers who participate in AAFNs to develop their ideas into higher output businesses tailored to compete in emerging export markets. Other farmers deliberately choose to keep marketing through alternative channels despite competitive-productivist pressures to expand. These findings demonstrate the centrality to the experience of AAFN participants of negotiating productivist pressures, adding nuances to the story of the complex relations between AAFNs and conventional supply chains.     

Areas of intensive livestock agriculture as emerging alternative economic spaces?

The ideal of the intensification of agriculture has vanished in developed market economies as the outcomes of conventional production have caused growing environmental problems, in particular in areas with a high concentration of livestock. There is also a growing concern notable about animal welfare issues, accompanied by the belief that agricultural production needs to move away from an conventional agriculture towards one that is loosely defined as ‘alternative’. This paper uses the concept of multifunctionality as a lens for describing and explaining the nature of rural change in Germany. I argue that the case study example of the Oldenburger Münsterland illustrates that multifunctionality rates weakly as agricultural practice in production systems dominated by a conventional food regime and – hence – a transition towards diversity and resilience has to occur within conventional agriculture. In spite of the popularity of the idea that areas of intensive livestock farming might have been gradually transformed into emerging alternative economic spaces, the principle of coexistence between ‘productivist’ and ‘non-productivist’ practices poses major challenges. In particular the scarcity of agricultural land hinders the transition into ‘alternative’ food futures in the Oldenburger Münsterland, while the doubts about conventional agriculture and the industrialized food industry rise in an unprecedented way in German society.     

Relational Agriculture: Gender,Sexuality, and Sustainability in U.S. Farming

Although 97% of U.S. farms are “family-owned,” little research examines how gender and sexual relationships – inherent in familial dynamics – influence farmers’ practices and livelihoods. Gender and sexual dynamics – shaped by race and class – affect who is considered a farmer, land management decisions, and access to resources like land, subsidies, and knowledge. We use feminist and queer lenses to illuminate how today’s agricultural gender and sexual relations are not “natural,” but when left uninterrogated are constructed in ways that harm women and queer farmers while limiting potential to develop sustainable practices. Women and queer farmers also resist, “re-orienting” gender and sexual relations in ways that expand possibilities for achieving food justice and ecological sustainability. We offer “relational agriculture” as a tool for making visible and re-orienting gender and sexual relations on farms. Relational agriculture brings sexuality into food justice and demonstrates the centrality of gender and sexuality to agricultural sustainability.     

影响日本佐渡岛农民实施野生动物友好型耕作的因素探究(英文)

野生动物友好型耕作(Wildlife-friendly Farming,WFF)实践是一种维持农田生态恢复的良好方式。本研究的目的在于探讨影响日本佐渡岛农民实施WFF的因素和提出影响这种实践传播的政策。对佐渡岛上把大米销售给日本农业合作社(Japan Agricultural Cooperatives,JA)的5010个农户进行了问卷调查,总共收到2231农户反馈问卷(反馈率45%)。通过与未经认证农民的态度和属性对比,我们确定了影响农民实施WFF的关键因素。与未经认证的农民相比,已认证的农民:(1)对生物多样性和WFF的经济效益表现出更高的兴趣;(2)拥有更多的已认证农民朋友;(3)感受到了来自消费者的更多的压力和期望;(4)当实施WFF时,不受恶劣劳动力或农田条件的限制。为了在佐渡岛进一步宣传WFF,我们建议把WFF实践对稻田生物多样性的有效性信息应用到公共教育中,并在非认证农民和已认证农民之间、农民与消费者之间创建交流的机会。     

基于农户利用效率的平原和山区耕地利用形态比较

土地利用形态是土地利用转型研究的核心内容。农户土地利用决策是引起土地利用系统变化与土地利用转型的深层因素,当前学者从多个视角对耕地利用形态展开了系列的理论与实证研究,但从农户层面深入探讨耕地利用隐性形态及其形成机理的研究相对较少。为揭示农户耕地利用隐性形态的差异及其影响因素,本文以农户耕地利用效率为切入点基于平原区寿光市和山区沂源县农户调研数据,从农户家庭劳动力要素变动与农业生产决策视角对农户的耕地利用效率进行了测算,构建结构方程模型探讨了农户耕地利用效率的驱动机制。研究表明,寿光市和沂源县耕地利用效率较低,并且存在地貌类型和农户类型上的差异,平原（寿光市）耕地利用效率要高于山区（沂源县）,老年农户耕地利用效率低于年轻农户。在影响路径方面,农户耕地经营规模、生产要素投入和耕地产出直接影响耕地利用效率,而种植结构对耕地利用效率的影响不显著。     

