This study employed the propensity score matching approach to empirically assess the effects of climate smart agriculture participation and climate change adaptation response on the technical efficiency of rice production. Observational data were collected from in-depth interviews with 352 rice farm households in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. The findings indicate that 71% of local farmers adapted their rice farming to climate change related to salinity intrusion and drought, while 29% of farmers did not. Additionally, only twenty-two rice farmers were typically chosen as participants in the climate smart agriculture pilot program by local government and institutions. The choices for adaptation response and climate smart agriculture participation are significantly influenced by agricultural extension services, belief in climate change, the area of farming land, as well as geographical locations (e.g., province and access to water sources). The results also reveal that climate change adaptation response, including climate smart agriculture participation, played a crucial role in improving technical efficiency of rice production by 13%–14% compared to no adaptation response. Regarding the individual effect of climate smart agriculture participation, participants could achieve higher technical efficiency by 5%–8% compared to non-participants.
Abstract:This study aimed to investigate the change of consumer behavior in electric power consumption after the application of dynamic pricing via real-time feedback. Afield experiment of dynamic pricing was carried out on Nushima Island, which is located in Hyogo Prefecture in central Japan. The panel data of hourly electric power consumption among 50 households (including 22 control households and 28 treated households) were collected from a baseline survey (14 days before the dynamic pricing experiment was conducted) and during the 14-day experimental period. Propensity score analysis with local linear matching was employed to analyze the average treatment effects of dynamic pricing on consumer behavior. The results report that dynamic pricing plays a crucial role in reducing consumers' electric power consumption-by 9.6% compared to the pre-experimental period.
Dramatic changes in climatic conditions have precipitated increases in the severity and frequency with which saltwater intrusions occur in Vietnam's Mekong Delta. These intrusions threaten agricultural sustainability and rural livelihoods. Little research has explored how rural farmers perceive this threat, and what factors influence them to change farming practices to adapt to the altered environment. This study attempts to understand how rice farmers in Soc Trang province perceive and respond to saltwater intrusions. This geographical area is a main agricultural region in Vietnam's Mekong Delta. Data were obtained from interviews with 80 rice farmers and four key agricultural officers in two districts of Soc Trang province. Results found that farmers are becoming aware of the relationship between climate change and saltwater intrusions, and that this awareness is significantly influenced by educational levels and numerous sources of both informal and formal information. In addition, characteristics related to a farm's location, including its access to water sources, when combined with access to information, appeared likely to influence Soc Trang farmers' risk perceptions. Individual farmers have responded to the now-irregular and intensifying saltwater intrusions by implementing both intentional and unintentional adaptations. Further, significant differences were observed between local adaptation strategies in various geographical locations at the district level. The absence of a strong correlation between Soc Trang rice farmers' perceptions of risks and their decisions to implement adaptive responses was also observed. This suggests that having knowledge of a threat is not sufficient to motivate individuals to take steps to mitigate it.
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