Instructor: Prof. Nico Heerink, Wageningen University
Prof. Nico Heerink is a professor emeritus in the Economics Section at Wageningen University, the Netherlands. He achieved his PhD in Economics at the European University Institute in Florence, Italy, 1991. He has long been engaged in research in resource and environmental economics. He was the regional office coordinator at the Beijing Office of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) from 2004 to 2006. The main focus of his research is the impact of (economic, agricultural, environmental and other) policies on rural household choices that affect the use of natural resources, the quality of the natural environment and household welfare. Most of his research is based on primary data collected among rural households in different parts of China. Prof. Nico Heerink has published more than 80 papers in well-recognized international journals and enjoys a high international reputation in the field of environmental and development economics.
 
Course Introduction
Course Name: Rural Household Economics

Course Credit: One credit

Course Introduction: This course will provide doctoral and master students with: 1) the theory and methodology to conduct rural household behaviour study and examine their responses to policy incentives, and 2) research tools for analyzing major relevant topics in rural China. The aim is to help graduate students get an in-depth knowledge of the driving forces of farmers’ and rural household behaviour and of rural household responses to policy incentives. The course consists of a combination of lectures, in which the relevant theory is explained, and computer assignments, in which students gain experience with applied research aimed at examining rural household behaviour. It consists of three parts:

1. Farm      size and productivity

2. Farm      household analysis

3. Off-farm      employment

Assessment method: Based on written answers provided to open questions in the computer assignments.

Class time and place:

Mon. 14 August – Fri. 25 August (except weekend):

- 9:00 – 11:30 hrs. Yifu Building room 7001

- 14:30 – 17:30 hrs. Yifu Building room 7001

Note: The assignments need to be prepared on laptop computers, using Stata and Excel software. Please bring your own computers to the class and install the software in advance.

Course selection: Students who want to take the course should send a text message “Student ID + Name + Professional + College + Contact Information” to yanghuilin@stu.njau.edu.cn (Huilin Yang) before 17:00 on August 13^th and join the WeChat group.