The patterns of holding and their impact on the distribution of agricultural holdings in Qena Governorate

Document Type : High quality original papers

Authors

1 Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agriculture, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt.

2 Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agriculture, Sohag University, Sohag, Egypt.

3 Agricultural Economics Research Institute, Agricultural Research Centre, Giza, Egypt.

Abstract

The aim of this work was to study the actual effects of changing agricultural holding patterns in Qena Governorate and its impact on the distribution of agricultural holdings among different groups. In addition, the research aimed to estimate the change in the composition of the holdings of agricultural lands from the agricultural census of 1999/2000 to another of 2009/2010, by drawing a Lorenz Curve. The curve that represents the realistic distribution of holdings between the different categories and showed the change in the distribution and the extent to which it was close to the optimal distribution line. The study also adopted the estimation of the Gini coefficient to determine the extent of the deviation of the actual distribution of holdings - the Lorenz curve - from the optimal distribution line. The research data showed an increase in the number and areas of holdings consisting of one and two plots. Among the positive effects, there was a decrease in the number and areas of holdings consisting of three plots, four plots, five plots or more, at the level of most of the administrative units of Qena Governorate. The study recommended encouraging the contractual cash lease system for a period of no less than five years to eliminate the defects of free rent (one year), in order to maintain the quality of agricultural soil. The study showed the need to encourage aggregate cultivation and the establishment of cooperative cultivation especially among small holdings, expand non-traditional cultivations and exploit economic resources with high efficiency. In addition, this study recommended the importance of coordination between researchers in the field of social sciences and others to study the impact of the spread of small holdings on economic, social and health development and its repercussions in the long run.

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