Agricultural information dissemination using ICTs: a review and analysis of information dissemination models in China

Open Access funded by China Agricultural UniversityOver the last three decades, China’s agriculture sector has been transformed from the traditional to modern practice through the effective deployment of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). Information processing and dissemination have played a critical role in this transformation process. Many studies in relation to agriculture information services have been conducted in China, but few of them have attempted to provide a comprehensive review and analysis of different information dissemination models and their applications. This paper aims to review and identify the ICT based information dissemination models in China and to share the knowledge and experience in applying emerging ICTs in disseminating agriculture information to farmers and farm communities to improve productivity and economic, social and environmental sustainability. The paper reviews and analyzes the development stages of China’s agricultural information dissemination systems and different mechanisms for agricultural information service development and operations. Seven ICT-based information dissemination models are identified and discussed. Success cases are presented. The findings provide a useful direction for researchers and practitioners in developing future ICT based information dissemination systems. It is hoped that this paper will also help other developing countries to learn from China’s experience and best practice in their endeavor of applying emerging ICTs in agriculture information dissemination and knowledge transfer

International liability and redress for genetically modified organisms and challenge for China's biosafety regulation

The UN Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (Biosafety Protocol) is an international instrument addressing the potential environment and health issues of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). Its article 27 on Liability and Redress, which finally has been explored as a new treaty "Nagoya-Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol" (Supplementary Protocol) was recently adopted in October 2010. The new Protocol chose an administrative approach instead of an international civil liability regime, and left the implementation to the discretion of competent national authorities of the parties as rather a "national approach". As a party to the Biosafety Protocol, China might take the Supplementary Protocol into account for its own biosafety regime. The interplay between the Biosafety Protocol (and the Supplementary Protocol) with China's national biosafety regime will be briefly examined in this paper. It argues that a comprehensive biosafety law will be needed to oversee the import and export of GMOs, as well as efficiently manage cultivation of GM crops within China. The paper concludes that the inclusion of a liability clause into the biosafety law seems necessary for China's obligation to the Biosafety protocol to deal with the uncertainties of GMOs, thereby ensuring the sustainable development of biotechnology

Global Governance for Environmentally Sustainable Food Systems: Certified Organics in a North – South and South-South Perspective

Challenged to consume with less environmental impact, consumers buy certified organic products to “proxy” environmental governance. The paper explores how far certified organic agriculture is institutionally embedded in Brazil, China, and Egypt. The three case studies illustrate how regulation, including standard-setting and certification processes differ between south and north, in terms of the evolution and nature of certification, as well as stakeholders and agency involved in shaping the regulation. A comparative analysis is presented on south-south differences in this regard along with some possible explanations of these. The paper finally discusses the perspectives in the global success of organic certification and whether it has potential to transform global agriculture towards higher overall levels of sustainability

Use of Banned Veterinary Drugs in Feed: Food Safety Challenges and Strategies in China: A Review

The Chinese people have had their imaginations challenged by a series of food and drug safety scares. China’s Food Safety and use of non approved veterinary drugs efforts to improve quality and apply regulations have been discussed. The review covers most of the problem described for the determination of veterinary drugs residues checks, in edible animal products. A summary of the most relevant information about the veterinary drugs issues and hazards has been included. Main attention in the review is on the regulations and efforts of food and feed safety in use today for us. The most important classes of veterinary drugs and growth-promoting agents are Anthelmintics, Antibiotics, Coccidiostats, Hormones, B-agonists and Tranquillizers. Emphasis is given to the potential, and limitations, and their performance characteristics and residue evaluation of certain veterinary drugs. Reviews and committees in many countries have highlighted the need for better control of licensing of antibiotics, and codes for use of antibiotics for veterinary. The continued use of antibiotic growth promoters has been questioned and there is a need to ensure that antibiotics important in animals. There have been growing concerns about the effects of food safety standards on agricultural trade throughout the world. Therefore objective of the current review paper is to assess the impacts of food safety in China, the one of world′s largest meat producer and exporter country. Keywords: banned, veterinary drugs, animal feed and food safet

An overview of marine fisheries management in China

China is the world's largest country in terms of fish production, yet its fisheries management is comparatively unknown outside the country. This article gives an overview of the current management system and highlights some of its challenges. In the past thirty years, the Department of Fishery Administration has formulated and organized a series of conservation and management regimes and measures. The most important tools are minimum mesh size regulation and a range of input control measures, including seasonal closures and attempts to control fishing capacity through licensing and limiting total engine power. However, fisheries output is only controlled through a nation-wide total catch limit. Certain progress has been achieved, but there are still problems as the resource situation is poor. While the existing measures could, in principle, improve sustainability, their enforcement is insuffiient, and they do not limit fishing effort in a way that would allow recovery

China: A Tiger only in the East or a World Player in High Quality Fresh Produce Exports?

This paper examines patterns of recent change in Chinas international export trade in high quality fresh-vegetables between 2002 and 2005 since its WTO membership and some of the underlying determinants that will determine its future export opportunities. Concepts of product quality are first reviewed and the key characteristics of Chinas international trade in fresh produce are outlined based on a detailed analysis from the UN Comtrade international trade data at the 2, 4 digit and finally 6 digit levels. High quality fresh and chilled vegetables are identified through their average unit export values. In 2005, China was the 4th largest exporter of vegetables in the world with a 9.8 percent share of world trade, and almost a 6 percent share in fresh and chilled vegetables. The competitiveness of China in world trade in high value fresh produce is assessed through a trade-shares accounting and decomposition approach which enables both structural and performance effects on Chinas exports to be isolated, and the contributions its major trading partners have made to changes its share of world trade. Chinas aggregate market share rose by over 1.5 percentage points over the period, and there is evidence of an emerging orientation in its trade shares from E Asia to SE Asia, and to further progress in the Russian Federation and US markets. Chinas underlying comparative advantage in such labour-intensive products is reflected in the positive performance effect on the increase in its market share.China, vegetables, international trade., International Relations/Trade,

Do roads lead to grassland degradation or restoration? A case study in Inner Mongolia, China

We use satellite remote sensing data of grassland cover in Inner Mongolia, China to test whether the existence of and the size of roads in 1995 is associated with the nature of the grassland in 2000 and/or if it affects the rate of change of the grassland between 1995 and 2000. The regression results show that the impact of roads on grassland cover depends on the nature of the resource. When the grassland is composed of relatively high quality grassland, roads lead to degradation, whereas when grassland resources are sparse, access to a road results in the restoration of the resource

An overview of trade opportunities in China's pork chain

Onderzoek naar de toekomstige mogelijkheden voor varkensvlees op de Chinese mark