Showing papers in "International Journal of Agricultural Resources, Governance and Ecology in 2007"
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors argue that if policies and programmes for the promotion of rural and agricultural technological and institutional innovations are restricted to the linear "pipeline" model of R&D and extension, then many opportunities for reducing rural poverty and improving social inclusion in a cost-effective way will be missed.
Abstract: This paper argues that if policies and programmes for the promotion of rural and agricultural technological and institutional innovations are restricted to the framework of the linear 'pipeline' model of R&D and extension, then many opportunities for reducing rural poverty and improving social inclusion in a cost-effective way will be missed. The paper argues that a holistic 'actor innovations systems' approach is a more useful framework for understanding past innovation and diffusion processes and for planning purposes. In particular, the innovations systems framework can be used to find and understand local and national 'positive deviance' situations where pro-poor innovation processes are already taking place, and it can provide a framework for building on these experiences.
53 citations
TL;DR: A review of the EMS implementation on Australian farms revealed that there were many social dimensions to the EMS as mentioned in this paper, while these were not necessarily explicitly recognized by the farmers, certifiers and/or regulators, these social factors were very important to the ongoing commitment to and operation of, the EMSs.
Abstract: Despite criticism that Environmental Management Systems (EMSs) do not address social aspects, a review of the EMS implementation on Australian farms revealed that there were many social dimensions to the EMS. While these were not necessarily explicitly recognised by the farmers, certifiers and/or regulators, these social factors were very important to the ongoing commitment to, and operation of, the EMSs. Social factors enhance the operation of the EMS, reinforce initial motivations and have major benefits for the farm business. However, gaining recognition of these factors was difficult, measuring changes in social interactions not easily achievable and not well recognised or rewarded by outside stakeholders. The development of improved mechanisms for valuing social factors in agricultural contexts, better understanding of the roles of these factors amongst EMS certifiers and advisors, and more explicit acknowledgement of the importance of these factors on overall farm management is required.
46 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors develop arguments for when public-private partnerships should form and compare them with experiences in real partnership cases in Latin America, showing that private partners are usually satisfied with partnerships as the investment is low, in-kind, or can be tax-exempted.
Abstract: Public–private partnerships that aim at the development of innovations have gained increasing attention from governments, public research and private companies, because they enable partners to draw from complementary resources and profit from synergy and joint learning. This article develops arguments for when partnerships should form and compares them with experiences in real partnership cases in Latin America. Theoretically, partnerships make sense when no partner can do it alone, when partners gain more than they invest, when there is synergy and when the gains are proportionally distributed. Empirical evidence in Latin America shows that partnerships in agricultural innovation often form without clear perceptions of the costs involved and benefits to be obtained. To make public–private partnerships more viable, both parties should practice coherent planning of how to attain the common objective. However, private partners are usually satisfied with partnerships as the investment is low, in-kind, or can be tax-exempted.
37 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a case study of such an agreement in the Perpignan import market is presented, where the authors show that implementing a collective discipline within the group is highly unlikely and conditions for efficient enforcement are not met either.
Abstract: Recent EU law of safety self-regulation by firms leads French fresh produce importers to negotiate with public authorities a collective self-monitoring safety agreement. This paper is a case study of such an agreement in the Perpignan import market. Its actual design poses a problem of incentive alignment as long as it does not fit in with theoretical conditions. Empirical evidence and two complementary bodies of the literature are used to deal with this issue. Firstly, drawing on the literature of incentive schemes in teams, we show that implementing a collective discipline within the group is highly unlikely. Secondly, by turning to the literature of voluntary approaches to food safety, we show that conditions for efficient enforcement are not met either. By introducing supermarkets as a third party we propose an enriched framework, which allows a better understanding of why importers abide by the agreement and allocate resources in safety control.
28 citations
TL;DR: The PROINPA Foundation as mentioned in this paper is a case study in organisational innovation in Bolivia, where a comprehensive competitive funding system is being established and a new paradigm for agricultural research based upon the innovation system is emerging.
Abstract: A new paradigm for agricultural research based upon the innovation system is emerging. New types of organisation are required to fit the new paradigm. The evolution of PROINPA from NARI programme to foundation is analysed as a case study in organisational innovation in Bolivia, where a comprehensive competitive funding system is being established. The value added and difficulties faced by the PROINPA Foundation are described. The Foundation, as a new type of organisation, widened and deepened linkages with other key actors, added value to the research and development process and appears to fit well with the innovation system approach. The article ends by sharing lessons learned for developing foundations under similar conditions.
