Search Results (620)

The dominant agri-food system’s well-documented failures—biodiversity loss, deepening rural inequalities, and the erosion of small-scale farming livelihoods—have elevated SSE initiatives and social innovation in the agri-food sector and bioeconomy from a niche policy concern to a structural priority. This paper examines how SSE arrangements drive meaningful transformation in agri-food chains while advancing sustainable development at local and regional scales. Through a narrative review of interdisciplinary peer-reviewed literature and key institutional sources, the paper synthesizes evidence that SSE initiatives generate transformation through three interconnected mechanisms: (a) the reconfiguration of governance structures; (b) the deepening of producer–consumer relationships through spatial proximity and relational transparency; and (c) the more equitable redistribution of value across agri-food territories. These findings suggest that place-based SSE models occupy a central—rather than peripheral—role in sustainability transitions and local development. The paper presents a structured analytical framework linking SSE practices to agri-food chain transformation and develops nine concrete policy implications for scaling and sustaining SSE innovations through coordinated collaboration among public, private, and social economy stakeholders. The findings contribute to a sharper understanding of the conditions under which SSE-driven models can foster sustainable, socially inclusive, and community-oriented agri-food systems and of why the solidarity dimension, rather than organisational form alone, is the decisive criterion for identifying genuinely transformative initiatives. Full article

This article investigates the relevance of selected and adapted representations of Krishna from the broader ISKCON tradition for sustainable and self-sufficient practices within Krishna Valley. Krishna Valley is an ISKCON community established in 1993 in the remote areas of Hungary, and it covers 300 hectares. As a self-sufficient and sustainable community, it is part of the Global Environmental Network, and as an ISKCON community, it belongs to the global movement of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. The synchronic interconnections of Krishna Valley as an ecovillage and as a religious place intertwine in the same place. In this article, Krishna Valley serves as an explanatory case study to investigate the relevance of ISKCON religious representations for ecological imagination: the process of perceiving relationships through the use of metaphors, images, narratives, symbols, and sematic frames that are central to and constitutive of human ecological thinking. This study uses two units of analysis (cow service and water management) to explore how in Krishna Valley ecological imagination takes shape in the interaction between local sustainable and self-sufficient practices and specific religious representations that are part of the ISKCON tradition. By looking at how the community interprets and treats cows and water pollution from a religious and environmental perspective, this case study answers the question of how ecovillages might benefit from religion-based ecological imagination for their sustainable livelihoods. Full article

Demand for camel milk products is growing in Morocco and worldwide, creating opportunities to strengthen the livelihoods of populations living in arid regions through the development of camel-based dairy value chains. In addition to their economic potential, such value chains may contribute to sustainability by supporting food systems adapted to arid environments, promoting the use of locally resilient livestock species, and enhancing the socio-economic viability of vulnerable rural communities. This exploratory qualitative study investigates urban consumer behavior related to dairy consumption with a specific focus on the potential integration of camel milk products into local dietary habits. To capture nuanced consumer perspectives, gender-segregated focus-group discussions were conducted in three Moroccan cities using a semi-structured questionnaire on dairy consumption habits. Key factors examined included milk types, product preferences, purchasing locations, consumption frequency and willingness to include camel products in the household diet. The results indicate that camel milk is rarely consumed outside areas where camels are raised. Nevertheless, participants expressed interest in several camel milk-based products, particularly fermented milk and spreadable cheeses. This interest was primarily driven by perceptions of camel milk as a healthy product and by its association with traditional food practices. These findings suggest that expanding camel milk consumption in urban markets could support more sustainable and territorially rooted dairy systems by linking consumer demand with production models suited to dryland conditions. This study indicates promising market opportunities for the development of camel milk products in urban areas, particularly if challenges related to pricing strategies, distribution network, and region-specific supply chains are strategically managed. Full article

