The new equine sector and its influence on multifunctional land use in peri-urban areas

The equine sector is increasingly influencing land use, especially in peri-urban areas where the demand for land is already high. The sector not only influences traditional farming and land use, but also social, legal and economic development, and thus demands new interpretations of rural and urban. However, there is currently a lack of information on the consequences of this sector at landscape, social and economic level. This study examines the influence of the equine sector on the development of multifunctional land use in peri-urban areas, using data and examples from Sweden. It also examines specific features of the associated growing area of research and the positioning of the issue within the broader context of land use and planning. The methods used were a case study of a municipality, together with interviews and analyses of statistical material at regional level in the context of multifunctional land use, planning and sustainable development. It was found that the structure of the equine sector varies at both national and local level due to local conditions, but that there are also common features that need to be further studied using a broad interdisciplinary starting point.     

Groundwater as a sustainable source of income and wealth creation

Asia, and in particular the Mekong Delta region, is under increasing water use pressure. Food production and quality is one element of these growing pressures, as is water management. The authors have first-hand knowledge and experience in groundwater use and management in rural Thailand. Through the adoption of a micro-management, demand-driven approach, with its ultimate objective of sustainability and the betterment of the quality of human life, the Mekong delta and other similar rural areas in Asia offer considerable opportunity for more optimal sustainable exploitation of groundwater. This water source should be prioritized for village usage, which if properly allocated and managed, will lift a significant human population from poverty, into a more sustainable existence. This readily available, reliable groundwater resource exists and has both the capacity for abundant storage as well as the potential for commercial and household supply. The focus has been on understanding the distribution of the delta’s relatively shallow, well sustained, and consistently recharged groundwater resource, and its potential symbiotic linkage to low-volume household demand. Water has been employed in a variety of ways from improving quality of life and sanitation to generating income through the cultivation of cash crops and other similar productive uses. The fundamental aims of the initial model and subsequent trials have been to harness this robust water source and deliver otherwise unattainable income to households. As the following, more detailed study of rural Thailand demonstrates, the benefits of such an approach deliver sustainable enhancements to the quality of constituents’ lives, are environmentally sensitive and sustainable, and harmonize with governmental efforts to alleviate poverty through the enablement of income generation from groundwater utilization.     

临沂市节约集约利用土地思考

全面分析了当前临沂市建设用地利用中存在的主要问题和制约因素,结合临沂市作为全省＂两型＂社会建设改革试点城市这一背景,借鉴国内外土地节约集约利用方面好的做法,提出通过规划计划、城乡统筹、机制创新、舆论宣传4个方面共同推进,走出一条临沂特色的土地节约集约新路子。     

Customary tenure systems under siege: contemporary access to land in Northern Ghana

Land in most of Africa is controlled under the customary tenure system which is governed by well intentioned social and cultural rules meant to grant equal access to families within groups with common interest in land. Rapid changes in the domestic situation of countries resulting from both refractions of policies and influences from the global economy and emerging complexities within the local socio-economic context has altered the traditional land tenure systems in most parts of Africa. In the rural setting and for agricultural purposes, the customary tenure system seems to be crumbling slowly, while in the urban centres and for housing, industrial and commercial purposes the system has collapsed in favour of a commoditised one. The emerging patterns of access in Northern Ghana show growing inequalities in access, control and ownership. There is the need for a new architecture of land rights negotiated by a participatory process and regulated by both state and traditional institutions.     

Assessment of erosion damage in Ndome and Ghazi, Taita Taveta, Kenya: Towards an integrated erosion management approach

Aerial photograph interpretation on erosion trends from 1961 to 1998 showed that by 1998, approximately 17 and 50% of agricultural land in Ndome and Ghazi respectively had been permanently lost due to the combined effect of rill, inter-rill, and gully erosion, and sand deposition. Although abnormally heavy rains received between 1996–98 caused much of the present land damage, the severity of the damage was enhanced by inappropriate and persistent human perturbations in the land-system notably through vegetative degradation and destruction of soil structure through inappropriate tillage practices. With soil organic matter contents of 1.6 and 1.9%, and clay ratios of 10.1 and 10.6 for Ndome and Ghazi, respectively, the areas inherent erodibility was considered as high thus pointing to the need for careful use and management of the soil resource. That farmers appreciated only land quality indicators that were visible to the naked eye and that directly affected their subsistence, revealed a knowledge gap that saw damages from intrinsic processes like rill and inter-rill erosion proceed unnoticed. This paper argues that the spread of erosion damage in rural agro-ecosystems is survival-driven. And as a remedy to this problem, there is need for the diversification of livelihood endeavours to alternative off-farm income sources to reduce pressure on the already fragile land resource. Further, being the ultimate implementers of conservation technologies and by virtue of the multiplicity and inter-relation of rural household needs, adoption of an integrated erosion management approach with food security as paramount presents the most practical entry point for sustainable land management in such rural agro-ecosystems. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

