AJAD Volume 10 Issue No. 2 December 2013

The majority of the global population lives in cities. In the developing world, a three-fold challenge of population growth, urbanization, and urban food insecurity is posing challenges for cities. Urban agriculture has received increasing attention as one strategy to help cope with this. Using the annual statistical data of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, this paper reported on trends in urban agriculture (rice, vegetables, cattle, swine, and poultry) in Phnom Penh, Cambodia since 1993. At least 125 square kilometers (~20%) of the municipal area of Phnom Penh is used in agriculture, with nearly 300,000 swine, cattle, and poultry. It is the sixth largest industry in the city and the most important secondary economic activity. Yield data for rice and vegetables are not significantly different between Phnom Penh and the Cambodian average. Cattle, swine, and poultry populations have been declining in Phnom Penh since 1993 but all increased in 2011. Between 1993 and 2011, vegetable production and area cultivated have decreased, whereas rice production has increased. To maximize the multifunctional benefits of urban agriculture in Phnom Penh, further research is needed to understand its importance at the household level and to ensure that it is being practiced effectively and sustainably.

This paper describes the application of the participatory diagnosis and adaptive management (PDAM) framework to analyze the governance of small-scale fisheries and the potential for adopting the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries (EAF) in Misamis Occidental, Philippines. Using the Rapid Appraisal of a Fisheries Management System (RAFMS) as a complementary methodology, the paper provides key information on stakeholders’ perception on scaling-up of fisheries management. More specifically, the paper focuses on the strengthening of the Iligan Bay Alliance for Misamis Occidental (IBAMO), a multi-stakeholder body to provide a governance framework for inter-LGU collaboration. Stakeholder participation during the diagnostic phase is also described as well as potential areas for capacity building in addition to information and education activities that are needed to promote EAF in this important fisheries area.

This study analyzed forces driving the emergence of farmer networks in Vietnam and quantified the benefits of an integrated farming system (IFS) and the role of a farmer network in promoting IFS in the Mekong Delta. This case study applied a combination of literature review, participatory community assessment, and household survey approaches. The case study was undertaken in the My An commune, Cho Moi districtW of An Giang province. Findings from the study show that both networking and non-networking household groups recognize the important advantages of farmer networks, and that practicing IFS gives farming households economic, environmental, and social benefits and food security. Networking and practicing IFS are synergistic. By networking, farmers can gain better access to agricultural extension and credit services as well as improve their social networking, and hence adopt and practice IFS efficiently and contribute to rural poverty reduction. These benefits of networking and IFS practices should be considered at the community and regional levels rather than only at the level of individual households. Positive linkages and synergism should go beyond network or farm boundary (i.e., between specific networks or farms). Further development of farmer networks and IFS needs more effective policies and support from the government.

Rural youth outmigration is a phenomenon that can change the agricultural landscape of farming communities. The Philippines has witnessed an unprecedented youth exodus from rural to urban areas in past decades. This paper explored this issue in rice farming communities in two Philippine provinces, Aurora and Albay. Sixty-eight farmers’ children aged 13–21 years old participated in this research. This paper analyzed the level of youth involvement in farm work and their perceptions on farming, which can ultimately inform their decision to migrate or continue farming. Parental discourses influencing youth decisions to migrate were then investigated. This research used mobility maps, time transects, photovoice outputs, in-depth and key informant interviews, and group discussions. While intentions to migrate were high, young individuals had a strong desire to remain connected to their family’s farms. Hence, policymakers would do well to assist those who leave the rural areas and return after some time. Equal attention should be given to those who may not return to rural areas but are willing to invest in farming to employ their poor relatives. Migrants can often raise the resources needed to finance the input-intensive rice farming operations.

In 1999, the International Natural Rubber Agreement (INRA) which had regulated the world’s natural rubber since 1979 collapsed. This paper analyzed the impacts of this international agreement on both the global trade and supply of natural rubber as well as on Indonesia, a major producer of rubber. This study adopted two approaches in its assessment: (1) the Cournot-Nash Equilibrium, which analyzes the "external effects" or the global market conditions for natural rubber before and after the collapse of INRA; and (2) the Input-Output Table Simulation on rubber products, which assesses the "internal effects" or the economic conditions in Indonesia before and after the collapse of INRA.

In this paper, the impact of food safety concerns on Iran’s pistachio export demand was investigated. Panel data and panel cointegration analyses were used to estimate the export demand function of Iran’s pistachio nuts to the European Union (EU), Japan, and Australia for the period of 1997 to 2006 so that the relationship between factors affecting Iran’s pistachio exports can be examined. The results show the existence of long-run relationships among the variables that have a significant impact on Iran’s pistachio exports. The empirical results indicate that food safety shocks had a statistically significant negative impact on the import demand of those countries.