Farmers Willingness to Participate In Voluntary Land Consolidation in Gozamin District, Ethiopia

The Spatiotemporal Changes in Ecological–Environmental Quality Caused by Farmland Consolidation Using Google Earth Engine: A Case Study from Liaoning Province in China

Farmland consolidation (FC) is among the measures to solve farmland issues, such as farmland fragmentation, and its impact on the ecological environment has always been controversial. In terms of long-term series and large-area analysis, the calculation of a large amount of data makes the analysis of the ecological–environmental quality of farmland consolidation very difficult. To solve this problem, our study applied a remote sensing ecological index model on the Google Earth Engine platform to analyze the changes in the ecological–environmental quality in two prefecture-level cities in Liaoning Province over the past 20 years. In addition, we analyzed the impacts of FC projects on the ecological environment from 2006 to 2018 and compared them to farmland without consolidation. The study results show that FC caused negative impacts on the quality of the ecological environment during the FC period (2006–2018) and that the FC’s positive effects take time to develop. In each FC phase, the results showed that FC exhibited negative effects before 2010 because the proportion of ecological–environmental quality reductions (0–47.67%) was higher than the proportion of increases (9.62–46.15%) in those FC phases. Since 2011, the area experiencing positive ecological–environmental benefits (31.96–72.01%) enabled by FC is higher than the area of negative impact (2.24–18.07%). This seems to be triggered by policy evolution. Based on the trend analysis, the proportion of FC areas with improved ecological–environmental quality grew faster (Gini index decreased 0.09) than that of farmland without consolidation (Gini index decreased 0.05) from before FC to after FC. Moreover, the new FC projects (2011–2018) performed better than the early projects (2006–2010), which may be due to policy evolution and technological advancements. However, the new FC projects (2011–2018) caused a dramatic decrease in ecological–environmental quality in a small number of areas due to the study time constraints. In conclusion, we believe that FC could improve the ecological–environmental quality of farmland, whereas some measures are needed to reduce its temporal negative impact on ecological–environmental quality, which may be caused by human interference. The remote sensing ecological index obtained using the Google Earth Engine platform provided an effective and reliable method for detecting the impacts of FC on the ecological–environmental quality of farmland. This could provide the basis and support for the monitoring of ecological–environmental changes in FC areas at a regional level.

Improving Farmer Willingness to Participate in the Transfer of Land Rights in Rural China: A Preference-Based Income Distribution Scheme

Promoting the transfer of rural land is an important way for many developing countries to improve the efficiency of rural land use and develop the rural economy. A reasonable income distribution scheme (IDS) is the key to enhancing farmer willingness to participate in the transfer of rural construction land use rights. However, little attention has been paid to farmers’ preference for the IDS of the transfer of rural collective construction land use rights. This research aims to detect the farmers’ preference for IDS in the process of rural collective land rights transfer. Based on the survey data of 489 farmers in Liuyang City, Hunan Province and Deqing County, Zhejiang Province, China, a random parameter Logit model is used to explore their preference for the IDS of the transfer of rural collective construction land use rights. The results show that, in general, the farmers focus on the income distribution ratio and pension in the IDS, which will significantly improve their utility. There are obvious regional differences in their preference for IDSs. For example, farmers in Liuyang prefer payment in shares, while those in Deqing prefer cash. Thus, the IDS for the transfer of rural collective construction land use rights should be based on the basic principle of ensuring fair land value-added income for the farmers, increased payment forms with social security functions, and reasonable IDSs in accord with the preferences of farmers in different regions, so as to enhance farmer willingness to participate.

Diversity of farmland management practices (FMP) and their nexus to environment: A review

We examined the environmental impacts of farmland management practices (FMPs), considering FMPs as frequent or single actions that change both land use AND use rights (land and property relations). Based on a review of the international literature in both the social and life sciences and using an analytical framework of landscape agronomy, we explored the links between FMPs and changes in agricultural practices designed for the achievement of environmental goals. The Web of Science (WOS) and SCOPUS bibliographic databases were used to identify references on FMP types and their environmental effects based on the following search equations: 1- " Farmland tenure OR cropland tenure OR farm size and environment " and 2- "Farmland use rights OR farmland property rights AND environment OR pollution OR biodiversity." Ninety references were selected from these databases and read in depth. Google scholar enabled us to identify an additional 20 papers, using the snowball approach. From this analysis, we present a typology of FMPs based on the distinction between bottom-up strategies, which rely on local initiatives from farmers to improve the overall functioning of their farms, and top-down strategies, which originate from public bodies or private organizations. Our results also highlight the environmental impacts of FMPs considered in the literature: tenure arrangements, whether rental or exchange of land parcels, may alter crop succession and reduce phytosanitary pressure without changing cropping plans. Considering the direct agronomic implications of farmers' land dynamics, we conclude that the area of FMPs is a potential tool for reducing the environmental impacts of agricultural activities and protecting natural resources. This is the subject of ongoing research that seeks to explore a particular FMP in greater depth, along with temporary exchanges of plots between farmers as an agri-environmental tool to reduce agricultural impacts on environment.