Smallholder poultry farming contributes enormously to rural livelihoods, food security, and nutrition in South Africa, yet the poultry industry remains constrained by limited participation and low ICT utilisation. This study investigated the socioeconomic and demographic factors influencing decisions and choices of smallholder poultry farmers towards the adoption of ICT and market engagement in Jozini Local Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal. A cross-sectional research design was used to collect primary data from respondents. Data were collected through face-to-face surveys from 162 participants, who were randomly selected. Descriptive statistics were employed to profile the use and extent of ICT, while the multivariate probit model was used to analyse the determinants of ICT adoption and market engagement. The findings revealed that most farmers own ICT tools such as mobile phones (98.15%), which they mainly use for communication purposes (98.77%) rather than for accessing production and market related information. Smallholder characteristics like age, faming experience, marital status, and household size significantly influenced farmers decisions and choices to adopt ICT and participate in markets. The study recommends improving the traditional extension through digital integration and farmer support by means of training on ICT and formal market linkages. These interventions can significantly market participation and profitability in smallholder poultry farming, stabilising rural economic development. Full article

Indigenous territories in Amazonia sustain forest cover through the practice of swidden-fallow agriculture, yet declining land availability threatens both the ecological sustainability of this agricultural system and its contributions to community livelihoods. While scholars recognize land scarcity’s potential to drive transformations in shifting cultivation systems, we lack a systematic understanding of how local institutional frameworks shape heterogeneous responses to resource constraints. This study examines how land access mechanisms, distribution dynamics and property regimes among Indigenous communities mediate experiences of and adaptations to land scarcity in the Peruvian Amazon. We conducted a comparative case study of Solidaridad and Tamboruna, two land-scarce Indigenous communities in Peru’s Napo River basin, employing mixed methods including household surveys (n = 74), plot-level assessments, and qualitative interviews with community leaders. Our findings reveal three critical pathways through which institutions mediate scarcity outcomes. First, land access mechanisms determine whether scarce resources produce equitable constraint or acute land inequality. Second, land use intensification emerges not from scarcity alone but from accumulated inequality and household labor capacity, with land accumulated over lifecycles showing stronger associations with management practices than initial endowments. Third, where scarcity manifests as extreme polarization, it precipitates renegotiation of land property norms shaped by Indigenous sociability and moral economies, defying straightforward trajectories toward either resource privatization or collective governance. These results demonstrate that land scarcity produces divergent trajectories mediated by community-specific institutions, with swidden-fallow systems likely diminishing their capacity to sustain forest regeneration in Indigenous communities where scarcity leads to acute land inequality. Rather than uniform solutions, sustainability policy must therefore tailor interventions to local institutional contexts—prioritizing territorial expansion, facilitating communities’ own governance development, and supporting household adaptive capacity to resource scarcity. Full article

Coffee production, particularly in shade-grown farms, plays a crucial role in the livelihoods of Mexican farmers. Shade-grown coffee systems are also recognised for supporting biodiversity and enhancing carbon capture. Nevertheless, the geographical heterogeneity of Mexico makes the selection of tree species in these agroforestry systems challenging. This study develops region-specific priority lists to conserve biodiversity, improve carbon capture, and support the livelihoods of producers across nine coffee-growing regions within the state of Chiapas. We identified the tree species distributed in each region using an extensive dataset from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility and a novel approach that enhanced spatial resolution of the prioritisation process, despite biases in collection efforts. A set of 23 criteria, including conservation status, carbon content, and documented uses by local communities, was compiled from databases and literature reviews and used to calculate a priority score for each species. Based on these scores, a list of 20 recommended species was generated for each region. However, additional participatory validation is needed to translate these lists into practice. A similarity analysis revealed that geographically proximate regions shared similar species composition. Overall, this study provides a transparent framework for regionally tailored shade-tree selection to inform conservation and restoration planning in coffee agroforestry landscapes. Full article

