Grassland is most important in China due to its multi-functions. However, about 90% of total usable grassland in China has been degraded and the degradation expands at a rate of 2 million ha per year. Western China covers 6.12 million square kilometers and 63.8% of the total national area with a distribution of 50 minority nationalities and 75% of the minority national population. Ecological environment there is very vulnerable with more than 90% areas of the annually increased degradation taking place. Under the current tenure arrangement, the individual herder households become the main and direct users of grassland, their decision-making on grassland management may have crucial impact on ecological environment as well as their livelihoods. Thus, it is necessary to examine the determinants of their grassland management behaviors. This study applies 231 household field data from 6 provinces of western China and uses econometric models to explore the major constraints for restricting the herd households' grassland management behaviors. Main results show that under the current tenure and other governance measures, institutional factors, market price and herder's farm and household's characteristics affect the grassland management behaviors.
Soil fertility management(SFM) has important implications for sustaining agricultural development and food self-sufficiency. Better understanding the determinants of farmers' SFM can be a great help to the adoption of effective SFM practices. Based on a dataset of 315 plots collected from a typical rice growing area of South China, this study applied statistical method and econometric models to examine the impacts of land characteristics on farmers' SFM practices at plot scale. Main results showed that in general land characteristics affected SFM behaviors. Securer land tenure arrangements facilitated effective practices of SFM through more diversified and more soil-friendly cropping pattern choices. Plot size significantly reduced the intensities of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer application. Given other factors, 1 ha increase in plot size might reduce 3.0 kg ha-1 P2O5 and 1.8 kg ha-1 K2 O. Plots far from the homestead were paid less attention in terms of both chemical fertilizers and manure applications. Besides, plots with better quality were put more efforts on management by applying more nitrogen and manure, and by planting green manure crops. Significant differences existed in SFM practices between the surveyed villages with different socio-economic conditions. The findings are expected to provide important references to the policy-making incentive for improving soil quality and crop productivity.
