Managing Intergovernmental Relations in Australia: The Case of Agricultural Policy Cooperation

In June 2004, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) announced changes to the guidelines and protocols of some 40 ministerial councils and intergovernmental fora which comprise the web of intergovernmental consultative arrangements. This article examines the impact of the guidelines on the operation of the oldest of the sectoral ministerial councils, those relating to agriculture. The COAG guidelines aim to increase the strategic focus of the councils. However, in the case of agricultural policy there appears to have been a centralising of policy control, both within state governments and towards the Commonwealth, which undermines that objective and leaves the ministerial councils focusing on the more technical issues which they are more effective at addressing.     

农业发展亟待政策调整

农业作为基础产业和弱质产业 ,历来都是各国政府进行产业保护的重点 ,也是近 2 0年来世界贸易摩擦的焦点。大力推进中国农业的产业化、现代化 ,确保国家粮食的安全 ,是中国加入WTO后各级政府必须引起高度重视的问题。     

农业产业化“龙头”浅谈

农业产业化发展模式多样性,决定“龙头”发展模式也多种多样。不同的“龙头”作用不同,必须正确分析发展阶段中不同类型“龙头”的优劣长短,根据自身条件确定适合的类型。     

Validation of Real‐time PCR Assays for Bioforensic Detection of Model Plant Pathogens

The U.S. agricultural sector is vulnerable to intentionally introduced microbial threats because of its wide and open distribution and economic importance. To investigate such events, forensically valid assays for plant pathogen detection are needed. In this work, real‐time PCR assays were developed for three model plant pathogens: Pseudomonas syringae pathovar tomato, Xylella fastidiosa, and Wheat streak mosaic virus. Validation included determination of the linearity and range, limit of detection, sensitivity, specificity, and exclusivity of each assay. Additionally, positive control plasmids, distinguishable from native signature by restriction enzyme digestion, were developed to support forensic application of the assays. Each assay displayed linear amplification of target nucleic acid, detected 100 fg or less of target nucleic acid, and was specific to its target pathogen. Results obtained with these model pathogens provide the framework for development and validation of similar assays for other plant pathogens of high consequence.     

Agriculture Ambles Into Urban Life

正The capital’s agriculture carnival attracts a multitude of city dwellerThe ongoing Second Beijing Agriculture Carnival (BJAC), which kicked off in Beijing’s suburban Changping District on March 15, has attracted numerous tourists. During the weekend days of March 22-23 alone, the number of visitors hit 120,000."The carnival is great!I love the orchid venue best.All kinds of orchids are     

From Hardship to Glory

正the Xinjiang production and Construction Corps celebrates its 60th anniversary By pan Xiaoqiaolu Liping,a 55-year-old farmer living in the suburbs of Shihezi,northwest China’s xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region,has been operating his family     

农业产业化与农村金融改革协同发展研究——以全国农村金融综合改革试点田东县为例

我国绝大部分农村地区特别是欠发达地区,农业产业化发展难以得到有效的金融服务,与此同时,农村金融又缺乏产业支撑,薄弱的农村经济导致农村金融改革内生动力不足。因此,在农业产业化发展过程中,应把农业产业化与农村金融改革两者融合起来发展,寻找二者协同发展的结合点。既解决农业产业化发展过程中的资金瓶颈问题,又进一步深化农村金融改革。     

国家现代农业科技城科技金融服务模式研究及相关建议

加强科技金融服务是北京国家现代农业科技城的一项重要工作,其中风险投资和创业投资的引入和管理,以及金融机构与科技企业的全产业链对接机制是当前比较薄弱的环节。由此,该文指出,农科城需要针对其高端服务、总部经济研发、产业链创新及先导示范等四大功能,建立健全农科城科技金融服务模式和产业链对接模式,同时,进一步建立和完善相关管理办法和政策体系,推进金融制度创新,营造良好的风险投资法律环境,建立金融服务的部门联动机制,并出台相应的实施细则。     

关于保护海南耕地质量和现代农业建设的思考

集约化农业对保障中国粮食安全发挥了巨大的作用,但长期土地高强度利用和农用化学品过量投入的负面影响也日益显现,导致以土壤养分失衡、土壤酸化、有害物质积累、生物多样性衰退等为主要表现形式的土壤物理、化学和生物学退化,给生态系统本身与环境都带来了巨大压力和严重威胁。该文分析了海南的区位特征和农业自然资源特点,阐明了海南热带农业必须走坚持特色发展、优化产业布局、以市场为导向、产业化经营、依靠科技支撑和生态协调的现代化发展之路。     

PARTICIPATION AND PERFORMANCE: DECENTRALISED PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION IN ETHIOPIA

This article discusses how decentralisation policies are enacted in the planning and implementation of natural resource management interventions in rural Ethiopia. A key element of decentralisation policy is the emphasis on greater participation by local communities. Drawing on qualitative research conducted with government staff and farmers, this paper illustrates how different actors perceive and implement national policy and how these actions affect the longer‐term sustainability of land management interventions. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.