基于结构方程模型的农户生态补偿参与意愿影响因素研究——以宁夏盐池县为例

农户参与意愿是影响生态补偿的重要因素,为了探索农户生态补偿参与意愿的影响因素及其重要程度,寻找提高生态补偿实施绩效的对策措施,以宁夏盐池县为例进行研究。盐池县地处我国北方农牧交错生态脆弱带,承担着区域重要生态系统服务功能,在此背景下选取8个典型乡镇、26个行政村调研,基于279份农户调查数据,构建结构方程模型,分析盐池县农户生态补偿参与意愿的影响因素。结果表明:(1)农户家庭特征正向影响生态补偿参与意愿,它还通过自然资本拥有量、环境感知及政策认知,继而间接影响生态补偿参与意愿。(2)自然资本拥有量对生态补偿参与意愿产生直接显著的负向影响。(3)环境感知直接影响农户生态补偿参与意愿,且影响效应最小。(4)政策认知直接正向影响农户生态补偿参与意愿,且影响效应最大。最后,基于影响盐池县农户生态补偿参与意愿的关键因素,提出了完善生态补偿机制的对策建议。     

大都市郊区农户生计多样化及对土地利用的影响——以北京市大兴区为例

以北京市大兴区为例,采用农户调查数据,设计不同资源群体农户分类评价指标体系,利用非系统聚类方法将农户划分为5类(①中等资源禀赋,中等非农收入;②高等资源禀赋,中等非农收入;③中等资源禀赋,低等非农收入;④纯农户;⑤非农户),进而分析了不同资源群体农户的生计多样化特点及对土地利用的影响。研究表明:(1)在大都市郊区,农户类型1～3、纯农户和非农户分别采取了农业和非农兼顾、留在农业和脱离农业的生计策略。(2)农户类型1～3和纯农户中,70%农户生计多样化指数分布在2～3之间,且依然呈现粮食作物播种面积较大,选择比例最高,其次是经济作物。(3)农户类型1～3和非农户中,以就地转移方式非农就业是农户家庭劳动力安排的主要选择,且非农就业劳动力年龄最轻和教育水平最高。(4)大都市郊区土地非农化的转型特点促使农户从类型1～4被动地向类型5转化,土地利用效益低下也持续推动了农户生计多样化,同时,农户生计多样化会引发粮食生产能力停滞不前、土地流转和产权调整大规模顺势而生、土壤养分富集等土地利用现象。     

乡村农户旅游适应效果、模式及其影响因素——以西安市和咸阳市17个案例村为例

乡村旅游地面临人地交互作用的剧烈变迁,内部要素适应社会-生态系统变化,趋利避害降低脆弱性具有重要现实意义。本文重新界定基于恢复力和脆弱性的农户适应性理论内涵,构建旅游开发适应力指标体系,以西安市和咸阳市17个不同类型的城郊型乡村旅游地为例,评价和分析农户旅游适应效果与空间差异规律,探讨和归纳适应行为与对策模式,建立BP神经网络辨别和揭示适应性影响因素与重要性关系。研究表明：① 西安市和咸阳市农户适应旅游开发综合效果呈现中等偏下水平的偏态分布趋势,分别处于旅游地生命周期快速发展阶段和探索起步阶段。② 乡村旅游地农户适应效果形成“圈层辐射、两翼包络、外围联动”的县域尺度空间分布格局;村域尺度圈层分化现象显著。③ 经营模式划分的旅游乡村农户适应效果股份制模式>“公司+农户”模式>“政府+公司+农户”模式>个体农庄模式>“农户+农户”模式;常年外出务工和农家乐经营是农户主要适应行为选择,季节性务工、本地上班以及农业生产是辅助适应行为选择,且适应行为组合方式表现为旅游专营型、旅游主导型、均衡兼营型、务工主导型和务农主导型五种适应对策模式。④ 旅游发展机会认知、技能培训机会、社会联结度、劳动力总量、政策知晓度、旅游就业人数、收入来源种类、生活主要能源、受教育程度、公共服务设施是农户主要旅游适应性影响因素。据此,提出后续社会-生态整合研究亟需突破方向和适应旅游开发的政策路径。     

Understanding the Past and Present and Predicting the Future: Farmers’ Use of Multiple Nutrient Best Management Practices in the Upper Midwest

Understanding what drives farmers’ voluntary adoption of nutrient and soil best management practices has important consequences for many environmental outcomes including water quality. We build on research revealing the need for simultaneous use of multiple nitrogen best management practices to achieve water quality improvement goals. Using social, economic and attitudinal variables we predict the use of multiple nitrogen best management practices at three time points: current use (2013), past use (before 2013), and likelihood of use on their largest field in the next three years. Our empirical analysis uses structural equation modeling with latent variables and 2014 farmer survey data from three Midwestern US states. Most farmers in our sample used at least one of the six best management practices. Our results reveal that farmers’ attitudes, use of information sources, and conservation program participation affect the number of nitrogen best management practices concurrently in use at multiple time points.     