The Numidian cypress (Cupressus sempervirens var. numidica, C. numidica hereafter) is a rare, almost unknown, endemic taxon of Tunisia whose conservation has long been hampered by human activities, taxonomic uncertainty and limited ecological knowledge, with only 64.33 ha of its populations remaining. Although recent genetic studies have confirmed its native status and long-term isolation, detailed information on its distribution, population structure and threats remain lacking. This study provides the first comprehensive assessment of C. numidica across its remaining range. Field surveys revealed that the species persists in only three small, fragmented forests, Bou Abdallah, Sidi Amer, and Dir Satour, covering a total of 64.33 ha. Soil analysis revealed some differences among sites, with Bou Abdallah showing higher clay content and Dir Satou exhibiting the highest levels of nitrogen, organic carbon, Olsen P, and available Mn and Mo. Climatic analyses indicate a semi-arid Mediterranean environment with pronounced summer droughts and a clear warming trend. Trees showed widespread damages, due to intensive grazing, tree cutting, crown dieback (drought), and pest and pathogen attacks. Natural regeneration was limited, and the condition of affected trees ranged from moderate to severe, with Bou Abdallah showing the highest levels of degradation. Notably, the severe fungal pathogen Seiridium cardinale, causal agent of cypress canker, was detected on C. numidica for the first time, highlighting an urgent conservation concern. Our results point to a staged conservation approach over time. In the immediate term (within 1 year), urgent monitoring and management of S. cardinale is needed. In the short term, efforts should focus on protecting carefully selected areas, about 5–10 regeneration microsites per forest, from grazing to support natural regeneration, reduce ongoing soil degradation, and establish clonal and seed-production plantations along with long-term seed storage. In the long term, the survival of C. numidica will only be possible with the active involvement of local communities, through awareness campaigns, adapting traditional practices such as gdel, and developing small-scale ecotourism that provides sustainable livelihoods while reinforcing support for conservation. Full article

Electrification is vital for economic growth, poverty reduction, and improved quality of life. Over 80% of Afghanistan’s rural population lacks electricity. Despite increasing interest in decentralized energy systems, there remains a lack of site-specific studies that jointly assess the technical, economic, and policy feasibility of decentralized solar PV for rural electrification in Afghanistan. This study addresses that gap through a mixed-method case study of Syahgel, Ghazni, combining a household survey of 30 households, PVsyst-based system sizing, economic evaluation, and policy analysis. The study compares multi-tier Solar Home Systems (SHSs) with a community microgrid under local demand and affordability conditions. The results show that SHSs, with entry-level costs starting from USD 95, are more suitable for small, dispersed settlements, while microgrids remain relevant for larger or more concentrated communities. Financing mechanisms, including subsidies and interest-free loans, can improve affordability by up to 75%, while electrification can reduce annual fuelwood expenditure by approximately USD 51.5 per household and generate broader health, educational, and livelihood benefits. The findings highlight the need for integrated policy reform, targeted financial support, and context-sensitive system design to support sustainable and inclusive rural electrification in Afghanistan. Full article

Conservation easements (CEs) represent a complex policy instrument designed to mediate the feedback loops within coupled human and natural systems in protected areas. However, their efficacy is often constrained by a lack of systemic understanding of the localized drivers of community support. Building upon the successful implementation of Forest Land Easements (FLEs) within China’s Qianjiangyuan National Park Pilot, this study investigates the potential to expand this policy model to other land types. This study investigates the multilevel factors influencing residents’ willingness to adopt three types of CEs, including forest land (FLE), agricultural land (ALE) and homestead land (HLE) easements in China’s Qianjiangyuan National Park Pilot, the country’s primary CE reform site. We conceptualize a hierarchical support model wherein community participation (CP) and human well-being (HW) interact with support for park management (SM), forming a subsystem that drives decisions within the broader land-use. Utilizing structural equation modelling (SEM) and stepwise regression analysis on survey data from 336 households, we tested this model. The results reveal that SM acts as a critical direct mediator and positive driver of CE acceptance, while CP and HW exert significant indirect effects through SM, demonstrating a key feedback pathway. Regression analyses further elucidate that support for different CE types is driven by distinct configurations of factors, highlighting the heterogeneous nature of subsystems. Notably, livelihood benefits and prior participation experiences emerged as consistent, cross-cutting systemic leverages. It demonstrates that leveraging the implementation experience and community support gained from existing forest land easements is crucial. This study concludes that effective CE design must move beyond one-size-fits-all approaches. It necessitates differentiated, adaptive policies that are coherently aligned with local livelihood subsystems and strategically strengthen participatory feedback mechanisms initiated by successful FLEs. Our findings provide an evidence-based framework for designing resilient, socially sustainable conservation policies in complex protected area systems, grounded in proven practice. Full article

