Farmer''s perception and response towards grain-for-green program and eco-environment based on participatory rural appraisal
基于参与性调查的农户对退耕政策及生态环境的认知与响应

This paper presents an area-level analysis of farmer's perception and response towards Grain-for-Green Program and eco-environment in the loess hilly area. The analysis is based on a survey of 107 farm households by means of participatory rural appraisal. According to the nature physical conditions, such as topography, land use etc., all the surveyed farmers were divided into two groups, farmers of non-irrigated farmland and farmers of irrigated farmland, to compare their similarities and differences of perception and response towards Grain-for-Green Program and eco-environment. This paper attempted to study the issues of regional development from aspect of farmer's behavior. Based on the analysis of their behavior, some development strategies in the study region are proposed. The results indicate that most farmers' living is mainly dependent on cropland, especially for the farmers of non-irrigated farmland. The majority of farmers hold a positive attitude towards the Grain-for-Green Program. Soil and water conservation is not a conscious and voluntary behavior for farmers, but a measure to guarantee their basic agricultural production and improve their living conditions. The farmers of non-irrigated farmland prefer engineering approaches to agronomic methods because they can get much more benefits. However, the farmers of irrigated farmland pay much more attention to improve farmland quality. As far as the importance of environmental conservation is concerned, the farmers of irrigated farmland have a more favorable attitude towards it than the farmers of non-irrigated farmland. The majority of interviewees (nearly 80 per cent) consider that the local eco-environment is better than ten years before. However, nearly half of the respondents (45 per cent) never consider the environmental impact when arranging agricultural practices. Over half of the respondents (more than 55 per cent) thought that drought is the main reason of eco-environment deterioration; overgrazing and serious soil erosion is following.