Agricultural Development under Environmental Constraints: A Micro-Level Study of Houjiaying Village in Eastern Hebei (自然环境约束下的农业发展路径探索--以冀东侯家营村为例)

• Published in: Zhongguo xiang cun yan jiu. no. 1; pp. 77 - 102
• Main Author: Cheng (程瑶瑶), Yaoyao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Brill 01.05.2016
• ISSN: 2213-6738; 2213-6746
• DOI: 10.1163/22136746-01301004

The natural environment-climate, topography, water and the like-influences and shapes rural development and peasant life. At the same time, social and economic development acts on and changes the local natural environment. The development of an agrarian economy is the result of the interactions among environmental, social, and economic factors-it cannot be explained as simply a causal relationship. This article analyzes the village of Houjiaying in eastern Hebei province to show how interactions among the natural environment, social factors, political forces, and economic conditions shaped the village's development path. Before 1949, in consideration of Houjiaying's natural constraints-sandy loam soil, a high level of underground water, and a poor irrigation infrastructure-sorghum, which requires little irrigation and is drought tolerant, was planted as the staple crop. During the collectivization period (1950s-1970s), improvement in water conservancy and drainage alleviated some of the constraints imposed by the natural environment. However, additional labor input was needed to achieve a smooth transition to growing different crops. Since China's reform and opening up (1978), the planting of water-intensive crops and rapid urbanization have led to sinking water tables in North China. Houjiaying has been especially affected since its soil is sandy loam. This, combined with the rising costs of labor resulting from competition with work outside agriculture, has not only restricted Houjiaying's transformation from "old farming" to "new agriculture," but has also led to the rapid, although not complete, decline of crop farming and the "forced" development of a risky livestock industry. 气候、地形、水利等自然环境影响和支配着农村发展和农民生活，同时，社会经济的发展也作用于、改变着当地的自然环境条件。农业经济是在自然、社会、经济等多种因素的互动下不断发展的，而非简单的因果关系可以解释。本文以侯家营为例，纳入其自然环境约束，探讨自然、社会、政治、经济等各种因素的互动如何影响该村的农业发展路径。解放前，沙壤土质、地下水位高、缺乏灌溉等自然环境约束导致侯家营村民依赖耐涝、低灌溉需要的高粱种植来满足生存需要;集体化时期，农田水利建设一定程度上缓解了自然环境条件的制约，但也必须投入更多劳动力才能实现作物的顺利改种;改革开放以后，高灌溉需求的作物种植和城镇化发展导致华北地下水位下降，侯家营因沙壤土质受影响明显，加之非农就业引致劳动力成本上升，不仅制约了其从"旧农业"到"新农业"的转型，而且在种植业内部也发生了迅速而不彻底的退出，"被迫"从事的养殖业发展曲折、投机性很强。 (This article is in English.)