Farm Size and Land Use Changes in Vietnam Following Land Reforms

Over the last decade the Vietnamese government has instigated land reforms that recognise the household as the basic unit of production and allocate land use rights to households. Under the 1993 Land Law these rights can be transferred, exchanged, leased, inherited, and mortgaged. This Land Law provided the foundation for the development of a market for land use rights. During 2001, 400 farm households were surveyed in four provinces in Vietnam. Along with production and consumption data, evidence was sought of land accumulation and consolidation, land use changes, and attitudes to land reform issues. Analysis of the data shows that there is an active market for land use rights, but the level of activity varies considerably between provinces. Some individual households have acquired a large percentage of their land through buying or renting activities, as distinct from land that has been allocated or inherited. A more active market appears to be associated with opportunities for land use changes which lead to more profitable production activities. Lack of available land and in some cases labour, inadequate credit access, and reluctance to sell land use rights are identified as constraints to the land use right market, rather than transaction costs and the limit on land holdings.agricultural policy, land reform, land market, Vietnam, Agricultural and Food Policy, Land Economics/Use,

Land Transactions in the North of Vietnam: A Modelling Approach

The use of mathematical models to describe the interactions of variables is useful in modern management. In this paper, a 'mixed' model combining the knapsack problem, a household model and a form of spatial equilibrium model into a modelling framework is developed. The impacts of changes in off-farm wage rates, transaction costs in the rental market, the output prices of paddy crops, and land transactions were examined in the model. The simulation has led to the conclusion that the real benefits to farm households from land consolidation may not be apparent until the real opportunity cost of farm labour begins to rise. In addition, a reform policy in the administrative sector which encourages, not only the process of land accumulation and the rental market to be more active, but also farmers to involve themselves more actively in farming will improve their well-being. Moreover, a policy which allows farmers to freely cultivate other annual crops (cash crops) instead of rice and corn may be important and it should be considered in the future.Land transactions, modelling, knapsack problem, Vietnam, Land Economics/Use, C6, Q15, Q24,

Using alterative whole-farm modelling approaches to assess farm enterprise selection, risk and welfare

Using an expected mean-variance model the changes in farm enterprise levels and indirect utility were examined under conditions of risk aversion, budget constraints and gross margin variance. An extension of the comparative statics of the expected mean-variance model was adopted by introducing a budget constraint into the constrained optimisation problem. A 10-year expected mean-variance whole-farm model was solved for a farm in the wheat-sheep zone of Australia to provide an empirical example. Results were obtained using no planning horizon (the static model) and then with a five-year rolling planning horizon (the dynamic model). In addition, enterprise levels were constrained to match levels observed on the farm so as to compare incomes between the constrained and unconstrained models. For a cash constrained, risk averse, farmer it was found that they are likely to have larger expenditures than less risk averse operators in order to obtain the same indirect utility. Enterprise levels differed between the dynamic and static models, and a dynamic model was used to help explain inter-temporal decision-making. Risk aversion reduced the set of possible welfare improving production activities available to a farmer.Whole-farm modelling, enterprise selection, risk., Farm Management, Q12, C61,

Tariffs and Steel: The US Safeguard Actions

This paper presents a multi-product price linked spatial equilibrium model of world steel trade. The model is used to analyse the impacts of the safeguard trade barriers brought about by the United States in order to protect their domestic industry from so called unfair competition. Emphasis is placed on the likely effect to the Australian industry and possible policy responses available to the industry. A case study is made on Australia's three largest export products, namely slab, hot-rolled and cold-rolled steel, which share some substitutability in supply and demand due to the nature of the industry.trade, spatial equilibrium model, steel, International Relations/Trade,

Tariffs and steel: US safeguard actions

A multiproduct spatial equilibrium model of world steel trade is presented in this paper. The model is used to analyse the impacts of the safeguard trade barriers brought about by the USA in order to protect their domestic industry from the so-called unfair competition. Emphasis is placed on the likely effect on the Australian industry and possible policy responses available to the industry. A case study is made of Australia’s three largest export products; namely, slab, hot-rolled and cold-rolled steel, which share some substitutability in supply and demand because of the nature of the industry. As a result of the safeguard barriers to steel trade, world steel prices fell and trade shifted away from the USA to other importing regions.spatial equilibrium model, steel, trade, International Relations/Trade,

