China Agricultural Economic Review 

About: China Agricultural Economic Review is an academic journal published by Emerald Publishing Limited. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Agriculture & China. It has an ISSN identifier of 1756-137X. Over the lifetime, 558 publications have been published receiving 8233 citations.

The impact of US biofuel policies on agricultural price levels and volatility

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the market impacts of US biofuels and biofuel policies.Design/methodology/approach – Two methods of analysis are employed. The first method looks back in time and estimates what US crop prices would have been during the 2005 to 2009 marketing years under two scenarios. The second method of analysis is forward looking and examines the market impacts of the blender tax credit and mandate on the distribution of prices in the 2011 calendar and marketing year.Findings – The results developed in the previous two sections show that US ethanol policies modestly increased maize prices from 2006 to 2009 and that market impacts of the policies will be larger under tighter market conditions.Practical implications – More flexible US biofuel policy including removing the blenders tax credit, which does not help US biofuel industry as long as the mandates are in place, and relaxing blending mandates when feedstock supplies are low.Originality/value – This report makes th...

The effect of off‐farm employment on the decisions of households to rent out and rent in cultivated land in China

Abstract: Purpose - Developing nations need good cultivated land rental markets to foster rational resource use and to enhance productivity and equity. Can cultivated land rental markets emerge in the face of rapidly developing off-farm labor markets? The purpose of this paper is to measure the correlation between the emergence of off-farm employment and cultivated land rental in China. Design/methodology/approach - Based on a panel data from 2000 and 2008, the authors constructed econometric models to identify the impact of off-farm employment on the decisions of households to rent out and rent in cultivated land. Findings - This paper finds that the emergence of off-farm employment has significant and positive impacts on stimulating household to rent out cultivated land. The effect is less prominent for renting-in decisions. Originality/value - The paper empirically estimates the impacts of off-farm employment on cultivated land rent markets based on a unique panel data set from a national representative sample.

Realizing targeted poverty alleviation in China: People’s voices, implementation challenges and policy implications

Abstract: Purpose The Chinese Government initiates the targeted poverty alleviation strategy to lift 70.17 million population out of poverty in five years time until 2020. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how the targeted poverty alleviation policy was implemented. The investigation focusses on the people’s voices, implementation challenges and implications for policy making and improvement. Design/methodology/approach A nationwide survey covering 2,075 households in 22 impoverished counties of 13 provinces was carried out in August, 2015, providing rich statistics and evidence for the paper. Literature review of China’s poverty alleviation history is also made to lay a research basis for the study. Findings There are diverse needs of the impoverished households of different ages and different poverty causes. The defects of the policy are revealed such as the impractical way of accurate poverty identification, the existence of poverty-returning problem and passive poverty alleviation. Originality/value The study of the paper investigates the current challenges for carrying out the targeted poverty alleviation and indicates implications for policy improvement. These contribute to the effectiveness and efficiency of the targeted poverty alleviation policy in China.

Poverty alleviation in rural China: policy changes, future challenges and policy implications

Abstract: Purpose Poverty alleviation is a global challenge. Human society has never ceased to fight against poverty. China was once the developing country with the largest rural poor population in the world. Remarkable achievements have been made in China’s antipoverty program over the past decades, shaping a unique poverty reduction strategy with Chinese characteristics. The purpose of this paper is to first review the history of China’s rural reform and antipoverty, and then analyze the related policy systems, mechanism innovations and future challenges in poverty alleviation and development. At last, some specific policy implications were provided. Design/methodology/approach Literature on China’s antipoverty history was reviewed and mechanism innovations on targeted poverty alleviation strategy were investigated. Findings Along with the deepening of the rural reform, the poverty alleviation and development in new China have undergone six stages, and experienced a transformation from relief-oriented to development-oriented poverty alleviation. The object of poverty alleviation has gradually targeted with a transformation from poor counties/areas to villages/households, and the effectiveness of poverty alleviation is also gradually improved. However, the increase in the difficulty of antipoverty, fragile ecological environment, rapid population aging and rural decline poses challenges to the construction of a well-off society in an all-round way in China. Specific antipoverty measures were put forward based on the investigation. Finally, the authors emphasize the importance of strengthening the study of poverty geography. Originality/value This study investigates the history of China’s antipoverty policy and analyzes the future challenges for implementing targeted poverty alleviation policy. These findings will lay a foundation for the formulation of China’s antipoverty policies after 2020, and provide experience for poverty alleviation in other developing countries around the world.

Land tenure security and land investments in Northwest China

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of perceived land tenure security in China on farmers' decisions to invest in relatively long‐term land quality improvement measures, taking into account the potential endogeneity of tenure security.Design/methodology/approach – Data from a survey held in 2008 and 2010 among 259 households in Minle County, Gansu province, covering the years 2007 and 2009, are used to estimate the factors affecting land levelling investments, irrigation canal investments and perceived land tenure security. The authors use the 2SCML technique and the IVLS method to estimate a selection model and a non‐limited regression model, respectively, and use IVP methods to examine the robustness of the results.Findings – The authors' results indicate that perceived land tenure security significantly affects self‐governed investments but does not affect individual investments in land quality improvements. In particular, the authors find that households that consider land cer...