Search Results (1,598)

The integration of emerging technologies is reshaping the teaching skills required in the 21st century, yet little evidence exists on how contextualized training supports rural teachers in adopting active methodologies and critically incorporating AI into entrepreneurship education. This study evaluated the impact of a 40-h professional development program implemented in Educational District 15D01 in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Thirty-nine secondary school teachers participated (mean age = 43.1 years); 36% lacked prior entrepreneurship training, and 44% had not recently mentored student projects. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was employed. The quantitative phase employed a 22-item questionnaire that addressed four dimensions: entrepreneurial knowledge, competencies, methodological strategies, and AI integration. Significant pre–post improvements were found (p < 0.001), with large effects for knowledge (d = 1.43), methodologies (d = 1.39), and AI integration (d = 1.30), and a moderate effect for competences (d = 0.66). The qualitative phase analyzed 312 open-ended responses, highlighting greater openness to innovation, enhanced teacher agency, and favorable perceptions of AI as a resource for ideation, prototyping, and evaluation. Overall, the findings suggest that situated, contextually aligned training can strengthen digital equity policies, foster pedagogical innovation, and empower educators in underserved rural communities, contributing to sustainable pathways for teacher professional development. Full article

Stomoxys calcitrans (Linnaeus, 1758) is a hematophagous fly species of veterinary importance, known for its negative effects on animal health and productivity. The stress caused by their painful bites results in losses in milk and meat production. Despite its impact, data on its ecology and activity in Algeria are lacking. Such knowledge is needed to evaluate its potential effects on livestock production and rural health, and to support surveillance, outbreak prediction, and control strategies. This study aimed to investigate the monthly and daily dynamics of S. calcitrans in livestock farms in the Batna region and evaluate the influence of climatic factors on its abundance. From July 2022 to July 2023, Vavoua traps were placed monthly from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on four farms in the Batna region, representing different livestock types. Captured flies were identified, sexed, and counted every two hours. Climatic data were collected both in situ and from NASA POWER datasets. Fly abundance was analyzed using non-parametric statistics, Spearman’s correlation, and multiple regression analysis. A total of 1244 S. calcitrans were captured, mainly from cattle farms. Activity occurred from August to December, with a peak in September. Males were more abundant and exhibited a bimodal activity in September. Fly abundance was positively correlated with temperature and precipitation and negatively correlated with wind speed and humidity. This study presents the first ecological data on S. calcitrans in northeastern Algeria, highlighting its seasonal dynamics and the climatic drivers that influence it. The results highlight the species’ preference for cattle and indicate that temperature and rainfall are key factors influencing its abundance. These findings lay the groundwork for targeted control strategies against this neglected pest in Algeria. Full article

This paper presents preliminary findings on the effectiveness of a citizen science initiative that engages local communities in rural Kalimantan in collecting wildlife observations within their village forests. By leveraging the power of community participation, the initiative aims to build on local knowledge, promote sustainable management practices, and collect valuable data on species distribution. Through a combination of focus group discussions, training workshops, field surveys, and mobile app-based data collection from 2023 to 2025, the initiative successfully mobilized community members, particularly those with limited technological experience, to actively participate in biodiversity monitoring. We recently introduced a small ‘payment for wildlife observations’ system that significantly boosted observations. The initial results highlight the potential for citizen science to generate valuable species trend data and foster a sense of pride, ownership, and stewardship among community members. While the current manuscript does not provide statistical analyses of the wildlife data, we describe how we plan to overcome data biases that are inherent to opportunistic, unstructured survey efforts. The project continues, but the lessons learned thus far can inform future citizen science initiatives and contribute to the development of sustainable, long-term, low-cost and effective community-based conservation strategies in the region. Full article

Late-stage cancer diagnoses of prevalent cancers are increasing in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka, a region currently rebuilding its healthcare system after a prolonged civil war. In this region, cancer prevention services are limited. We describe a community-centric approach to cancer education and prevention as a strategy to cancer control in this rural, post-conflict region. Nursing students were trained as Community Cancer Educators (CCEs), equipping them with essential knowledge about cancer symptoms, risk factors, and the importance of early detection. The training also included creative methods such as dance and drama to help CCEs communicate cancer-related messages in an engaging and culturally relevant manner. These CCEs supported the oncologist-led community health camps in delivering cancer education and screening directly to community members within their community. We planned the health camps in collaboration with the existing community-based public health system for better outreach. Feedback from community participants and healthcare providers suggests that this community-centric approach can improve cancer awareness, encourage participation in population screening, and support early cancer detection. This approach could strengthen community engagement and contribute to more equitable access to prevention and screening services in rural, post-conflict settings with limited healthcare infrastructure. Full article

