Scarce Water Resources and Cereal Import Dependency: The Role of Integrated Water Resources Management

This study globally analyzes the nonlinear relationship between cereal import dependency and total renewable water resources per capita by testing for potential thresholds in water resources. Data are from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and consider the years of 2002, 2007, and 2012. The results show evident ceiling effects with a threshold of 1588 m 3 /(capita/year) in the multiple predictor model. Above this value, the total renewable water resources per capita no longer have a considerable effect on cereal import dependency. Importantly, we found that if integrated water resource management improves, cereal import dependency will increase for countries with total renewable water resources per capita between 1588 m 3 /(capita/year) and 5000 m 3 /(capita/year), but not for countries below or equal to the threshold of 1588 m 3 /(capita/year). Water-scarce countries above the threshold use cereal imports as a coping strategy to save limited national water resources. This strategy might be suggested to extremely water-scarce countries below the threshold to increase their water use efficiency. Global solidarity of grain exporters with water-scarce countries is required to guarantee their food security, while water-scarce countries need to overcome their skepticism of foreign dominance through food imports

Higher minimum wage, better labour market returns for rural migrants? Evidence from China

Using data from the 2013 China Household Income Project (CHIP), this study investigates the effects of minimum wages on labour market returns for rural migrants in China and sheds light on the potential underlying mechanisms of these effects. An instrumental variable estimation is used to address the endogeneity problem of minimum wages on labour market returns. Our empirical findings indicate that minimum wages have positive effects on migrants’ wages. Specifically, we observe higher effects for women and migrants who have higher education levels. Regarding the possible mechanisms through which minimum wages influence migrants’ labour market returns, we find that minimum wages tend to increase rural migrants’ working time but have no significant effects on allowances related to work. We could not obtain conclusive results for social insurance due to its potential endogeneity

Nutrition Transition with Accelerating Urbanization? Empirical Evidence from Rural China

Although rapid urbanization is often considered as one of the most important drivers for changing dietary patterns, little attention has been paid to rural areas despite the profound transformation they have undergone. Using longitudinal data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) for the period from 2004 to 2011, this study seeks to better understand the relationship between the urbanization of rural areas and dietary transition, with the focus on nutrition intake and dietary quality. Our results suggest that with increasing urbanization, rural residents tend to have on average lower calorie intakes but higher dietary quality. Specifically, increasing urbanization consistently reduces carbohydrate consumption and reduces fat consumption after a turning point; protein consumption first decreases and then increases after the turning point with increasing urbanization. Urbanization shows a significant and positive effect on the Healthy Eating Index (HEI). In addition to sociodemographic changes, we find that changing consumer preferences and knowledge serve as important determinants in explaining the dietary transition in rural China from 2004 to 2011. In our study, urbanization appears to positively affect rural residents' healthy food preferences and dietary knowledge. This study is a first attempt for better understanding the nutrition transition resulting from accelerating urbanization in rural China; several limitations and areas for future research have been highlighted

Official Ethnic Labels and Non-Agricultural Work in Guizhou (China)

Using the 2009 data of the China Health and Nutrition Survey from Guizhou province, this paper analyzes whether an official ethnic label can be linked to a lower probability of non-agricultural employment. Results suggest that the Buyi and the Miao are less likely to work in non-agricultural fields than are Han (the majority group); the Tujia are more likely to work in non-agricultural fields than are Han. The predicted probability of non-agricultural employment for the Miao is lower than that of Han at almost all educational and age levels. Alongside the official ethnic label, more years of education and younger age appear to be most crucial for working in non-agricultural employment

The Water–Energy–Food Nexus: A Fuzzy-Cognitive Mapping Approach to Support Nexus-Compliant Policies in Andalusia (Spain)

Water, energy and food are essential resources for economic development and social well-being. Framing integrated policies that improve their efficient use requires understanding the interdependencies in the water–energy–food (WEF) nexus. Stakeholder involvement in this process is crucial to represent multiple perspectives, ensure political legitimacy and promote dialogue. In this research, we develop and apply a participatory modelling approach to identify the main interlinkages within the WEF nexus in Andalusia, as a starting point to developing a system dynamic model at a later stage. The application of fuzzy cognitive mapping enabled us to gain knowledge on the WEF nexus according to opinions from 14 decision-makers, as well as contributing to raising awareness and building consensus among stakeholders. Results show that climate change and water availability are key drivers in the WEF nexus in Andalusia. Other variables with significant interlinkages within the WEF nexus are food production, irrigated agriculture, energy cost, socio-economic factors, irrigation water use, environmental conservation, and farm performance indicators. The scenario analysis reveals the interdependencies among nexus sectors and the existence of unanticipated effects when changing variables in the system, which need to be considered to design integrated policies

El potencial de la energía solar en el nexo regadío-energía en la cuenca del Guadalquivir: un enfoque de dinámica de sistemas

Las pasadas políticas sectoriales en España, como las políticas de modernización de regadíos, han incentivado el ahorro de agua, pero también han producido efectos colaterales que no habían sido previstos, por ejemplo, la fuerte dependencia del regadío del precio de la energía. En la actualidad, la eliminación del impuesto al sol supone una nueva oportunidad para fomentar el uso de energía solar y reducir los costes energéticos en los regadíos, condicionados por la estacionalidad del consumo eléctrico y la dependencia del sector energético, cumpliendo así con los principios de sostenibilidad de los ODS. En este contexto, hemos desarrollado un modelo de dinámica de sistemas para evaluar de forma integrada el nexo agua-energía-alimentación, con el objetivo de diseñar las medidas más eficaces que incentiven el uso eficiente de agua y energía en los regadíos de la cuenca del Guadalquivir. Los resultados de este trabajo ponen de manifiesto la urgencia de realizar análisis integrados que permitan evaluar el impacto de políticas multisectoriales

LOW-INCOME AND OVERWEIGHT IN CHINA: EVIDENCE FROM A LIFE-COURSE UTILITY MODEL

Previous literature has demonstrated that low-income people are more likely to settle for poor health choices in developed countries. By using income as a budget constraint and signal for future wellbeing in a life-course utility model, we examine the connection amongst income and overweight. The data used for this study are from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS). Estimations are conducted for overweight initiation, cessation, and participation mirroring a decision to begin and a past decision to not terminate. Our findings propose that body weight and the likelihood of overweight commencement rise with additional income but at a diminishing degree, representing a concave relation; while the likelihood of overweight discontinuance declines with additional income but at an accelerating degree, suggesting a convex relation. We presume that, as opposed to developed countries, low-income people are less inclined to be overweight in China, a country in transition. This could be explained by an income constraint for unhealthy foodstuff. Nevertheless, it will switch when income surpasses the critical threshold of the concave or inverted U-shape curve indicating that low-income people appear to receive not as much utility from future health. Specifically, this adjustment seems to occur earlier for females and inhabitants of urban areas