19 citations
TL;DR: In 2001, Turkey adopted the Agricultural Reform Implementation Project (ARIP) as mentioned in this paper, which changed the practical instruments of policy intervention without questioning the underlying policy paradigm and argued that predatory rather than productive policies characterised the process agricultural reform in Turkey.
Abstract: In 2001, Turkey adopted the Agricultural Reform Implementation Project (ARIP). This reform changed the practical instruments of policy intervention without questioning the underlying policy paradigm. A major driving force behind ARIP was the World Bank, which provided policy advice and the necessary financial support. The primary goal was to make Turkish agriculture more compatible with the WTO principles as well as the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in view of its possible future membership. This study describes the policy process of reform in Turkey, analyses the policy formation concerning ARIP and discusses its political implications. This paper argues that predatory rather than productive policies characterise the process agricultural reform in Turkey.
16 citations
TL;DR: With about 78% of farms in the Agri-Environmental Programme (AEP), Austria has one of the highest participation rates in the European Union as discussed by the authors, which reflects a key concern in Austrian agricultural policy, which is to reconcile agricultural production, environmental protection, social cohesion and rural development.
Abstract: With about 78% of farms in the Agri-Environmental Programme (AEP), Austria has one of the highest participation rates in the European Union The programme reflects a key concern in Austrian agricultural policy, which is to reconcile agricultural production, environmental protection, social cohesion and rural development This paper reviews the changes in agricultural policy leading up to the implementation of the AEP Spatial, policy and institutional patterns favouring such a high participation rate are identified, highlighting the importance of understanding an AEP in its historical and socio-political context The orientation of farming towards the provision of environmental amenities may be indicative of future farm strategies, which are increasingly focused on broader rural development activities
14 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors provide new ways of looking at sustainable agriculture in Turkey and propose a new domestic policy approach to rural development that is focused on facilitating change on the countryside through more investment in human capital and entrepreneurial activities.
Abstract: Rural Turkey is dominated by a large agricultural sector that still relies on extensive state support and policy intervention. There is a general agreement that structural change is needed to make its rural economy more innovative and competitive. Yet, as long as the main architects of Turkish agricultural reform are primarily concerned with mitigating the impact of trade liberalisation through social policy rather than innovation policy, the Turkish countryside will remain an economic and political liability due to its rampant underemployment problem. Social policy is not in a position to create employment through new markets. In this context, Turkey's current efforts to make its agriculture more compatible with the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is unlikely to induce important policy changes because CAP's underlying concept of agricultural sustainability is still focused on preservation and safety rather than entrepreneurship and innovation. The papers in this guest-edition provide new ways of looking at sustainable agriculture in Turkey and propose a new domestic policy approach to rural development that is focused on facilitating change on the countryside through more investment in human capital and entrepreneurial
13 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors survey 619 cotton producers in the Harran region and analyse their perceptions and practices towards soil salinity, and the survey results indicate that formal education and training are the central factors that determine the farmers' awareness of the relationship between excessive irrigation and salinity.
Abstract: The Harran region, located in the South-eastern part of Turkey, is facing an increasing salinity problem due to excessive and inefficient irrigation practices. In this paper, we survey 619 cotton producers in the region and analyse their perceptions and practices towards soil salinity. The survey results indicate that formal education and training are the central factors that determine the farmers' awareness of the relationship between excessive irrigation and salinity. The recognition of the negative externalities resulting from the unsustainable use of irrigation by neighbouring farms positively affects farmers' willingness to participate in collective action to deal with the salinity problem. Yet, the current institutional setting in the Harran region discourages collective action and farmer initiatives. Policymakers need to support the empowerment of the local farmers through better and locally-relevant education and training and provide adequate incentives for farmers to adopt more sustainable practices and technologies.
13 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the potentials of the German scheme with the help of concepts from organisational management, extension and motivational psychology are assessed with a reference point of Canadian experiences with an environmental FMS - the Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) programme in Ontario.
Abstract: Following regulation EC 1782/2003, a policy scheme aimed at supporting farmers' compliance with societal requirements of sustainable land use was set up in Germany. Core elements of the measure are the introduction and voluntary application of Farm Management Systems (FMS) and the accompanying advisory services. This paper critically assesses the potentials of the German scheme with the help of concepts from organisational management, extension and motivational psychology. As a reference point, Canadian experiences with an environmental FMS - the Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) programme in Ontario - are presented and reviewed. Here, voluntary participation by farmers is a result of personal motivation, complex social interactions and targeted support. Finally, consequences of the implementation of and research on the German policy scheme are discussed.
