A STUDIES ON MECHANISM OF SUSTAINABLE GROWTH OF PEASANTS' INCOME IN YAN'AN
MA Zhao-qi1, LIU Chuan-lei2, LI Xiao-na3
1. Teaching and Research Department, China Executive Leader Academy Yan'an, Yan'an 716000, China;
2. School of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, China;
3. Training Department, China Executive Leader Academy Yan'an, Yan'an 716000, China
Abstract The sustainable growth of the peasants' income is the most significant topic in the research of agriculture, countryside and peasants. It is believed that agriculture is an industry that needs support from non-agricultural industries. However, Philip C. C. Huang and Peng Yusheng (2007) point out that China's agriculture witness great historical change which is that large-scale of agricultural population engaged in non-agricultural industries; the growth of natural population slows down; and the structure of agricultural production is in the process of transformation. Therefore, in the future 10 to 25 years, agriculture itself would provide full employment and well-off life for the peasants. In the recent years, the gap between the per capita net income of peasants and per capita annual income in cities and towns in Yan'an becomes wide. Also, the per capita net income of peasants is below the national average over a long period of time. In order to change this situation, the government has implemented a series of policies to promote agricultural development and increase peasants' income including the sloping land conversion program, the relocation program of ecological emigration, developing apple and vegetable industries. Furthermore, the authors put forward suggestions to establish the mechanisms of sustainable growth of the peasants' income. Firstly, local governments should develop agriculture products with high added value. In the case of the ecological environment protection and industrial development, water resources and arable land for agricultural production will be less and less in Yan'an which makes that development of agriculture products with high added value is inevitable. Secondly, local governments should encourage peasants to be employed in developed areas. That is an urgent requirement both to increase the peasant's income and to establish the mechanisms of sustainable growth of the peasants' income. Thirdly, local governments should promote the development of rural industries and services. The development of rural processing industry of agricultural products and market of rural cultural products is necessary to guarantee the sustainable growth of the peasants' income.
2010, Vol. 25 