Measuring the Ecological Safety Effects of Land Use Transitions Promoted by Land Consolidation Projects: The Case of Yan’an City on the Loess Plateau of China

Land consolidation projects play an important role in promoting agricultural land use transitions, ensuring national food security, and accelerating the construction of ecological civilization. The Loess Plateau in China is a typical ecologically fragile area, where the Gully Land Consolidation Project (GLCP) has been implemented recently and had a major impact on local ecological safety. In this study, we established a quantitative evaluation model for ecological safety effects from the four aspects of dam safety, slope stability, efficient farmland, and effective management, and then scientifically measured the ecological safety effects of land use transitions promoted by land consolidation projects. Three small watersheds (Gutun, Yangjuangou and Luoping) within the GLCP area were employed to verify the evaluation model for ecological safety effects. The results showed that the GLCP can effectively improve the ecological environment and promote the development of modern agriculture, but the ecological safety of gullies and slopes in some areas may also facing a series of threats due to improper project management measures. Among them, Gutun had the highest ecological safety evaluation value, followed by Yangjuangou, while Luoping had the lowest value. The indicator system and evaluation method established in this research could be helpful to systematically diagnose the problems and scientifically guide the implementation of the GLCP from the perspective of ecological safety.

Land, Women, Youths, and Land Tools or Methods: Emerging Lessons for Governance and Policy

Women and youths encounter problems with access to land, as well as securing tenure in land resources [...]

Effects of Land Certification for Rural Farm Households in Ethiopia: Evidence from Gozamin District, Ethiopia

Economic theory notes tenure security is a critical factor in agricultural investment and productivity. Therefore, several African countries’ development initiatives enabled land titling to enhance tenure security. This paper examines the effect of land certification on tenure security, land investment, crop productivity and land dispute in Gozamin District, Ethiopia. In addition, the impact of land certification on farm households’ perceptions and confidence in land tenure and land use rights is investigated. Face-to-face interviews with 343 randomly selected farm households, group discussions and expert panels are the sources of primary data. Quantitative data are analyzed using various statistical tools and complemented by qualitative data. According to the results, most farm households (56%) feel that their land use rights are secure after the certification process. Only 17% fear that the government at any time could take their land use rights. The majority of farm households (71.7%) identified a reduction of disputes after certification and land management practices improved from 70.3% before certification to 90.1% after certification. As key factors for the increase of terracing and the application of manure, the study determined total farm size, the average distance from farm to homestead, perception of degradation, access to credit, training to land resource management, fear about land take-over by the government and total livestock holdings. Crop productivity improved significantly after land certification. The results should encourage policy makers to minimize the sources of insecurity, such as frustrations of future land redistribution and land taking without proper land compensation. Land certification is the right tool for creating tenure security, enhancing farmers’ confidence in their land rights and—supported by a proper land use planning system—improving land-related investments and crop productivity.

Untangle the Complex Stakeholder Relationships in Rural Settlement Consolidation in China: A Social Network Approach

Rural settlement consolidation (RSC) has a critical role in facilitating the transformation of human settlement and land use transition in the rural revitalization process. RSC involves a diversity of stakeholder groups with complex and intertwined concerns. It is therefore crucial to identify the key stakeholders and their main concerns to effectively align rural planning and policymaking. However, this line of research remains underdeveloped. This study provides a novel and holistic network perspective for unpacking the complex relationships among different stakeholders. The results indicate: (1) the network of stakeholder concerns is relatively sparse, with 68 concern nodes and 159 concern ties; (2) The village committee, centralized residents, and contractors occupy the core position within the concerns network, while the local government has the majority of strongly connected nodes; (3) The lists of prominent concern nodes and ties are identified by different network indices, including the degree difference, the out-status centrality, closeness centrality, node betweenness centrality, and link betweenness centrality; (4) The main interaction type among stakeholder groups can be classified into five categories: financing, psychological attachment, stakeholder participation, project management, and the improvement in living conditions and infrastructure. This study reveals the relatively weak status of residents, the pivotal role of the village committee, as well as the indispensable part of the contractor and township government, with the aim to provide targeted guidance and decision-making supports for strengthening interactions and cooperation among different stakeholder groups. The findings shed new light on performing the multi-tasks of RSC and facilitating the sustainable management of rural areas.

Analysis of Land Cover Change Detection in Gozamin District, Ethiopia: From Remote Sensing and DPSIR Perspectives

Land cover patterns in sub-Saharan Africa are rapidly changing. This study aims to quantify the land cover change and to identify its major determinants by using the Drivers, Pressures, State, Impact, Responses (DPSIR) framework in the Ethiopian Gozamin District over a period of 32 years (1986 to 2018). Satellite images of Landsat 5 (1986), Landsat 7 (2003), and Sentinel-2 (2018) and a supervised image classification methodology were used to assess the dynamics of land cover change. Land cover maps of the three dates, focus group discussions (FGDs), interviews, and farmers’ lived experiences through a household survey were applied to identify the factors for changes based on the DPSIR framework. Results of the investigations revealed that during the last three decades the study area has undergone an extensive land cover change, primarily a shift from cropland and grassland into forests and built-up areas. Thus, quantitative land cover change detection between 1986 and 2018 revealed that cropland, grassland, and bare areas declined by 10.53%, 5.7%, and 2.49%. Forest, built-up, shrub/scattered vegetation, and water bodies expanded by 13.47%, 4.02%, 0.98%, and 0.25%. Household surveys and focus group discussions (FGDs) identified the population growth, the rural land tenure system, the overuse of land, the climate change, and the scarcity of grazing land as drivers of these land cover changes. Major impacts were rural to urban migration, population size change, scarcity of land, and decline in land productivity. The outputs from this study could be used to assure sustainability in resource utilization, proper land use planning, and proper decision-making by the concerned government authorities.