11 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors survey the theoretical literature on pollution-reducing and resource-saving technological progress, differentiating between microeconomic partial equilibrium models and endogenous growth models, and investigate incentives to develop and adopt environmentally friendlier technologies under different policy tools, commitment strategies and market structures.
Abstract: We survey the theoretical literature on pollution-reducing and resource-saving technological progress, differentiating between microeconomic partial equilibrium models and endogenous growth models. The microeconomic models serve to investigate incentives to develop and adopt environmentally friendlier technologies under different policy tools, commitment strategies and market structures. Here price-based instruments usually outperform command and control policies. In most growth models a trade-off between growth rates and environmental quality occurs. Moreover, typically three market imperfections arise, market power for new products, R&D spillovers and pollution. These imperfections can be mitigated by subsidies on output and R&D effort, and taxes on emissions.
TL;DR: Based on recent ethnographic research, the authors discusses the innovative governance strategies used by a state-owned sugar mill in a rural township in the southwestern province of Yunnan in order to survive within a changing economic environment.
Abstract: During the last quarter century, China's agricultural sector has undergone a dramatic transformation from collective to private production, resulting in marked improvements in quality of life for most rural citizens. However, economic development in the countryside has been highly uneven, particularly in China's southwestern region, with its arid land, rugged topography and high concentration of ethnic minority populations. Based on recent ethnographic research, this paper discusses the innovative governance strategies used by a state-owned sugar mill in a rural township in the southwestern province of Yunnan in order to survive within a changing economic environment. We argue that, despite economic liberalisation, the state - particularly at the local level - still plays a key role in mediating between farmers and the marketplace. The implications of this shifting governance structure for agricultural development in poor, minority areas and for China's nearly 800 million peasants are discussed.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors use the case of an internet connectivity project in Scandinavia, Sami Network Connectivity (SNC), as a means to investigate the impulses which designing a network for a semi nomadic population, gives to network design, and to policy making.
Abstract: In this paper we use the case of an internet connectivity project in Scandinavia, Sami Network Connectivity (SNC), as a means to investigate the impulses which designing a network for a semi nomadic population, gives to network design, and to policy making. Thus, we regard the diffusion of innovations as something, which affects not only the culture of technology users but also that of technology producers. Manuel Castells argues that the cultural heritage imprinted in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector's technical design and social organisation has developed as a result of interaction between large, hierarchical institutions on the one hand and the radical thinking of the 1960s on the other and. The conceptual congruence between internet experts and the user community displayed in SNC may so be explained. We suggest that due to discourses that surrounded senior ICT professionals during their youth, there is a preparation for a nomadic scenario within the ICT sector as such.
TL;DR: In this article, the potential consequences of a political and economic integration of EU and Turkish agriculture and evaluates the resulting challenges are discussed, and a realistic range of outlays for implementing the CAP in Turkey is between 3.5 and 6.3 billion.
Abstract: This paper addresses the potential consequences of a political and economic integration of EU and Turkish agriculture and evaluates the resulting challenges. Simulation models reveal declining agricultural prices for Turkey in the case of market integration with the EU. This would lead to less production, more consumption and Turkey becoming a net importer of agricultural products. Resulting comparative static net welfare gains may amount 0.5 billion. More important, however, are the productivity effects which may be generated by the prospect of EU membership. A realistic range of outlays for implementing the CAP in Turkey is between 3.5 and 6.3 billion. The main challenge for Turkey in the years to come is to increase agricultural productivity. In order to channel EU funds into productivity-enhancing policies, the second pillar of the CAP is a more suitable instrument than direct payments which are based on area endowment and tend to capitalise into land prices.
TL;DR: In this article, the potential adoption of GM cotton by input-intensive producers could contribute to economic, social and environmental improvements in Turkey, where no GM varieties have been approved so far in Turkey.
Abstract: Cotton farming in Turkey faces economic, environmental and socioeconomic challenges. Organic cotton has been a successful response that greatly benefited low-input farmers; but, worldwide, it will eventually become a mature niche market with limited growth potential. Since no Genetically Modified (GM) varieties have been approved so far in Turkey, we want to find out how the potential adoption of GM cotton by input-intensive producers could contribute to economic, social and environmental improvements. When experiences with GM cotton in other countries are applied to the Turkish context, GM cotton is likely to encounter the highest adoption rates in regions that already face significant pest infestation rates. It may eventually improve the economic and environmental situation in these regions and in the rapidly expanding and increasingly input-intensive cotton growing area of Southeastern Anatolia. To ensure its long-term sustainability Turkey needs to pass an enforceable biosafety law and invest in homegrown agricultural biotechnology research.
