Operational Pattern of Urban-Rural Integration Regulated by Land Use in Metropolitan Fringe of China

Due to a lack of the realization mechanism and operational pattern of the urban-rural integration by land use, this study employs land use to regulate interface elements to achieve urban-rural integration development. Therefore, we analyzed urban-rural reality in Pukou District of Nanjing City, a typical metropolitan fringe of China, and investigated farmers’ willingness of typical representative villages. The results show that (1) According to the combination of resource environment, development intensity and development potential, Pukou District is divided into four land use areas, including optimization integration area, key development area, urban agricultural area, and ecotourism area. Most of the investigated farmers have a strong willingness to realize urban-rural integration by land use; (2) This study proposes an operational pattern of regional land use. The pattern is mainly based on “reality + willingness + policy” by using the three tools of “farmland reconsolidation, village reconstruction and factor reallocation”. It achieves urban-rural integration development through “zoning guidance–willingness driven–pattern selection–differentiated tools”.

The Assessment of Direct Agricultural Investment and Cash Transfer on Households in Malaysia: An Evidence of Compensation Mechanisms for Fuel Subsidy Removal

The objective of this study was to examine the impacts of introducing compensation mechanisms of direct agricultural investment and cash transfer for fuel subsidy removal, with particular focus on the income and consumption of all household segments in Malaysia. A computable general equilibrium (CGE) model was built on the basics of the standardized LöfgrenCGE model to conduct this study. The subsidy removal, without integrating any compensation mechanism, imposed additional burdens of living cost on households as fuel was one of the important elements of the consumption basket especially during the period of transition, thus indicating a need for this study. The ultimate results revealed that the introduction of direct cash transfer was more desirable for both the low-and the medium-income segments to live with high prices where their existing consumption level would be maintained. Comparatively, the direct agricultural investment by increasing the use of intermediate inputs in the production did not seem to be enough to help the rural low-income segment within the period, mainly because of reducing the factor income (factor reallocation effect), and exaggerating consumption expenditure subsequently. Thus, direct cash transfer was considered a direct and faster way to help the needy in the short term. However, the direct agricultural investment remained the best approach to gain long-lasting impacts; not only in helping the rural poor, who mostly dealt in agricultural activities, but also in motivating overall economic activities

Urban Transport Expansions and Changes in the Spatial Structure of U.S. Cities: Implications for Productivity and Welfare

Each new radial highway serving large U.S. metropolitan areas decentralized 14% to 16% of central city working residents and 4% to 6% of jobs in the 1960–2000 period. Model calibrations yield implied elasticities of central city total factor productivity to central city employment relative to suburban employment of 0.04 to 0.09, meaning a large fraction of agglomeration economies operates at submetropolitan-area spatial scales. Each additional highway causes central city income net of commuting costs to increase by up to 2.4% and housing cost to decline by up to 1.3%. Factor reallocation toward land in housing production generates the plurality of the population decentralization caused by new highways.

WHEN AND WHY WORRY ABOUT REAL EXCHANGE RATE APPRECIATION? THE MISSING LINK BETWEEN DUTCH DISEASE AND GROWTH

We review the literature on Dutch disease, and document that shocks that trigger foreign exchange inflows (such as natural resource booms, surges in foreign aid, remittances, or capital inflows) appreciate the real exchange rate, generate factor reallocation, and reduce manufacturing output and net exports. We also observe that real exchange rate misalignment due to overvaluation and higher volatility of the real exchange rate lower growth. Regarding the effect of undervaluation of the exchange rate on economic growth, the evidence is mixed and inconclusive. However, there is no evidence in the literature that Dutch disease reduces overall economic growth. Policy responses should aim at adequately managing the boom and the risks associated with it.