Search Results (61)

In 1964, the National Forest Reserve Act (B.E. 2507) of Thailand classified all unoccupied forested areas as forest reserve, or pa sanguan. It became illegal to obtain individual land titles in forest reserves, thus reducing the land rights of farmers. In addition, roads could not be built, electricity access could not be provided, and agricultural support programs could not operate on land without land titles. However, in recent years, Thailand’s National Committee on Land Policy (Khana Kammakarn Natyobai Thidin Haeng Chat) has been promoting the Kor Tor Chor (KTC) program for communal land titling, designed to create land tenure clarity but not to provide full ownership rights. The objective of this article is to assess the vertical geographies associated with the KTC program in Nan Province, northern Thailand, and their implications with regard to land rights and accessing government funding, one of the key objectives of KTC. The article reveals that vertical land classification aspects associated with watershed classification present particular challenges to KTC. In particular, we argue that while farmers are generally happy with the benefits that have come to them due to KTC, vertical geographical circumstances have significantly influenced the abilities of village communities to benefit from the KTC program. Full article

The support of external organizational forces is essential for the promotion of agricultural ecological efficiency to improve agricultural green development and boost China’s prosperity in agriculture. To identify the different impact of different organizational support on improving farmers’ agricultural ecological efficiency and investigate the mechanism by which organizational support affects agricultural ecological efficiency, this study explores the internal logic of farmers’ promotion of agricultural ecological efficiency and empirically examines the impact of organizational support and knowledge distance on agricultural ecological efficiency using 1011 household-level survey data from Henan province in China. The study shows the following: (1) Enhancing organizational support can significantly promote agricultural ecological efficiency, and the effect of organizational support in descending order is agricultural material distributors, peasant cooperatives, village committees, agricultural technology service centers, and agricultural associations. (2) Knowledge distance partially mediates the influence of organizational support on agricultural ecological efficiency. The mediating mechanism of spatial distance is the most significant, followed by content distance and cognitive distance. (3) Market-oriented organizations play a stronger role in incremental support, and government organizations play a stronger role in radical support. This study adds considerable value to the empirical literature and provides precise guidance for improving agricultural ecological efficiency. Full article

Amid urbanization, many forest farmers have migrated for work, leading to a shortage of young labor in forestry. Socialized prevention and control (SPC) measures have emerged as a new forestry model. By integrating forestland property rights theory, SPC economic principles, and collaborative disaster governance, this study compares the econometrics methods of seemingly unrelated regression (SUR) and structural equation models (SEMs) to address correlation and endogeneity issues. It aims to understand forest farmers’ willingness to pay for SPC services, purchase forest insurance, and join as forest rangers. The findings offer theoretical and practical insights that address current challenges and rationalize SPC promotion costs, filling gaps in the existing literature. The results indicate that high-quality foresters with more home-planted forests are more inclined to hire SPC companies, while better-educated farmers are less likely to purchase forest insurance. Western forest farmers, highly reliant on forests, show greater willingness to become rangers under village committee organization. Farmers organized by committees or with prevention experience suggest SPC costs around USD $65/ha and forest premiums at USD $5/ha, with high-quality farmers proposing a ranger salary of USD $190/month. Recommendations include collecting SPC funds from farmers and supplementing through local finances; enhancing the forest insurance system; monitoring SPC companies; and recruiting young, skilled rangers. Full article

With the rapid development of China’s rural economy, rural collective economic organizations have played a significant role in increasing farmers’ income and promoting rural revitalization. This study aims to explore the impact of farmers’ participation in skills training organized by rural collective economic organizations on their livelihood capital and the underlying mechanisms. Using tracking survey data from rural households in Chongzhou City, Sichuan Province, in 2023, the paper employs empirical analysis methods, including OLS and mediation effect analysis. The results show that participation in skills training organized by rural collective economic organizations enhances farmers’ livelihood capital. The effectiveness of public service delivery by village committees, the network role of farmers’ cooperatives, and the linkage effect of leading agricultural enterprises in driving rural development act as mediating factors. Additionally, the impact of skills training on farmers’ livelihood capital varies according to household characteristics and the attributes of the rural collective economic organizations involved. Therefore, this paper proposes the following policy recommendations: (1) Further strengthen the public service and resource allocation functions of the village committees. (2) Support and optimize the operating entities such as farmer cooperatives and leading agricultural industrialization enterprises. (3) Address the training needs of different groups and enhance the focus and support of grassroots governments for skills training in collective economic organizations. Full article

