Search Results (17)

The coexistence of genetically modified (GM) and non-GM crops has been a subject of considerable concern, particularly in the context of the extensive utilisation of GM crops. In response to this concern, various countries have devised coexistence strategies that are tailored to their respective national contexts, taking into account economic, political, technological and public acceptability factors. In the context of planting, countries such as the United States and Brazil have adopted a strategy of coexistence management, whereby the responsibility for implementing isolation measures falls upon premium producers. In contrast, the European Union, Japan and other countries that import GM crops have enacted legislation requiring growers to adhere to stringent isolation measures to prevent the mixing of GM and non-GM crops. Internationally, GM products are distinguished by a labelling management system to satisfy the public’s right to know and choose and to realise the coexistence of GM and non-GM during circulation and consumption. When considered in the context of China’s specific national conditions, particularly the prevalence of a small-scale peasant economy, it is recommended that China draw upon the lessons learned from the field coexistence strategies employed in countries that have adopted GM planting. This recommendation involves the refinement and enhancement of existing labelling management practices as well as the formulation of a coexistence management policy that is characterised by cost savings, efficiency gains and robust operational capabilities. The implementation of these measures is expected to foster the commercialisation of GM soybean and maize in China. Full article

This study delves into perceptions of land and forest tenure (in)security among Indigenous and mestizo populations in the Peruvian Amazon. Despite all having collective lands, the selected communities vary in their formalisation processes. This research seeks to enhance comprehension of tenure security perceptions in the Peruvian Amazon by investigating sources of security and insecurity across key tenure components. A combination of descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analyses is employed, based on fieldwork conducted between July 2015 and December 2017 in 22 Native and Peasant Communities in Loreto and Madre de Dios, utilising 1006 intra-household surveys, 52 in-depth interviews, and 44 focus group discussions. The results reveal similarities and differences in (in)security sources between titled and untitled communities. The study also explores the influence of gender and ethnicity on these perceptions, finding ethnicity-based variation in security perception over the past 20 years (1995–2015). Recognising these differences in perception is critical for assessing the robustness of exercising acquired collective rights. Full article

The success of the geographical indication industry relies on the collaborative value creation among its stakeholders. This article presents an evolutionary game model for the triad of associations, firms, and peasant households in the geographical indication industry. The model examines their strategic choices and analyzes the impact of profitability, scale factors, and premium factors across different developmental stages. The study uncovers that while all parties may display collective behavior, there are variations specific to each stage. In periods of low profitability, firms tend to adopt a more cautious approach, while peasant households prioritize overall benefits. Both scale factors and premium factors guide the game towards positive strategies. Consequently, it is recommended to strengthen associations’ leadership role by fostering firm accountability in quality governance, reducing costs and risks associated with peasant household participation, safeguarding their rights and interests, enhancing economies of scale for geographical indication products, and bolstering competitiveness and sustainability. Full article

The withdrawal of rural residential land-use rights is a major initiative in China’s current rural land reform, and it is of great importance in promoting the rural revitalization and urbanization strategy. The Chinese government encourages farmers to withdraw from their residential bases in an orderly manner to effectively revitalize land resources. The study aimed to explore the key factors that influenced the decision of farmers to withdraw from their rural residential lands in different contexts and proposed suggestions for related policy reforms. Firstly, the study proposed hypotheses based on the theories of the hierarchy of needs and peasant household behavior, combined with the current situation of the research area. Then taking the withdrawal policies and practical experiences of some pilot areas in China as a reference. Secondly, the study set five exit modes for withdrawing the right to use rural residential land and programmed four dimensions of the factors that affected those decisions to form the questionnaire. A total of 533 valid questionnaires were obtained by using scenario simulation. Thirdly, the study analyzed the influential factors of the exit decisions of the different modes using the multivariate ordered logistic regression model and tested the hypotheses using the abovementioned methods. The results showed the following: (1) the willingness of the rural residents to accept the different exit modes for withdrawing their rural residential land-use rights substantially varied. The rural residents prioritized the exit modes that were beneficial to their future housing and other social security. (2) There were some differences in the influencing factors on the exit decisions. Among the four-dimensional factors, the “rural residents’ cognitive characteristics” had a substantial impact on the decisions for withdrawing rural residential land-use rights. Based on the research conclusions, the study proposed some targeted policy suggestions: steadily promoting the construction of a high-quality social security system, promoting classified governance policies based on the diversified needs of farmers and strengthening the individual cognition of relocated farmers to withdraw from homesteads. In addition, a more scientific and reasonable land governance system needs to be established. Full article