TL;DR: In this paper, the implications of efficiency and innovation offsets for the management of non-point source pollution from agriculture are discussed and empirically analyzed, and whether education about environmentally friendlier farming practices is effective in such a context.
Abstract: This paper discusses and empirically analyses the implications of efficiency and innovation offsets for the management of non-point source pollution from agriculture. If efficiency improvements and green innovation indeed combine environmental advantages with economic advantages, these offsets would offer a free lunch adjustment to environmental regulations. A theoretical model of the farm is developed where pollution is a joint output of production, where inefficiency in production prevails and environmental innovations are available. We discuss whether education about environmentally friendlier farming practices is effective in such a context. The empirical analysis addresses pesticide use in conventional and genetically modified cotton production in North Carolina, USA. The conceptual model was implemented by means of the non-parametric directional distance function approach in Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA).
TL;DR: In this paper, a hedonic approach is used to study farmland prices in Aragon (Spain) using data over 450 transactions in 33 shires, in 2001 and 2002, in order to analyze the marginal values for irrigated vs. non-irrigated land.
Abstract: A hedonic approach is used to study farmland prices in Aragon (Spain). Data over 450 transactions in 33 shires, in 2001 and 2002 are analysed. The marginal values for irrigated vs. non-irrigated land, the productive orientation and the differentiation of production through a Designation of Origin (D.O.) are used as explanatory variables. Socio-economic variables are also included. A Box-Cox transformation is specified to get the most appropriate functional form. The results indicate that water availability, the crop orientation, and the eligibility within a D.O. are the key factors affecting farmland prices, while the social environment and infrastructure has a minor impact.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors studied three dimensions of the capacity of research and field organizations in Nicaragua to access and analyse information, highly correlated to learning capacity, including the individual routines of their professionals, the formal procedures of the organisation and the use of collaborative projects to strengthen core operations.
Abstract: The agricultural innovation system can be strengthened by increasing the learning capacity of research and field organisations Participatory methods were developed to study three dimensions of the capacity of such organisations in Nicaragua to access and analyse information, highly correlated to learning capacity – the individual routines of their professionals, the formal procedures of the organisation and the organisation's use of collaborative projects to strengthen core operations These and the results of a study of the origins of recent innovations in agro-industry and on farms, indicated the strength of linkages in the innovation system The system is producing innovations at a slow rate and not necessarily with substantial gains in efficiency Research and field organisations have some links with farmers, but not with farmer organisations and even fewer with the input supply sector, agro-industry and traders Suggestions are made for improving individual information seeking routines, using collaborative projects for strengthening learning capacity and for building strategic alliances
TL;DR: This article examined the extent to which farming practices have adjusted to the presence of urbanization in Canada and found that farmers operating close to the urban milieu demonstrate strategic behaviour by selecting more environmentally friendly farm management practices to overcome social and regulatory pressures from such communities compared to those farmers who operate in rural communities.
Abstract: This study examines the extent to which farming practices have adjusted to the presence of urbanisation in Canada. In particular, we compare the adoption rates for Environmental Management Systems (EMSs) by farmers close to urbanised areas versus those in more rural, isolated regions. Using information from a national survey of 16,053 farmers, 8 EMSs are considered. We find that farmers operating close to the urban milieu demonstrate strategic behaviour by selecting more environmentally friendly farm management practices to overcome social and regulatory pressures from such communities compared to those farmers who operate in rural communities.
TL;DR: In this article, a cost-effectiveness analysis of various solutions to mitigate water pollution is performed using a bio-physical model coupled with an economic model, and a guideline for investigating the trade-off between the scale of abatement effort and the effectiveness is proposed.
Abstract: Theoritically, spatially targeted environmental policies are considered optimal, since economic agents tune their efforts according to their environment. But this advantage can be undermined by the high cost of information. We posit that it is possible to reduce the spatial scale and simultaneously to limit costs and retain environmental effectiveness. In this paper we consider the example of the nitrate pollution of water on two sites in France. Using a bio-physical model coupled with an economic model, we conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis of various solutions to mitigate water pollution and we suggest a guideline for investigating the trade-off between the scale of abatement effort and the abatement effectiveness.