In 2005, the Fifth Plenary Session of the 16th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China introduced a strategic plan to advance the construction of a new socialist countryside, thereby providing a policy foundation for the robust development of rural tourism. Against this policy backdrop, the present study investigates the impact of rural tourism policies on the spatial evolution of ethnic minority villages in Yanbian Prefecture, utilizing data from the period 2004–2023. As a representative region in China where ethnic minorities coexist, Yanbian Prefecture exhibits distinctive cultural and spatial features in its Korean villages, making it a key pilot area for rural tourism development. This study utilizes the PMC index model, the coupled coordination degree model, and the vector autoregressive model to analyze the implementation effects of rural tourism policies and to establish an index system for rural spatial construction. By examining the spatial evolution of representative ethnic minority villages in Yanbian Prefecture, the research explores the dynamic interactions between tourism policies and rural construction, as well as the underlying causal mechanisms. The findings indicate that: (1) in ethnic minority villages, geographic characteristics and various constraints contribute to delayed initial policy effects, with negative fluctuations observed, highlighting a distinct lag effect in the policy implementation process; and (2) a significant Granger causality exists between tourism policies and rural spatial construction, with varying effects observed across different dimensions. The study centers on ethnic minority settlements, systematically analyzing the dynamic effects of tourism policies in the context of their spatial evolution characteristics. It offers sustainable development policy recommendations tailored to the unique attributes of ethnic minority villages. lt is suggested that the actual needs of village construction and long-term development goals should be fully considered when formulating and implementing policies to promote the sustainable development of ethnic minority areas. Full article

Common prosperity is the core goal of rural revitalization, and the sustainable growth of farmers’ income is an inevitable requirement. This study uses CLDS2014-2018 village- and family-level questionnaire data to reveal how the degree of village organization affects the sustainable growth of farmers’ income, thus providing a reference for local government decision-making to promote the increase in farmers’ income and narrow the income gap at the village level. The results show that the degree of village organization can significantly affect farmers’ income, and the analysis results of the degree of formal organization are consistent with this. Specifically, for every 1% increase in the degree of village organization, the per capita household income will increase by 0.324%, among which, the wage income will increase by 0.226%, the operational income will increase by 5%, the property income will increase by 0.008%, and the transfer income will increase by 0.042%. The estimation results obtained by using instrumental variables are consistent, and the results are robust. At the same time, improving the degree of village organization can also significantly increase the proportion of farmers’ non-agricultural income and narrow the income gap among farmers. On the impact of heterogeneity, it was found that the geographical distance between villages and county and township governments, as well as the political identity and education level of farmers, will affect the role of the degree of organization. The results of the mechanism analysis show that improving the degree of village organization is mainly achieved by promoting the circulation of agricultural land, socializing the service of agricultural machinery, and providing industrial and commercial capital to the countryside to increase farmers’ income. The research revealed that the modernization of rural governance should be accelerated and the degree of village organization should be improved, especially the degree of formal organization, so as to build benign trust and a cooperative relationship between village committees and villagers and implement policies and measures that improve the income of farmers according to local conditions. At the same time, this will strengthen the publicity and education of party members to improve the proportion of rural party members and the education level of farmers. Full article

Relocating poor people in mountainous areas to centralized settlement sites is an important poverty alleviation policy implemented by China and a key measure to promote stable poverty alleviation and sustainable rural development for the poor. Based on the survey data of 405 peasant households in the Panxi Area in 2021, this study constructed a structural equation model (SEM) to explore the influencing factors of peasant households’ willingness to relocate to a concentrated residence. The results showed the following: (1) Of the 405 peasant households surveyed, 20.98% were unwilling to move to centralized resettlement sites, making it more difficult to carry out the relocation policy for poverty alleviation. (2) Living environment, living conditions, important social groups, the economic benefits, living benefits, and survival benefits brought by concentrated residences, governments, and the village committees significantly influenced the willingness to relocate to a concentrated residence. In contrast, agricultural income, ecological benefits, and value benefits brought by the concentrated residence had little effect on the willingness to relocate to a concentrated residence. (3) Land force, human force, cognitive force, and national force significantly positively affected the peasant households’ willingness to relocate to a concentrated residence. This study is of great significance in promoting the implementation of poverty alleviation and relocation policy, improving the efficiency of relocation and promoting the wellbeing of peasant households. Full article

Food security is a cornerstone of national development, and farmland protection and rationale are crucial for its assurance. However, integrating primary, secondary, and tertiary industries (IPSTI) in rural areas places significant pressure on farmland, threatening food security. This paper employs an evolutionary game model to explore how effective IPSTI can be achieved through stakeholder cooperation, ensuring rational farmland use under strict protection policies. The results reveal eight local equilibrium points in the game model, which can achieve asymptotic stability under varying conditions. Additionally, the behavioral parameters of local governments significantly impact their regulatory strategies for the non-agricultural use of farmland. When benefits increase, or penalties are strengthened, local government regulatory initiatives increase, constraining the behaviors of other participants. The village committee’s support strategy is influenced by benefits and costs, requiring a balance between promoting local economic development and minimizing non-agricultural use of farmland by enterprises. Enterprises’ decision-making primarily depends on the trade-off between the benefits and costs of non-agricultural use of farmland. The core findings of this study provide a crucial theoretical basis and decision support for formulating farmland protection policies and promoting industrial integration. Full article