淄博市淄川区统筹城乡土地利用的调查与思考

以淄博市淄川区为例,介绍了新形势下统筹城乡土地利用的主要做法和取得的主要成绩,认为当前城乡土地利用存在的主要问题是违法占地、土地粗放利用和土地开发整理难度大等,并提出了解决对策。     

虚拟土战略与土地资源可持续利用的社会化管理

土地资源紧缺是威胁世界食物安全的主要限制因素之一, 土地资源可持续利用是区域生态经济系统经济增长和社会发展的关键. 类似于国内已经开展的虚拟水和虚拟水战略概念及相关研究, 首次提出"虚拟土"和"虚拟土战略"新概念, 分析了土地资源管理不同管理阶段及其相关问题. 结合当前国家耕地总量平衡、区域粮食安全问题以及土地资源利用中出现的一些新情况, 从土地资源的社会属性出发, 实证分析了土地生产能力与社会适应性能力的关系, 提出了基于虚拟土概念及虚拟土战略下区域土地资源可持续利用的分析框架. 最后提出了当前我国土地利用中解决区域粮食安全的一些新思路. 建议: 在保证国家粮食基本自足基础上, 实行区域耕地总量弹性平衡政策; 成立专业性土地银行, 加快创新土地使用权流转机制; 强化土地使用权拍卖机制, 提高市场配置土地资源的透明度; 实施虚拟土战略举措, 构建新的土地可持续发展模式, 加强开展虚拟土战略相关理论及其对策的研究工作.     

生态城市建设土地利用评价——以扬州市为例

本文从土地资源禀赋、土地利用效益、土地保护水平三个方面,初步建立了生态城市建设土地利用评价指标体系,并以扬州市为研究案例,得出扬州市2000～2008年的土地利用与保护综合水平。研究结果表明:2000年,扬州市土地利用与保护综合评价分值为52.9,处于生态恢复阶段中的治理小于破坏阶段;自2000～2008年扬州市土地利用与保护综合水平随时间呈递增趋势,特别是2004年以来递增速度明显加快,到2008年扬州市土地利用与保护综合分值为74.7,处于生态恢复阶段的末期,即将跨入生态保育阶段。最后,根据评价结论,提出了今后一段时期扬州生态城市建设土地利用与保护的建议。     

莒县土地整治和占补平衡工作的探讨

通过对低效利用、不合理利用、未利用土地进行田、水、路、林、村整治挖潜,切实提高土地利用效率;通过农村建设用地挖潜利用规划,出台了专门的规范性文件,建立了专门的土地整治资金筹措机制;充分尊重群众意见,对安置区新房建设实行因地制宜、统一配套等手段,使土地综合整治在基层扎扎实实开展起来,有效地服务了新农村建设,增加了建设用地指标,保障地方经济社会发展,保护了有限的耕地资源,统筹了城乡土地配置,确保了全县耕地总量动态平衡。     

Groundwater pumping by heterogeneous users

Farm size is a significant determinant of both groundwater-irrigated farm acreage and groundwater-irrigation-application rates per unit land area. This paper analyzes the patterns of groundwater exploitation when resource users in the area overlying a common aquifer are heterogeneous. In the presence of user heterogeneity, the common resource problem consists of inefficient dynamic and spatial allocation of groundwater because it impacts income distribution not only across periods but also across farmers. Under competitive allocation, smaller farmers pump groundwater faster if farmers have a constant marginal periodic utility of income. However, it is possible that larger farmers pump faster if the Arrow-Pratt coefficient of relative risk-aversion is sufficiently decreasing in income. A greater farm-size inequality may either moderate or amplify income inequality among farmers. Its effect on welfare depends on the curvature properties of the agricultural output function and the farmer utility of income. Also, it is shown that a flat-rate quota policy that limits the quantity of groundwater extraction per unit land area may have unintended consequences for the income distribution among farmers.     