The resettled community is a special type of transitional community in China where the residents are urbanized peasants who lost their lands during urbanization development. However, resettled community conflicts (RCCs) are barriers to sustainable community transformation. Focusing on functional conflict, this study identified the conflicts in the resettled community and proposed feasible governance logic for RCCs. The research in this article has a significant theoretical foundation in functional conflict theory. By examining a large sample of cases, seven RCC types were identified (e.g., inner discontent of residents, mass incidents), of which three have positive functions and four have negative impacts. Furthermore, three RCC causes were identified: right-based, interest-based, and value-based conflicts. Their mechanisms for the conflict function are, respectively, the contextual dual-functional, destructive one-way, and structural dual-functional paths. Considering these findings, we propose a dual governance logic of RCC: accommodation and avoidance. Within the dual logic, specific governance strategies are proposed for the different RCC causes and their functional formation paths. This research serves as an important reference for proper policy measures to govern RCCs and promote the sustainable transformation of resettled communities. The methodology adopted can be extended to the study of RCC in broader global contexts. Full article

Changes in land policy not only determine agricultural growth, but also have bearing on issues, such as peasants’ rights and interests, industrial development, and urbanization. On account of China’s singular history and culture, its land systems are somewhat unique. This paper analyzes the institutional changes that took place before and after 1978 to show the journey of land system reform in rural China in the 20th century. We look closely at the policy performance and drawbacks of the reform that occurred after 1978, and analyze a series of “Central First Documents” that concern rural issues. Based on this analysis, some prospective land policy reforms are predicated. We conclude that at present, rural land ownership is unlikely to be completely privatized in the short-term. Creating a new agricultural management system with special functions or a land shareholding system, could be suitable measures to overcome the disorder of the existing land policy system in China. Full article

Despite the economic and social costs of national and international efforts to restore millions of hectares of deforested and degraded landscapes, results have not met expectations due to land tenure conflicts, land-use transformation, and top-down decision-making policies. Privatization of land, expansion of cattle raising, plantations, and urbanization have created an increasingly competitive land market, dispossessing local communities and threatening forest conservation and regeneration. In contrast to significant investments in reforestation, natural regrowth, which could contribute to landscape regeneration, has not been sufficiently promoted by national governments. This study analyzes socio-ecological and economic vulnerabilities of indigenous and other peasant communities in the Mexican states of Veracruz, Chiapas, and Morelos related to the inclusion of natural regeneration in their forest cycles. While these communities are located within protected areas (Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve, Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve, El Tepozteco National Park, and Chichinautzin Biological Corridor), various threats and vulnerabilities impede natural regeneration. Although landscape restoration involves complex political, economic, and social relationships and decisions by a variety of stakeholders, we focus on communities’ vulnerable land rights and the impacts of privatization on changes in land use and forest conservation. We conclude that the social, economic, political, and environmental vulnerabilities of the study communities threaten natural regeneration, and we explore necessary changes for incorporating this process in landscape restoration. Full article

Urbanization in China has resulted in serious conflicts. Landless peasants are resettled between urban and rural areas in transitional communities. where their rural lifestyles often lead to spatial conflicts. We proposed a conceptual model to provide theoretical guidance for the governance of spatial conflicts and the sustainable transformation of resettled communities. Using field observations and semi-structured interviews, we examined 10 resettled communities in Hangzhou, China. The use of grounded theory to code the interview texts yielded 71 initial concepts and 22 categories that we then refined into six main categories: community physical environment (e.g., quality of private housing), community communication environment (e.g., heterogeneity of community population), landless peasants’ risk perceptions (e.g., impacts on social psychology), community governance capacity (e.g., trust in community’s self-governing organizations), residents’ space perceptions (e.g., awareness of space rights), and space competition behavior (e.g., fighting for public space). Finally, we applied social combustion theory to construct a logical relationship between the core category and main categories. The results show that changes in the physical and communication environments are the root elements (“combustion substances”) of spatial conflicts; the driving factors are landless peasants’ risk perceptions and community governance capabilities; direct elements (“ignition temperature”) are residents’ space perceptions and space competition behavior. Strategies for sustained transformation in resettled communities should prioritize gradual transitions of community space, improve support mechanisms for landless peasants, optimize community governance mechanisms, and cultivate awareness of community rules. This study aids the understanding of the inner mechanism for the sustainable development of resettled communities and has implications for other countries and regions in similar contexts. Full article