The Han Dynasty Ruins in Chengcun Village of Wuyishan City, also known as the Ruins of the Imperial City of the Minyue Kingdom, are located on the hilly slope southwest of Chengcun Village, Xingtian Town, Wuyishan City, Fujian Province, China. These are ruins of a Han Dynasty city. Wuyi Mountain’s World Cultural and Natural Heritage Committee declared it a World Heritage Site in 1999. It is also the only imperial city site from the Han Dynasty that has been declared a World Heritage Site in China, and it is the most well-preserved large-scale imperial city site from the Middle Ages on the Pacific Rim. This study used comprehensive archaeological techniques, including archaeological excavation work, site information recording, erosion situation analysis, and geological surveys, to design and implement protective engineering projects in response to existing problems. In this study, the researchers conducted a geological survey of the study area to analyze the topography, rock and soil distribution characteristics, groundwater storage conditions, and geotechnical engineering conditions. At the same time, they explored the preservation status of the site, including the preservation status of the East Gate and the East City Wall, and they analyzed the causes of damage. Finally, the investigation and analysis results guided the design of a site display project, which included safeguarding against collapse and erosion, treating trees and shrubs, and designing the exhibition project for the East Gate. This study provides some practical reference for the excavation and archaeological work of the royal city in the surrounding areas. At the same time, in terms of the technical process of the project, it is also hoped to provide ideas for international ancient city excavation, display, and protection projects. Full article

China’s rural areas have long been backward in development, and many villages have completed poverty alleviation with the help of the government. Facing the requirements of sustainable development, it is necessary to change the development path, continuously increase social capital, and effectively connect with government investment resources. The existing research and practice mostly construct the strategy of social capital from the inside of the village, lacking interaction with the superior government. This paper argues for the method of planners’ intervention. The advantage is that it links the power of government and villagers, creates a perceptible, experiential, valuable material environment, and promotes collective action. Through this process, the knowledge interaction and social relations in the village can be improved. The purpose of this paper is to study how participatory planning affects the content and mechanism of this process mentioned above. Taking Hongtang village as a case study, we analyze the in-depth changes that participatory planning has brought to the rural space and social level. In the participatory planning practice of Hongtang village, college rural planners took a small vegetable garden as the breakthrough point to stimulate villagers’ participation. In the process of the upgrade, planners evolved the interaction between the village committee and villagers in the path of IMEE, which is “Intervene, Motivate, Enable, Empower”. Moreover, planners always maintained contact with the higher-level government. Through the upgrade of small vegetable gardens, the villagers’ initiative was brought into practice, the social capital was fully explored, and an effective link with the government’s resource allocation was realized. Full article

With more and more loss caused by forest biological disasters (FBDs) in China, forest farmers, as one of the most important stakeholders, are participating in the control. In this study, the ordinary least squares model, simultaneous equation model, and propensity score matching method were used with the data from 818 surveys conducted in the typical FBD outbreak provinces, to reveal the FBD control behaviors of forest farmers and their differences between western and eastern regions of China. The results indicated the following. (1) Household factors: forest farmers could timely take control measures. An increase of 1 ha in the area of occurrence would increase the control measures by 3.26 ha. However, the control measures can only reduce 50% of the economic loss caused by FBDs and cannot effectively control the spread trend of FBDs. There are issues, including an insufficient and old labor force, insufficient technology support, and low consciousness of ecology protection. (2) External factors: forest farmers would increase control when the temperature rises, and reduce control when rainfall increases. After village committees unify organizing the control, their participation enthusiasm would increase, which would have a substitution relationship with the household investment. (3) Regional difference: the eastern region of China has higher figures than the western in terms of outbreak area, economic losses, control measures, and pesticide cost. If the western forest farmers have the control funds as the eastern forest farmers have, and the eastern forest farmers have the control intensity as the western forest farmers have, the overall FBD control effect would be better. Full article

