Zhu Lizhi: Creating a Good Soft Environment for the Moderate Scale Development of Family Farms

Moderate scale development for family farms create a good soft environment

-- Based on the 12-year exploration of family farms in Langxi County

zhu Lizhi

recently, with the interest and confusion of family farms, the author investigated Langxi County, Anhui Province, which took the lead in exploring the series of family farms in the country. Langxi County is located in Nanjing, Wuhu, Ma'anshan and other cities cross radiation, with a large number of farmers into the city, the field idle phenomenon is serious. Therefore, for a long time, the local government has attached great importance to the development of family farms and rich farmers with "farmers" to solve the big problem of who will farm and how to plant good land.

1. How to correctly understand the "moderate scale operation" of agriculture"

in the investigation of family farms in Langxi County, the author found that "moderate scale operation" is not only an economic category, but also a sociological category, involving the comparison of urban and rural development and population transfer. The author believes that if the scale of a farmer's operation reaches a certain level, so that its per capita net income is equal to the per capita disposable income of nearby urban residents, such scale operation is "moderate scale operation". Because only in this way, the opportunity cost of rural labor transfer is large enough to offset the return of its employment in cities and towns, so that agricultural operators can stay in the countryside with peace of mind.

In fact, there is no contradiction between letting agricultural operators stay in the countryside and the transfer of rural labor. Moreover, if agricultural operators want to obtain a moderate scale of land, an important prerequisite is the transfer of rural labor. Only a certain number of rural labor force transferred to cities and towns, in order to ensure that the land to agricultural management experts concentrated. On the other hand, only agricultural operators can first make their per capita net income equal to the per capita disposable income of nearby urban residents, and reach the level of moderate scale operation.

"Who will plant the land? How to plant the land?" is the key issue facing China's agricultural development in the new era, and it is also the issue that the government is most concerned about, and the appropriate scale of agricultural management is the key to solve this problem. Letting agricultural business experts stay in the countryside not only solves the problem of "who will plant the land", but also solves the problem of "how to plant good land.

It should be noted that "moderate scale" here does not mean "large scale". Due to the large number of agricultural labor force in China, a considerable number of agricultural labor force should stay in rural areas to engage in agriculture at this stage, and the "large-scale" operation of agriculture is not in line with China's national conditions. Therefore, simply from the perspective of cost-benefit analysis to pursue the "best scale", will eventually come to the agricultural management model should be developed in the direction of "large-scale", which is not feasible in China.

Scholars generally believe that the so-called "moderate scale" is "moderate" relative to different places ". This sounds reasonable, but it doesn't give an answer. It's like saying "this thing should be done well", but how to do it well only gives some principled requirements, but does not give the criteria for judging. It is true that the "moderate scale" in the plains must be large, but we cannot conclude that the plains must engage in "large-scale" agriculture. Since the disadvantages of large-scale agriculture in developed countries are becoming more and more obvious, and China has a large agricultural labor force, the government should not blindly encourage "large-scale" agriculture even in plain areas. Correspondingly, it is difficult to "moderate scale" in mountainous areas, but we have to engage in "moderate scale". On the contrary, we must vigorously promote the characteristic "moderate scale" operation in mountainous areas, so that the agricultural industry in mountainous areas can also retain capable people, and there is hope for agriculture in mountainous areas.

Successful practices and problems of moderate scale family farms in Langxi County, 2.

The family farm in Langxi County has made a long-term exploration in the direction of moderate scale operation, and has carried out all-round practice in land circulation, registration, financing mechanism, industrial management, farm associations and farm cooperatives and other measures to promote moderate scale operation. Their successful exploration tells us that family farms operated on a moderate scale can effectively solve the problem of who farms and how to plant well, ensure that land operators get the same income as urban residents, and more actively use new varieties and new technologies. It can better carry out diversified agricultural production suitable for itself according to market demand, and play a greater role in demonstrating and guiding the production of scattered small-scale farmers.

Counting from the first family farm "Lvfeng Family Farm" in June 2001, the family farm in Langxi County has developed for nearly twelve years, showing a scene of prosperity. According to the survey in March this year, 554 family farms in the county operate 129196 mu of land, with an average of 223 mu/household, of which 3% are owned land and 97% are leased and transferred land. In terms of operating income, according to a survey of 216 family farms in 2012, the per capita net income was 28910 yuan, which was four times the per capita net income of farmers in the county that year, and was basically equal to the per capita disposable income of nearby urban residents.

In the investigation of family farms in Langxi County, the author found that there are many problems faced by family farms at present, which are mainly manifested in the fact that the status and rights of management subjects can not be generally recognized, the agricultural infrastructure is poor, the land circulation is not standardized, the benefit distribution mechanism related to cultivated land is unreasonable, the financing channels are not smooth, the production and operation management is extensive, and the scope of agricultural insurance is too small.

3. Suggestions on Optimizing Soft Environment for Moderate Scale Development of Family Farms

summarizing the main successful experiences and existing problems, the author puts forward the following policy measures:

(I) standardize the land transfer rules. It is necessary to strengthen the formulation and management of land transfer policies, guide farmers to sign transfer contracts in accordance with unified standard texts, and eliminate the unstable phenomenon caused by farmers transferring land at will.

(II) implementation of the access system. Establish a registration system to make family farms a market entity with legal personality. The family farm operator must operate the transferred land on his own, and shall not subcontract the land to others for operation and become the operator of the land.

(III) let the policy of benefiting farmers really benefit farmers. It is necessary to allow various agricultural subsidies to directly supply the actual operators without being intercepted by the original contractors, so as to speed up the original accumulation and infrastructure construction of family farms.

(IV) innovative financial service mechanism. Village banks with better conditions should be incorporated into the professional financial system and preferential policies should be formulated. In addition, we should actively explore mutual aid models for family farms, such as mutual aid for funds and mutual aid for loan guarantees.

(V) strengthen the cultivation of modern farmers. It is necessary to strengthen management training so that they can understand both production and management, achieve standardized production and standardized management, and focus on cost accounting and production records.

(VI) improve the agricultural insurance system. It is mainly aimed at the existing agricultural insurance problems, the insurance coverage can not cover the main areas of agricultural production, and there is discrimination against farmers in post-disaster compliance.

(VII) strengthen brand creation. Brand creation and "three products and one standard" certification are carried out in the form of family farm associations. Under the condition of abiding by the rules, family farms are allowed to be used free of charge, so as to achieve a unified brand, unified certification, unified management and joint efforts throughout the county.