This research analysed the options that, following decent employment and the social economy, can allow the human development of poor, excluded and vulnerable indigenous populations in Ecuador. A set of strategies were developed which can be implemented by public authorities and by community organisations. They were designed from two types of expert consultations: the Delphi method and the analysis of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) combined with Analytic Hierarchy Process method (AHP) for hierarchizing the criteria collected and obtaining strategies. The proposed strategies are as follows: adopting appropriate legal frameworks, respecting peoples’ rights, better distribution of public resources, implementing monitoring systems, developing solidarity markets and recognizing the participation of the poor as a subject of rights. This investigation revealed differences between the state, which identifies the poor with monetary indicators, and the indigenous peoples, who see it as the lack of community links, by conceiving the poor as a beneficiary of official assistance, despite the fact that a strong community and peasant organisation could be used. The value of an economy based on reciprocity and confidence was also recognized, identifying niches of production and consumption to create partnerships and ensure the participation of indigenous peoples in decision-making areas. Full article

This paper traces the evolution of land tenure changes in contemporary China since 1949. The transfer of land from peasant households to family farms and commercial sized units is on a vast scale and forms one of the greatest land reforms we have ever seen. The agrarian question forms both the policy and academic context in which this legislative account of land transfer is assessed and raises the question of whether land assembly in China resembles previous agricultural transformation policy and processes in industrialized countries or to what extent it has special characteristics of its own. The security of land holding in rural China, established with the household responsibility system, is seen to mature slowly over three to four periods of adjustment, always protecting the rights of peasants while improving conditions for increasing land productivity, resulting in an extension of the two rights of peasant holdings to three rights in the new millennium. The introduction of a third right, a land management right which is transferable from peasants to outsiders, has enabled a huge land assembly movement affecting millions of small holdings. This process of land tenure restructuring raises such questions as the consequences of the capitalization of agriculture, peasant land dispossession, proletarianization, and the prospect of a future land market in rural China, all topics for further research. Full article

An increasing number of African States are recognizing customary land tenure. Yet, there is a lack of research on how community rights are recognized in legal and policy frameworks, how they are implemented in practice, and how to include marginalized groups. In 2018–2019, we engaged in collaborative exploratory research on governing natural resources for food sovereignty with social movement networks, human rights lawyers and academics in West and East Africa. In this article, we reflect on the process and methods applied to identify research gaps and partners (i.e., two field visits and regional participatory workshops in Mali and Uganda), with a view to share lessons learned. In current debates on the recognition and protection of collective rights to land and resources, we found there is a need for more clarity and documentation, with customary land being privatized and norms rapidly changing. Further, the voices of women and youth are lacking in communal land governance. This process led to collaborative research with peasant and pastoralist organizations in Kenya, Tanzania, Mali and Guinea, with the aim to achieve greater self-determination and participation of women and youth in communal land governance, through capacity building, participatory research, horizontal dialogues and action for social change. Full article

The original intention of the tripartite rural land entitlement system was to activate farmland management rights and improve the efficiency of land element allocation. However, information asymmetry is prevalent in a market with imperfect competition. We analyzed the key factors affecting farmland transfer transactions with the structural equation model using survey data from farmers in five major grain-producing counties in Henan province, China. The purpose of our study was to investigate how these factors contribute to the avoidance of a “lemon market” emerging in farmland transfer and can promote the market regulation of farmland transfer operations. This study was conducted under the framework of asymmetric theory analysis with the purpose of discussing the fundamental forces driving farmland transfer transactions. The results show that (1) the economic characteristics of farmers play an important role in the formation of farmland transfer transactions, and their impacts on the willingness to transfer farmland in and out were 0.69 and 0.97, respectively; and (2) among the observable variables, the satisfaction degree of agricultural technology training and the proportion of non-agricultural income had a strong ability to explain the choice of farmland transfer behavior, and the factors that strongly impacted farmland transfer out behavior were physical condition and farmland quality. Thus, we recommend establishing a detailed land transfer pricing system based on the background quality of farmland and increasing the agricultural science and technology education, focusing on dredging information transmission channels to fulfill the new requirements of the three-right separation system on the government’s supervision of farmland transfer to promote effective links between small-scale peasant economies and modern agriculture. Full article

