- 學位論文
所得多元化與採用新的農業生產技術：對尼泊爾減少鄉村貧窮及糧食安全之意涵
Income Diversification and Agricultural Technology Adoption: Implications for Rural Poverty Reduction and Food Security in Nepal
摘要
近來低度開發國家的主要政策目標日益關注在提高邊緣化農民的收入、減少缺糧和解決農村貧困等問題。透過使用增產技術可以為缺乏資源的農民提供一個擺脫貧困、改善生計和提升糧食安全的途徑。提高農業生產力和讓農村居民以可持續的方式改善生計是尼泊爾政策之優先達成目標。本研究檢視農民採用新的農業技術之情形，尤其是新一代的現代水稻和玉米品種之使用及其使用強度及其對於位在尼泊爾中部的兩個農業生態區域之農家家庭福利的影響。再者，本研究也評估家庭財富對採用改良種玉米（IMVs）的影響。此外，這項研究也找出影響農業外勞動力供給因素及其對農家家庭食品支出之影響。本研究主要以赫克曼的兩步驟估計(Heckman's two-step estimator) 及克拉格的雙重障礙模型(Cragg's double-hurdle model) 兩個計量模型分別進行實證分析。分析結果清楚地指出當前有關農民使用新技術面臨的問題和提出適合南亞國家實施的具體政策建議，本研究結果對有關技術採用之文獻作出新的貢獻。本研究使用416戶農家之橫斷面資料，將家戶單位依照家庭財富指標分為富足與否兩組，然後為每組以雙障礙模型估計新技術(改良種子)之使用情形以及使用強度。研究發現家庭財富不但影響新技術使用與否及使用強度，且影響新技術使用的因素在不同財富水準的二群體亦有差異。這意味著不同財富水準需要不同的政策干預，以有效增加新技術使用率及其後續對糧食安全的影響。結果還顯示，因為距離市場遠對使用與否及使用強度有負面的影響，種子在當地零售商店的可及性將使財富水準較低的農民受益。因此，政府應在農村地區建立廣泛種子流通網路，最好是通過公私部門夥伴關係(PPP)，將農民與潛在買家結合，建立農民與市場的聯繫以減少交易成本，使農業更有利可圖。利用赫克曼的樣本選擇模型，本研究發現，使用新一代改良水稻品種(IRVs)對農業收入具有顯著和重要影響；而距離市場遠和農業外工作則對農業收入造成負面的影響。農民使用新技術的可能性增加的因素，主要歸因於年齡、教育、推廣服務、種子可及性和消費者對該稻米品種的可接受性。結果進一步顯示，農場的大小和土地類型對採用IRVs有顯著且正面影響。通過設計適當的政策機制，例如開發適合無灌溉設施之旱地地區生產的新品種，將有利於促進較貧窮的家庭採用新品種的稻米，以獲得更高的收入。研究還發現了生命週期對農業外勞動供給的影響。結果顯示受扶養人口比率、到勞動力市場的距離和農場規模大，會抑制農業外勞動供給；然而家戶單位介於15歲至65歲之勞動人口數、戶長為男性的家庭、和財富指數刺激農業外勞動參與。結果還顯示，農業外勞動參與對於農戶的食品支出額有正面影響。尤其是在家裡用餐會減少食品支出，而容易在外取得食品會增加農戶之家庭食品支出。因此，如何促進當地糧食生產、增加食品消費和農村居民的糧食安全仍是最重要的政策問題。
並列摘要
The growing concern about increasing income of marginalized farmers and reducing food insecurity and rural poverty have been major policy agenda for low income countries. Adoption of yield increasing technology can chart a route for resource poor farmers to exit out of poverty, improve livelihoods and food security. Increasing agricultural productivity and improving sustainable livelihood of rural farmers is one of Nepal’s policy priorities. This study examines the adoption of improved agricultural technologies, in particular new generation modern rice and maize varieties, adoption intensity and their impact on family welfare among rural farm households in two agroecological regions of central Nepal. This study also evaluates the effects of household wealth on the adoption pattern of improved maize varieties (IMVs). Further, this study determines the factors influencing off-farm labor supply and its impact on farm households' food expenditure. Using various econometric models (Heckman's two-step estimator, Cragg's double-hurdle model), this empirical analysis clearly brings forth current issues on adoption literatures and suggests some policy implications suitable for South Asian context. We used cross-sectional farm-level data from 416 households, categorizing households into two wealth groups -- poorly endowed and well-endowed households -- and then estimated a double-hurdle model for adoption and intensity of adoption of IMVs for each group. The study found the presence of heterogeneous factors influencing adoption and intensity of adoption between poorly and well-endowed households, suggesting a need for wealth-group-specific policy interventions to increase adoption of IMVs and their subsequent impacts on food security. The results also indicated that the availability of seed in local retail outlets will benefit especially the poorly endowed farmers because distance to market showed a negative impact on adoption and intensity of adoption of IMVs. Therefore, government should establish a wide seed distribution network in rural areas, preferably by way of a public-private partnership (PPP), if the desired adoption rate and intensity of adoption are to be achieved. Linking farmers to markets by integrating farmers with potential buyers could help reduce transaction costs and make agriculture more profitable. Using Heckman's sample selection model, this study found a positive and significant impact of new-generation improved rice varieties (IRVs) on farm income, while distance to market and off-farm work exert a negative effect on farm income. The likelihood of adoption is mainly explained by age, education, extension service, seed access and consumers’ acceptability of rice grain. The results further revealed that farm size and land type have significant and positive influence on adoption of IRVs. Designing mechanisms to help promote IRVs adoption among poorer households by developing new varieties suited for rain-fed areas may be a reasonable policy instrument to generate higher incomes. The study also finds a quadratic life-cycle effect on the likelihood of off-farm labor supply. The results reveal that dependency ratio, distance to labor market, and farm size restrain off-farm labor supply, while the number of working adults, male head, and wealth index stimulate off-farm work participation. The result also shows that decisions to off-farm work positively affect the food expenditure of farm households. In particular, preference to dining at home reduces the food expenditure, while availability of food increases the food expenditure by farm households. The focus on promoting local food production, increasing food consumption and food security of rural people remain the foremost policy concern.
參考文獻
延伸閱讀
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