Illegal artisanal and small-scale mining (galamsey) and climate stress jointly degrade ecosystems and livelihoods in Ghana. This paper demonstrates how community-driven governance can realign incentives toward environmental stewardship and inclusive livelihoods. Using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design—quantitative difference-in-differences followed by qualitative case analysis and Participatory Action Research—we evaluate a structured program combining vocational training, financial literacy, environmental stewardship, and governance alignment. We operationalize Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) outcomes via transparent composite indices and triangulate survey, administrative, and focus group evidence. The study identifies conditions under which alternative livelihoods reduce participation in illegal mining, strengthen women’s economic agency, and improve adoption of climate-smart practices. Implications include practical guidance for program design (community delivery, matched incentives, oversight), policy (local climate finance and accountability mechanisms), and research (scalable indicators and rigorous impact evaluation in resource-dependent communities). Full article

Spiny lobster aquaculture in Southeast Asia represents one of the most economically valuable and socially important forms of small-scale coastal aquaculture globally. Unlike most aquaculture sectors, production in Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines has developed almost entirely on the basis of wild-caught pueruli (postlarval lobsters) rather than hatchery-produced seed. This reliance on wild seed has generated persistent debate regarding biological sustainability, environmental risk, and compatibility with responsible aquaculture principles. Here, we synthesise more than two decades of regional production data, fisheries observations, larval biology research, population genetics, and oceanographic modelling to evaluate the sustainability of puerulus fishing in Southeast Asia. Evidence indicates that many major settlement areas function as recruitment sinks, characterised by extremely high natural mortality and weak coupling between local settlement and local adult spawning biomass. Under these conditions, harvesting pueruli prior to inevitable natural mortality is unlikely to reduce adult lobster stocks when spatially targeted and appropriately regulated. We further demonstrate that puerulus fisheries exhibit exceptionally low environmental impact while underpinning substantial livelihood benefits for coastal communities. We conclude that wild seed fisheries, when embedded within effective governance frameworks, represent a legitimate and sustainable foundation for crustacean aquaculture during the transition toward commercial hatchery technologies. Full article

Agro-ecosystem approaches are increasingly promoted as integrated solutions for sustainable land use, climate mitigation, and food security, yet concerns remain that market-based instruments may systematically exclude resource-poor smallholder farmers. Using microdata from 8894 households participating in Kenya’s long-running International Small Group and Tree Planting Program, this study examines how institutional and organizational arrangements shape access to agricultural carbon markets and associated sustainable land management practices. We document a participation paradox: farmers in the lowest income quartile exhibit significantly higher adoption than the wealthiest quartile (92.4% vs. 86.3%), challenging conventional resource-based targeting assumptions. Three distinct agro-ecosystem participation pathways are inferred using a Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) estimated over a feature set of organizational, financial-access, and farm/household characteristics (income, farm size, financial access, crop diversity, livestock holdings, education, organizational membership, and leadership position). A Mainstream pathway (60.2%) reflects resource-driven adoption; an Innovative pathway (32.4%) is associated with high participation among low-income farmers through organizational membership, leadership, and collective action; and a Constrained pathway (7.5%) captures persistent exclusion. Organizational membership is strongly associated with high-adoption pathways, universally present among Mainstream and Innovative farmers and absent among Constrained farmers; readers should note that membership is partly definitional in the clustering procedure, so this association reflects the pathway construction as well as empirical patterns. Leadership roles are associated with substantially increased access to non-monetary benefit streams (OR = 2.13), including training, seedlings, and community infrastructure. These alternative compensation mechanisms are spatially clustered and strongly associated with enrollment, suggesting localized institutional capacity effects. Importantly, the Innovative pathway is associated with superior agro-ecosystem outcomes, including higher tree densities and a greater uptake of conservation farming practices, suggesting possible complementarities between inclusion and ecological performance. Women are overrepresented within this pathway, highlighting the equity potential of organizational channels. Overall, the findings suggest that strengthening local organizational infrastructure can simultaneously enhance land-use sustainability, climate mitigation, and livelihood inclusion. Given the cross-sectional observational design, all findings should be interpreted as associations rather than causal effects; the results offer actionable insights for designing agro-ecosystem programs that integrate governance, social equity, and ecological resilience in support of long-term food security. Full article