TL;DR: In this paper, the potential benefits of technology transfer to agriculture and the infrastructural requirements for the support of innovation in developing countries with particular reference to Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean are discussed.
Abstract: Agriculture has long served as the 'handmaiden' to the industrial sector in many developing countries including those in the Caribbean region. Technological change, competition and globalisation are driving a restructuring of agro-business Research and Development (R&D) processes and strategies. This paper discusses the potential benefits of technology transfer to agriculture and the infrastructural requirements for the support of innovation in developing countries with particular reference to Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean. A collaborative framework for innovation and technology transfer is explained. It stresses the need to build partnerships among stakeholders (i.e. agro-firms, government, knowledge institutions, etc.) and identifies main processes involved to assure the sustainability of the agricultural environment. Technology transfer is not simply copying the technologies passively from the advanced nations, but is an active and creative process of adaptation rather than of adoption that recognises the indigenous capabilities needed to suit local conditions.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors model knowledge diffusion as agents exchanging ideas through a barter process and show that the extent of idea diffusion is affected both by the circumference of the graph and by local coherence.
Abstract: We model knowledge diffusion as agents exchanging ideas through a barter process. The model builds on empirical observations of informal knowledge trading among competing agents. The process takes place on a network substrate in which agents are nodes, and can trade only with those to whom they have direct links (edges). When two agents meet, they make a mutually profitable trade. This process repeats, and is the foundation on which knowledge diffuses through the economy. Our interest is in how the structure of the network affects diffusion performance. The extent of idea diffusion is affected both by the circumference of the graph and by local coherence: diffusion is most efficient when the network is a small world. The distribution of knowledge over agents is also most equal when networks are small worlds.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present an overview of economic literature regarding product safety and liability, and stresses the lack of research on radical uncertainty, and examine the content of the French and German guarantee funds constituted by a contribution of sewage sludge producers.
Abstract: Up to now, economic literature regarding the product safety has studied foreseeable risks that are known by producers. However, the literature has not analysed which liability rule and insurance schemes are efficient for radical uncertainty. This paper addresses this topic through insurance schemes in France and Germany for sewage sludge spreading. Section 1 gives an overview of economic literature regarding product safety and liability, and stresses the lack of research on radical uncertainty. Section 2 examines the content of the French and German guarantee funds. Both funds have been constituted by a contribution of sewage sludge producers. Section 3 examines to what extent the strict liability rule is efficient. If radical uncertainty has been dealt with a contribution of each sewage sludge producer, compensation is however limited. Moreover, strategic uncertainty (food industry bans of sewage sludge) and different levels of sewage sludge quality are not considered by these funds.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors show that trade barriers, erected by advanced countries to the agricultural exports from poor countries, are a greater barrier to economic growth and development than is commonly recognised.
Abstract: Trade barriers, erected by advanced countries to the agricultural exports from poor countries, are a greater barrier to economic growth and development than is commonly recognised. It is shown that agricultural policies in advanced countries are a major barrier to agricultural exports from poor countries, and particularly so for countries in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The major effect on growth is that these barriers inhibit institutional reform. An empirical analysis of economic growth shows that sub-Saharan economies can repeat potential gains from increased trade that are larger when such integration induces institutional reform. Policy makers in advanced countries should thus recognise that reform in advanced countries is about special interests; in poor countries it is about development.
TL;DR: In this paper, the consequences of sustainable forest management on the forest sector and social welfare are analyzed in a context where buyers are free to choose an outside option (alternative material), and the optimal management behavior of foresters is analyzed.
Abstract: The aim of the paper is to analyse the consequences of Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) on the forest sector and social welfare. In a context where buyers are free to choose an outside option (alternative material), we analyse the optimal management behaviour of foresters. A vertical differentiation set-up a la Mussa-Rosen makes it possible to examine the European forest context: a large number of foresters facing a heterogeneous demand. Management decisions depend on related costs. Whatever management costs, product differentiation always increases the profits of wood suppliers as well as social welfare. However, the impact of SFM on consumer surplus is uncertain: SFM results in more diversification but also entails a smaller quantity of wood marketed at the equilibrium. Associating a fixed certification cost to SFM reduces the number of wood suppliers turning to sustainable management. For a high certification cost, profits made by wood suppliers might turn out to be inferior to those made when only standard wood is marketed.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors describe the diversity and dynamism of social and agricultural practices in a traditional mountain production system based on ethnographic data gathered from Jangi village in district Kinnaur of Himachal Pradesh, where farmers are described and interpreted in the context of their risk-mediating roles in their agro-pastoral activities.