This research focuses on the governance of rural living environments in China from the perspective of “System-Life”. The objective of improving rural living environments is to construct a beautiful countryside, which is an important part of China’s rural revitalization strategy. Through a literature review, a field study, and quantitative analysis, this paper explores the tensions and interactions between local governments and social demand by investigating four elements of the village improvement program: the village’s appearance, sewage treatment, domestic garbage disposal, and the sanitation of toilets. We also examine the interactions between the main participants involved in the governance of rural living environments, including the primary-level governments, village committees, and the villagers themselves. It was found that there is a path toward constructing a benign interaction between “system” and “life”. In terms of “system”, the primary-level governments play a decisive role in the implementation of policies, offering a creative interpretation and flexible implementation of a policy. From the perspective of “life”, the village committee is the bridge between the primary-level governments and villagers. The villagers have their own understanding of policy and the logic of life. This probe leads us to suggest that primary-level governments need to respect the perceptions and priorities of villagers in order to improve the performance of this well-intentioned program. Full article

Invasive species are a huge concern to environmental management across the world because they threaten ecosystems, habitats, and species biodiversity, with largely permanent consequences. This study investigates the aspects of community capital and community resilience for the management of Invasive Alien Plant Species (IAPS) under importance-performance analysis in communities surrounding Nyika National Park (Mhuju and Ntchenachena) in Malawi. The study used the binary logistic regression model to determine the locals’ management and adaptation behaviours to IAPS. The findings show that although both IAPS management and adaptation were considered highly important, their performance was only rated at a low level, indicating a significant gap between the importance of eight management and adaptation behaviours for IAPS and their actual performance. The results also show that IAPS management strategies such as ‘’promoting community awareness of common IAPS and their impacts on livelihood” and “incorporating IAPS issues into the school curriculum” are useful in nurturing the locals’ management behaviour. Furthermore, we have identified the following characteristics as having a significant influence on the locals’ participation in IAPS impact reduction and adaptation: (1) age, (2) residential area, (3) understanding the IAPS impacts, (4) membership of farmers’ club or Village Natural Resource Management Committee (VNRMC), and (5) discussion of IAPS in farmer club or VNRMC. These findings provide empirical evidence to policy makers for an effective IAPS management strategy. Full article

The villages around a Cultural Heritage Site (CHS), despite being influenced by long-term restrictive conservation policies for protecting their heritage’s integrity, are often excluded from heritage recognition. They do, however, have opportunities to develop tourism and become places involving multiple stakeholders to alleviate the tension between cultural heritage conservation and the sustainable development of the village. As a result, the villages around a Cultural Heritage Site have been faced with much more complex situations than the sites themselves, as more stakeholders participate in and invoke the profound transformation of the space. To clarify this complex spatial transformation and bring about sustainable development, Lougetai village around the Chang’an Cultural Heritage Site, one of the heritage-led tourism villages, is taken as a case study to elucidate the spatial mechanism by applying Actor Network Theory. To achieve this, the multiple actors involved in the process of tourism projects and concomitant spatial transformation are investigated based on: (i) an archival study; (ii) participant observation; and (iii) semi-structured interviews. Our findings are as follows: (1) Lougetai village experienced profound spatial transformation into a heritage-led tourism destination, with residential, communication, and production spaces added, together with commercial space; (2) the process of constructing the heritage-led tourism destination included a heterogeneous actor network in which the Weiyang District Government played a vital role in enrolling other actors to participate, including the village committee, professionals, investors, tourists, and local people; (3) in the process of constructing the heritage-led tourism destination, the interests, intentions, and actions of heterogeneous actors can affect the village’s development. This complicated mechanism is identified from a detailed analysis of the implemented strategies and interests of diverse actors. These findings provide an understanding of the process of establishing heritage-led tourism and can be used to support future research in relation to the sustainable development of the villages around a Cultural Heritage Site. Full article

Public open space (POS) confers numerous physical and mental health benefits to people throughout life. The study applies POI and other multi-dimensional methods to examine the intergenerational equity of POS within a 15-min living circle of old communities in high-density cities. Firstly, an evaluation system for the comprehensive POS supply level in the community is constructed from the perspective of the quantity, quality, and spatial distribution of POS. Secondly, based on the idea of all-age sharing, the population in the community is divided into children, young and middle-aged, and elderly, and the factor “adaptation space share” is introduced to supplement the intergenerational equity evaluation system. The study takes Caoyang New Village in Shanghai as an example and the districts of the community committee as the basic evaluation units. The results show that the comprehensive supply of POS in Caoyang New Village is relatively high but there is still a mismatch between supply and demand; the intergenerational equity level is medium, and spatial alienation exists between POS supply and intergenerational equity; and the adaptation space share for children is much higher than that for the elderly, young and middle-aged people. Furthermore, young and middle-aged people are found to form a marginal group in spatial sharing and resource allocation. Finally, it is proposed that in community POS planning, attention should be focused on the differences in population age structure and on spatial cultural attributes and functional compounding on the basis of ensuring the comprehensive service of POS, so as to promote all-age sharing in community POS. Full article