In this study, we explore how to balance the preservation of the original appearance of ancient villages with their development within the framework of World Heritage protection. We applied resilience theory and constructed a simple checklist, taking cultural ecosystem services into consideration, and selected the Zuojiang Huashan Rock Art Heritage Area in China for field investigation, as well as conducted in-depth interviews, the distribution of short questionnaires, and two rounds of Delphi surveys. This comprehensive approach enabled us to discover the key cultural ecosystem services that villagers rely on for their livelihoods. Then, we tracked how these services enhanced buffering capacity, helped people self-organize, and promoted adaptive learning. The results show that cultural ecosystem services constitute the core framework of the social–ecological resilience of the villages. The quantity and combination of the services directly determine the resilience score, and the resilience of villages within the heritage area shows significant spatial differentiation. High-resilience villages have diverse and mutually reinforcing cultural ecosystem services and local community rules, while low-resilience villages face service loss, weakened social connections, and single development options. Through this study, we aim to further enrich the cultural connotation of resilience theory, provide a practical assessment tool for practitioners of the method, and offer practical guidance and suggestions for transforming heritage protection from static protection to a dynamic, vibrant system that promotes vitality and resilience in practice. Full article

This study evaluates the costs and benefits of participatory forest management (PFM) versus non-participatory forest management based on the perceptions and involvement of local communities in the Kilombero Valley Ramsar site, Tanzania. The area hosts ecologically significant wetlands managed through different regimes: forests managed by local communities under PFM and protected areas controlled by national authorities. Using data collected through focus groups, key interviews, household surveys, and direct observations in two villages—Siginali (PFM) and Kilama (non-participatory)—this research explores perceptions of two different forest management approaches. The results revealed: (i) a generally low awareness and participation in forest management activities in both villages; (ii) restrictions on forest resource access, essential for local livelihoods, were common and often poorly accepted in the two villages; (iii) neither approach alleviates poverty, instead, strict regulations have worsened livelihoods by eliminating traditional income sources; (iv) forced participation in patrols and fire control was also noted as an unfair burden without direct compensation; and (v) the “fortress” model is perceived as more effective at improving forest health and stopping illegal activity due to stricter patrols. The study concludes that while PFM supports forest sustainability, it needs enhanced local engagement, benefit-sharing mechanisms, and complementary income-generating initiatives such as ecotourism to sustainably balance conservation and community welfare. Full article

In the digital era, even the most remote communities are increasingly connected to global networks. However, a critical question persists: how can such connectivity translate into tangible economic growth and sustainable development for isolated mountainous villages? Guided by the sustainable livelihood framework, this study investigates how digital capital—specifically the use of social media to showcase a village’s natural and cultural assets—drives tourism development and improves local livelihoods. Focusing on Dazhai Village in China, a rural community that gained substantial online attention and tourism inflow through social media promotion, this research employs qualitative methods, including 17 semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed using thematic analysis and matrix coding techniques via NVivo 12 Plus. Findings reveal that the introduction of digital capital enhances village visibility, stimulates tourist interest, and initiates a development trajectory describe as “going live.” In contrast, “going alive” refers to the process of revitalizing a once abandoned, impoverished mountain village, enabling it to survive and thrive once more. However, the sustainability of this trajectory is fragile as the departure of influential digital promoters can deplete digital capital, undermining diminishing online engagement and risking renewed marginalization. To transform “going live” into “going alive,” remote communities must continuously adapt and reinforce their online presence to secure long-term stakeholders’ engagement and resilient tourism flows. An interesting finding of this study is that the village achieved regenerative tourism, whereby its environmental conditions improved as a result of tourism development. This unexpected outcome was facilitated by sustained visibility, both online and offline, which prompted residents to place greater emphasis on environmental protection. This study enriches the sustainable livelihoods framework by integrating digital capital and regenerative tourism into the understanding of livelihood assets and outcomes in remote settings. Ultimately, it underscores the transformative potential of digital capital in revitalizing “hollowed-out” villages, offering a strategic pathway for remote communities to reclaim their developmental agency and achieve sustainable rural revitalization. Full article