The land policy in Tanzania, which has been implemented since 1995, aims to resolve land-use problems. This study explored the implementation of land policy in rural Tanzania. A cross-sectional multiple data collection technique was performed during the period July–November, 2017 to examine whether the policy has addressed land issues, including land conflicts. The findings indicate a significant association between immigrants and land conflicts, thus implying an insecure land tenure. The results also show that the realization of land policy was hampered by insufficient budgetary allocation and too few land staff to spearhead the land policy and legislation requirements. In view of these findings, this article suggests that the government must mobilize the resources required for registering communal land and simultaneously reinforce the use of social institutions, cultural norms, and adjoining landowners in securing land rights. This decision will encourage the majority of rural landowners (peasants and herdsmen) to invest in their land for higher and sustainable production. Full article

In Colombia, right-wing leadership returned to power after winning the presidential elections in 2018 in a campaign in which they opposed the previous government, primarily because of the negotiations and peacemaking with the FARC-EP (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia—Ejército del Pueblo ‘Armed Revolutionary Forces of Colombia—People’s Army’), Colombia’s largest guerrilla organization. Globally, there is a vibrant academic debate about how to characterize the current rise of right-wing populism or authoritarianism, but more profound insights from each country’s situation and its political economy implications are needed. The victory in Colombia was due to numerous factors, including the support from some rural elites who have historically obstructed the enforcement of redistributive land policies. However, the populist aspirations of the right-wing government have been persistently frustrated not only by social unrest and political mobilization but also because of the enforcement of institutions previously incorporated into the country’s political scenario. Specifically, in terms of agrarian political economy, two sets of human rights-oriented institutional changes are relevant regarding this matter: (a) the Land Restitution Law enacted in 2011 and (b) the Comprehensive Rural Reform contained in the Agrarian Chapter of the Peace Agreement between the national government and the FARC-EP in 2016. The purpose of this paper is to ground the ongoing theoretical and political debate about the rise of different forms of populism and right-wing authoritarianism in the current Colombian political context, and its implications on the countryside. The analytical contribution of this paper is twofold: On the one hand, I propose an alternative for explaining the nature of the current political regime in Colombia as right-wing authoritarianism; on the other hand, I analyze some features of such regimes in terms of its disputes with the enforcement of human rights-oriented institutions, that are in force as the result of political processes triggered by peasants’ mobilization. Full article

China is entering a period of rapid urban development. With the rapid expansion of cities, a large number of peasants have lost their land as a result. Given the development of urbanization, safeguarding the rights and interests of land-lost peasants in the process of urbanization has become a new topic of interest in China. In this study, based on game theory, we analyze the interests of the local government and land-lost peasants in several rounds of the citizenization process. The result demonstrated the following: (1) this paper proposed that overall interest declines in the entire game, in which the peasant can obtain a greater share of benefits from bargaining with the local government; (2) However, a long bargaining process would lead to the diminishment of peasants’ rights and benefits. In contrast, the local government would obtain greater share of benefits than the peasant and would obtain fewer benefits than at the beginning of the process. Therefore, both sides expect to end the game process early; (3) Under the “rational economic man” process, this process will always tend to be one in which one party struggles while the other compromises. Therefore, in the game, the game process will not reach a game equilibrium state and both sides will be at a stalemate; (4) The local government, as the power owner, is expected to surrender its interests as the “rational economic man” for the Pareto optimality; (5) Finally, we proposed policy recommendations for the sustainability of citizenization. Increasing the public service benefits, establishing the system of subsistence allowances and raising the minimum living allowance of citizenization, improving the training and employment service system for the peasant can improve land-lost peasants’ acceptance in the game. Full article