Complexity theory, spatial simulation models, and land use dynamics in the Northern Ecuadorian Amazon

Our research questions and analytical approaches are used to examine coupled human-natural systems in the Northern Ecuadorian Amazon. They are based on complexity theory and extend from our earlier work in Cellular Automata (CA) in which land use/land cover (LULC) change patterns were spatially simulated to examine deforestation and agricultural extensification on household farms. The basic intent is to understand linkages between people and the environment by explicitly considering pattern-process relationships and the nature of feedback mechanisms among social, biophysical, and geographical factors that influence LULC dynamics within the study area. In this research, we describe how our CA modeling approach emphasizes the human dimensions of LULC change by including socio-economic and demographic characteristics at the household-level along with biophysical data that describe the resource endowments of farms, geographic accessibility of farms to roads and communities, and the evolving nature of human-environment interactions over time and space in response to exogenous and endogenous factors.A LULC change scenario is examined by comparing model outcomes generated for a base CA model and an alternative CA model to explore the effects of increases in household income on land use change patterns at the farm level, achieved as a consequence of improved geographic accessibility to roads and communities and increased off-farm employment as a household livelihood strategy. Growth or transitions rules in our CA model, as well as neighborhood associations are sensitive to socio-economic and demographic factors of households, resource endowments of farms, geographic accessibility, and the uncertainty associated with peasant farming in a frontier setting. Model outcomes indicate that increases in household income are associated with more land in pasture and more land being cultivated for crops as a result of greater access to agricultural markets. In addition, more land in secondary forest succession occurs as a consequence of greater access to roads and communities, thereby, affording a better opportunity for off-farm employment and greater levels of household income.     

Agricultural transformation in Zimbabwe: Lessons for South Africa after apartheid

When Zimbabwe became independent in 1980, reversing historical inequalities became a primary rural development objective. Growth, it was argued, must also generate greater equity. As part of their overall plan, sophisticated agricultural institutions were made available to black farmers and a land resettlement program enacted. Due to constitutional constraints, international pressure, fears about restructuring the economy too rapidly, and a class alliance between white farmers and an emerging black bourgeoisie, limited highveld land was reallocated and large-scale commercial farmers maintained their historical privileges. The only significant change in the subsector was increased capital intensity of production. Small-scale black farmers with access to good land and productive resources have responded remarkably to new production opportunities. In only 7 years, black production of maize and cotton more than doubled and marketed contributions rose from less than 10% to approximately half of national sales. The pattern of agricultural development, however, is spatially and socially limited. New forms of uneven rural development are emerging. The majority of rural blacks still have inadequate land and off-farm income resources to insure subsistence levels of consumption on an annual basis. The rural crisis persists. In South Africa, a Zimbabwe-type small farm development strategy would help a minority of households who are already relatively privileged in terms of access of land, agricultural capital and off-farm income resources. To achieve rural growth and equity, new forms of social organization in farming must be developed concurrent with a major land redistribution program. Zimbabwe's strategy has successfully generated short-term growth but cannot fulfill longer-term rural development objectives.     

基于遥感信息的土地资源可持续利用研究

遥感信息是对自然界的反映，它具有宏观、动态、准确、快速的优点，可以及时提供动态数据。基于遥感信息，对吉林西部土地资源利用状况进行调查，运用主成分分析法，可以不损失或很少损失原有的信息，将原来个数较多而且彼此相关的变量转换为新的个数较少而且彼此独立或不相关的新变量。对土地资源可持续利用进行定量分析研究，指出土地利用中存在的问题，并提出吉林西部土地资源可持续利用发展模式。     

蓬莱市农村宅基地集约利用研究

针对蓬莱市农村宅基地利用现状,选取3个典型的宅基地集约利用乡镇,对宅基地集约利用存在的问题进行分析,从而提出合理可行的政策措施,来指导农村宅基地集约利用工作的展开,提高宅基地集约利用率。     

1999-2013年重庆市土地持续利用与生态环境协调发展耦合性分析

采用主成分分析法并结合SPSS,对1999-2013年重庆市土地持续利用与生态环境的耦合关系进行分析,研究结果表明:1999-2013年土地持续利用指数逐年递增,土地开发利用强度逐年不断加大,城镇化大规模的建设是土地利用强度升高的主要原因;生态环境质量除了在2000-2004年生态环境指数呈“V”字型发展之外,总体呈上升态势发展;重庆市土地持续利用与生态环境耦合发展度由0.387 4（轻度失调衰退土地利用损益型）上升至0.754 0（中级协调发展经济主导型）,但2011年情况有所变化,土地持续利用指数首次低于生态环境指数,耦合发展基本类型由生态主导型转向经济主导型发展,经济发展方式由土地利用制约型演变为生态环境制约型,生态环境效益滞后于土地资源经济效益。土地资源总体利用水平提高和生态环境改善的双重作用是耦合关系由失调发展转化为协调发展的主要原因。现阶段应坚持土地资源集约利用与保护并举,优化经济结构与技术创新齐下,发展循环经济和清洁能源,维系相对稳定的生态环境运行机制,确保重庆市土地资源可持续利用。      