Abstract: The diversity of practices and dynamism in traditional mountain production systems of south Asia has been the focus of recent studies. This paper attempts to describe the diversity and dynamism of social and agricultural practices in a traditional mountain production system. The paper is based on ethnographic data gathered from Jangi village in district Kinnaur of Himachal Pradesh, where farmers are described and interpreted in the context of their risk-mediating roles in their agro-pastoral activities. Here, risk mediation is the reduction or elimination of this possibility, as well as the minimisation of its impacts, in case such a loss or harm does occur. The paper can be seen as contributing to a growing body of literature on resource use planning, management and sustainable development, also indicating that people are changing in response to the forces of globalisation, while maintaining their ecological knowledge.
TL;DR: In this article, the economic viability of the system for the Reclamation and Reuse of Wastewater (SRRWW) in the village of Colera in Girona, Spain is evaluated.
Abstract: The objective of the present work is to determine the economic viability of the System for the Reclamation and Reuse of Wastewater (SRRWW) in the village of Colera in Girona, Spain The methodology applied covers the identification, quantification and economic evaluation of different impacts, private and external, and allows the most beneficial options to be selected Reusing the reclaimed water produced in Colera to irrigate vineyards generates a maximum benefit of 63089 €/m³ If all the SRRWW costs are recovered, the Minimum Price of Sale (MPS) for the regenerated water should be 16919 €/m³
TL;DR: In this paper, an empirical assessment of nitrogen pollution abatement in the Ebro basin of northeastern Spain is presented, and the aim is to contribute to the ongoing policy discussion by ranking several emission control measures.
Abstract: Nonpoint pollution from agriculture is an emerging issue in the environmental policy of the European Union. Dynamic optimisation techniques are important in nonpoint pollution, and neglect of dynamic aspects may seriously mislead the proper design of policy measures. This paper presents an empirical assessment of nitrogen pollution abatement in the Ebro basin of northeastern Spain. The aim is to contribute to the ongoing policy discussion by ranking several emission control measures. Results indicate that nitrogen-based instruments are more cost efficient than water-based instruments. This finding questions the reliance of the Water Framework Directive on water pricing to improve water quality. The study also provides welfare, quasi-rent and pollution information for each crop and control measure. This information could be useful when discriminating abatement measures by crop type, in cases of valuable ecosystems and heavy nitrogen damage costs.
TL;DR: In the wake of communism's fall, the majority of rural Russia's inhabitants were left without the state farm agricultural infrastructure that fed and employed them as discussed by the authors, and they adapted by innovating to create new forms that combined pre-Soviet subsistence practices with contemporary modes.
Abstract: In the wake of communism's fall, the majority of rural Russia's inhabitants were left without the state farm agricultural infrastructure that fed and employed them. Most adapted by innovating to create new forms that combined pre-Soviet subsistence practices with contemporary modes. This paper explores one group's innovation, 'cows-and-kin'. Viliui Sakha, the highest latitude horse and cattle breeders in contemporary times, inhabit western Sakha, northeastern Siberia, Russia. Their cows-and-kin innovation is based on household-level cow keeping with interdependence of kin households. In addition to describing this post-soviet community-level innovation, this paper also explores relevant issues about the capacity for continued innovation such as: (1) what is the future of the cows-and-kin innovation, considering that many youth are out-migrating from the rural villages? (2) how is the cows-and-kin innovation affected by the forces of globalisation and modernity? and lastly (3) how can the cows-and-kin innovation face the challenges posed by rapid climate change?
TL;DR: In this article, the authors describe the emergence of VEMAs as a response to deficiencies in 'traditional' environmental management in the agricultural context and critically appraises the usefulness of this model of environmental management.
Abstract: In the context of compelling environmental challenges and community environmental expectations, this paper considers the response of Australian agriculture to deficiencies in 'traditional' environmental management. How can the environment be protected while improving economic efficiency for producers, and providing export advantages in terms of marketing 'clean and green' Australian produce? This paper addresses these crucial issues, focusing particularly on the potential of Voluntary Environmental Management Arrangements (VEMAs) to meet growing environmental challenges. This paper describes the emergence of VEMAs as a response to deficiencies in 'traditional' environmental management in the agricultural context and critically appraises the usefulness of this model of environmental management. The author assesses the available evidence and draws significant conclusions about the effectiveness and desirability of voluntary management approaches as a stand-alone policy instrument.