“Die man is die hoof en vat voor”: Women's attitudes to land and farming in the communal areas of Namaqualand

In the former coloured rural reserves of Namaqualand, land is held under an evolving form of communal tenure. This study, using in-depth interviews with both women farmers and non-farmers in Namaqualand, explores women's attitudes towards land and their experience of agriculture. It finds that women gain access to land for residential and production purposes mainly through dependent relationships with husbands, fathers and sons, and that unmarried women find it virtually impossible to obtain land rights in their own name. In the event of divorce or widowhood, women are vulnerable to loss of land rights and other resources. Women were found to engage in a range of agricultural activities, both on land allocated for their own use and on land controlled by male relatives, while a few better-off women engage in independent livestock farming. While the South African government's land reform programme has extended the area of communal land and attempted to secure the rights of existing land holders, this has largely benefited existing male farmers and appears to offer little to women farmers. Women's attitudes to the patriarchal system of land holding were found to be largely conservative. Few are willing to challenge the highly gendered nature of land rights within families, and women generally feel excluded from public processes around land. Nonetheless, women in the study expressed a demand for more secure access to land and an interest in agriculture as part of wider livelihood strategies.     

Navigating the Complex Trade-Offs of Pesticide Use on Santa Cruz Island,Galapagos

Pesticide use by farmers on Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos—a perceived adaptation to changing ecological and economic dynamics—has the potential to lead to environmental degradation in an area that is known and valued worldwide for its biodiversity. We survey Santa Cruz farmers to understand motivations for and concerns about pesticide use on the island. Results from farmer surveys are supplemented with interview data to develop the case study of pesticide use on Santa Cruz Island. We then apply a “complex trade-off” framework to explore and navigate the tensions between conservation and livelihoods. We conclude by elaborating the implementation of a participatory certification system, the Participatory Guarantee System, as a possible path for reconciling trade-offs in Santa Cruz, Galapagos.     

Quantitative Research Performing other Worlds: lessons from sustainable agriculture in the Philippines

For those interested in ethical research, quantitative methods are often dismissed as apolitical; as unreflective exercises in ‘mere counting’. If, however, in doing research, we bring into being the very worlds we purport to describe, the question begs: what kinds of worlds might quantitative methods bring into being? Is there space for a reflexive, quantitative research agenda? In this paper, I will discuss an action-based predominantly quantitative research project that aimed to investigate the diverse impacts of sustainable agriculture on small-scale farmers in the Philippines. The study, one of the largest ever undertaken on organic rice production, was consciously designed, not merely to describe, but to perform organic agriculture differently. While most quantitative, and indeed much qualitative, research ignores its performativity, this research was intended to enact a reality of sustainable agriculture as a viable and vital alternative to mainstream, capitalist agriculture.     

国内外农户对气候变化/变异感知与适应研究

基于国内外农户气候变化感知和适应研究进展,在辨析气候变化和气候变异概念的基础上,阐释农户气候变化/变异感知结果及影响因素。研究发现农户气候变化感知与适应行为之间存在不确定关系,农户气候变化感知直接转化为适应策略需克服一系列障碍因素。针对农户气候变化适应策略,在系统梳理国内外农户适应策略的基础上,对这些策略是否属于气候变化和变异适应行为提出质疑,认为不能忽略其他复杂的社会经济和政治因素对这些措施的驱动作用。最后,对中国未来研究提出慎重大规模开展农户气候变化感知及适应研究、厘清气候变化/变异感知与适应策略之间关系和重视时空异质性以及农户异质性研究三点展望。     

农业资源可持续利用模式及案例分析——以冀中南平原为例

如何实现农业资源的可持续利用依然是目前农业可持续发展研究的重点与难点。本文选择冀中南平原为研究区域,以农业资源利用方式与地域单元的耦合为切入点界定了农业资源可持续利用模式的概念与内涵,并通过分析模式5要素,即农业自然资源特征、农业主导产业(品)、农业产业链(产-加-销)、农民组织化程度和农村经济发展水平之间的关系,探讨了农业资源可持续利用模式的作用过程,构建了农业资源可持续利用模式的三级层次结构体系。在此方法框架的指导下,本文选取冀中南平原的曲周、藁城、馆陶三个典型县,具体剖析了第三级模式的基本运作状况,总结了农业资源可持续利用模式的应用前景。     

农户受灾经历对气候变化感知与适应行为的影响研究

采用陕北农户样本调查数据与气象数据,使用独立样本T检验和路径分析探究农户受灾经历对气候变化感知与适应行为的影响。结果发现:受灾经历越丰富的农户越能准确感知气温、降水变化和全球变暖。农户的受灾经历对气温变化感知有正向影响,并通过其对迁移适应行为有间接的负向影响;受灾经历对降水变化感知有负向影响,并通过其对技术适应行为有负向影响、对迁移适应行为产生正向影响;农户受灾经历增强了全球变暖信念,并通过其对经济适应行为和技术适应行为产生间接的正向影响;受灾经历对迁移适应行为有直接的负向影响。