Bioeconomic analysis of protected area use in fisheries management

Protected areas in fishery management have been suggested to hedge management failures and variation in harvests. In this paper, a stochastic bioeconomic model of a two-species fishery in the Manning Bioregion is used to test the performance of protected areas as a management tool in a fishery. The establishment of a protected area is analysed under the assumption of heterogenous environments that are linked via density-dependent or sink-source stock dispersal relationships. The sensitivity of the results to different degrees of management is also explored. The model is applied to the Ocean Prawn Trawl, and Ocean Trap and Line fisheries within Manning Bioregion in New South Wales, Australia. The focus of the study is placed on the biological and institutional characteristics that yield benefits to the fishery. It was found that protected area use in the Manning Bioregion is likely to have differing effects on the two fisheries examined, benefiting Ocean Trap and Line fishers but adversely affecting Ocean Prawn Trawl fishers. Overall, it is unlikely that protected area use will lead to an increase resource rent in the fishery.bioeconomics, fisheries management, marine protected areas, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Untangling the Benefits of Protected Areas in Fisheries

Studies of marine protected areas as a tool for fisheries management have shown that protected areas have the potential to improve the level of resource rent generated in the fishery. The benefits to the fishery from protected areas have been shown to increase with sub-optimal management. However, some benefit that is derived from protected area creation in these circumstances is attributed to changes in effort levels. Both unique benefits, such as the hedge benefits of protected area creation, and non-unique benefits, such as shifts in effort levels towards optimal levels, are explored. Examples are taken from analysis of protected area creation in a predator-prey meta-population fishery under several different scenarios. It is suggested that much of the gain from protected area creation under sub-optimal management can be attributed to non-unique benefits, with the policy implications of this analysis also explored.Bioeconomics, fisheries management, marine protected areas, Environmental Economics and Policy, Q22,

A Bioeconomic Analysis of Protected Area use in Fisheries Management

The use of protected areas as a fishery management tool has been suggested as a hedge against management failures and variation in harvests. A stochastic bioeconomic model of a two-species fishery will be used to test the performance of protected areas as a management tool in a fishery with heterogenous environments. Protected areas are analysed under density-dependent and sink-source dispersal relationships between environments within the fishery. Differing levels of management control over fishery resource extraction are analysed. The model is applied to Manning Bioregion in NSW. The focus of the study is placed on the biological and institutional characteristics that yield benefits to the fishery.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Marine Protected Areas in Fisheries Management

The use of protected areas as a fishery management tool has been suggested as a hedge against management failures and variation in harvests. A stochastic bioeconomic model of a two-species fishery will be used to test the performance of protected areas as a management tool in a fishery with heterogenous environments. Protected areas are analysed under density-dependent and sink-source dispersal relationships between environments within the fishery. The model is applied to Manning Bioregion in NSW. Protected area performance as a tool for fisheries will be analysed given the existing management arrangement. The focus of the study is placed on the biological and economic characteristics that yield benefits to the fishery.Fisheries, Fisheries management, bioeconomics, marine protected areas, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy, Q2, Q22, Q28, Q57,

MALAYSIAN RICE TRADE AND GOVERNMENT INTERVENTIONS

Malaysia’s rice sector is highly protected, with the protection justified largely by arguments for food security. The government intervenes in the rice market by providing subsidies to farmers and consumers as well as imposing high import duties. Furthermore, the rice trade is controlled through a sole importer. In this paper, the welfare effects of eliminating the major government interventions in Malaysia’s rice sector are evaluated. A modified spatial price equilibrium model that incorporates a sole importer with a fixed domestic price has been developed to measure the welfare impacts of the market distortions. Four scenarios were developed: (1) removal of the sole importer but continuation of the subsidies and existing tariffs; (2) removal of the subsidies but with the existence of the sole importer; (3) imposition of tariff and (4) free trade. Large net welfare gains and a significant reduction in government expenditures are likely if all forms of government interventions were to be eliminated and a free market allowed.Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,