基于GIS技术的矿山土地管理应用研究

基于GIS建立矿山土地管理信息系统可以进行矿山空间利用信息、土地与环境信息、土地可持续利用与社会经济发展的应用研究。通过对信息的数据采集深加工,可以在信息系统中,利用模拟仿真和虚拟现实等一系列的技术措施进行矿山土地资源合理利用,促进矿山生态环境的改善与为可持续发展作出最优决策。     

莱芜市钢城区农村建设用地整治工作分析

农村土地整治挖潜是乡镇企业发展解决用地瓶颈的重要举措,是落实科学发展观的具体体现,对于统筹城乡经济社会发展,加速改善农村面貌,实现城乡经济、社会、环境协调发展具意义重要。通过分析莱芜市钢城区农村土地整治挖潜的现状与问题,就今后如何做好农村建设用地整理、复垦提出建议。     

临沂市河东区集体建设用地流转探讨

集体建设用地流转是促进土地节约集约利用,统筹城乡发展的有效途径。该文根据河东区集体建设用地的现状,分析了影响集体建设用地流转的主要原因,并针对实际情况提出确权登记、建立城乡统一的交易市场、完善流转程序、规范流转收益等破解集体建设用地流转难题的对策和建议。     

KQLandPS在安徽省农村土地二调中的应用

第二次土地调查是一项重大的国情国力调查,目的是全面查清全省土地利用现状,掌握真实的土地基础数据,建立和完善土地调查、统计和登记制度,实现土地调查信息的社会化服务,满足经济社会发展及国土资源管理的需要。本文以濉溪县为例,介绍安徽省农村土地二调内业建库流程及数据库维护步骤,发现并解决了内业建库过程中遇到的一些问题。     

Population pressure and areas of potential rural development in Southern Nigeria

The spatial analysis of agricultural development is the necessary precondition for research in the rural landscape and for rural planning. Basic data emerging from field investigation and a systematic interpretation of aerial photographs have resulted in a series of thematic maps of Southern Nigeria and parts of Western Cameroon. This comprehensive research work has been organized within the framework of the Afrika-Kartenwerk of the German Research Society.In this paper our recently published population map of the scale of 1:1 million and the map of rural settlement patterns form the basis for some rather general estimates of agricultural potential. Exact spatial information of simple but non the less most important regional processes, like migration, are caused by population pressure. Not bare statistical figures but their transformation by cartographic means forms a fundament for area studies and hypothetical prospects for regional planning as well as for regional analysis.By larger scale observations agricultural carrying capacity, evaluation of rural potential, migration dynamics and changes of land-use systems have to be analyzed. This calls for meticulous studies of individual areas. The first of three such case studies stresses the process of intensification of land utilization near the Nsukka-Escarpment. Linear settlement patterns and chains of regular individually owned stripfields can be seen as inprints of a dynamic transformation within the cultural landscape. Reception of new agricultural technology has been a way for emigrant farmers to exploit traditionally sparsely utilized zones with rich soils, which had been less attractive, because they were hard to cultivate with the hoe.The second case deals with the well known migratory and agro-economic links between the overpopulated food crop belt of Northern Yoruba Savannah Country and the cocoabelt in the rain forest about 100 km further south.In Central Iboland rural overpopulation of more than 1000 persons per km² and land shortage theoretically could be diminished by opening up uninhabited areas of the Niger flood-plain and the delta for modern agricultural exploitation. But not only the physical obstacles such as there are poor soils, very high rainfall and seasonal floods within the Niger low lands are hindering rural colonization. Social and political factors, like ethnic traditions and historic barriers still seem to be very perserverant. All this hardly allows strangers to get hold of unused land, to exploit valuable natural resources or to introduce modern agricultural technology. But generally speaking, population pressure as well as higher demand for social services and better incomes result in changes in the traditional land-use systems. The impact of growing urban or industrial economic spheres on agriculture acts as accelerating factor in this development. A paradise-landscape for Africa where optimal utilization of all physical resources under best socio-economic conditions may be practiced and where more than ten times of the present population of Africa could exist, as CAROL puts it in one of his scenarios (1973 and 1975), seems to be quite unrealistic and really never will be desirable.