This study aims to examine the implementation of digital education at SDN Cicurug Caringin and SDIT Nabawi, Sukabumi Regency, with a focus on opportunities, challenges, and gaps in the use of technology for learning at the elementary school level. Using a qualitative approach and a comparative case study design, this study explores the application of digital education in two different contexts, namely in rural areas (SDN Cicurug Caringin) and urban areas (SDIT Nabawi). Data were collected through in-depth interviews with four teachers, two principals, eight students, and four parents, as well as direct observation in both schools. The analysis techniques used are data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing, with Miles and Huberman’s interactive analysis procedures. The results of the study show that SDN Cicurug Caringin faces significant infrastructure constraints, such as a student-computer ratio of 1:15, limited internet connection, and low digital literacy of parents due to their simple socio-economic background. On the other hand, SDIT Nabawi has succeeded in utilizing digital platforms such as Let’s Read to increase students’ interest in reading, although it is limited by teaching time and lack of TPACK (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge) training for teachers. The main gaps found between the two schools are unequal access to technology, limited teacher capacity to integrate technology, and low parental support in assisting children in digital learning. This study provides empirical evidence that the success of digital education is highly dependent on adequate infrastructure, TPACK-based training for teachers, and parental involvement in digital literacy. The recommendations included infrastructure improvements, TPACK training for teachers, and the implementation of digital literacy workshops for parents to reduce disparities and improve learning outcomes. Full article

Socialized services for rural characteristic industries are becoming a key support for promoting rural industries’ transformation and upgrading. They are permeating the development process of modern agricultural service technologies, achieving significant progress in specialized fields such as mechanized operations and plant-protection services. However, challenges remain, including low efficiency in matching service resources and limited spatiotemporal coordination capabilities. With the deep integration of spatiotemporal information technology and knowledge graph technology, the enormous potential of semantic-level feature spatial representation in intelligent scheduling of service resources has been fully demonstrated, providing a new technical pathway to solve the above problem. This paper systematically analyzes the technological evolution trends of socialized services for rural characteristic industries and proposes a collaborative scheduling framework based on semantic feature space and spatiotemporal maps for characteristic industry service resources. At the technical architecture level, the paper aims to construct a spatiotemporal graph model integrating geographic knowledge graphs and temporal tree technology to achieve semantic-level feature matching between service demand and supply. Regarding implementation pathways, the model significantly improves the spatiotemporal allocation efficiency of service resources through cloud service platforms that integrate spatial semantic matching algorithms and dynamic optimization technologies. This paper conducts in-depth discussions and analyses on technical details such as agricultural semantic feature extraction, dynamic updates of rural service resources, and the collaboration of semantic matching and spatio-temporal matching of supply and demand relationships. It also presents relevant implementation methods to enhance technical integrity and logic, which is conducive to the engineering implementation of the proposed methods. The effectiveness of the proposed collaborative scheduling framework for service resources is proved by the synthesis of principal analysis, logical deduction and case comparison. We have proposed a practical “three-step” implementation path conducive to realizing the proposed method. Regarding application paradigms, this technical system will promote the transformation of rural industry services from traditional mechanical operations to an intelligent service model of “demand perception–intelligent matching–precise scheduling”. In the field of socialized services for rural characteristic industries, it is suggested that relevant institutions promote this technical framework and pay attention to the development trends of new technologies such as knowledge services, spatio-temporal services, the Internet of Things, and unmanned farms so as to promote the sustainable development of rural characteristic industries. Full article

The valorization of local plant cover, particularly through the integration of indigenous knowledge, is central to Tunisia’s economic development strategies. These approaches focus on diversifying agriculture by enhancing local natural and cultural heritage to strengthen community resilience amid environmental and socio-economic changes and to address rural exodus. This study examines the feasibility of AMP-based micro-projects in Matmata (southeastern Tunisia) by applying the Water–Energy–Food–Ecosystem (WEFE) nexus and participatory methods involving local stakeholders. Field surveys, literature reviews, and statistical analyses reveal growing youth interest in AMP ventures, driven by rising pharmaceutical and cosmetic demand. Economic viability is confirmed by internal rate of return (IRR) values of 32%, 28%, and 43%, all well above the 10% profitability threshold. Profitability index (PI) values indicate efficient investments, yielding returns of 2.64, 2.13, and 5.31 dinars per dinar invested. The initiatives also deliver socio-cultural and environmental benefits through WEFE-based resource management. Beyond profitability, the study identifies gaps and opportunities to enhance AMP biodiversity, resource management, and sustainable diversification in southern Tunisia. Further efforts are required to increase market value and ensure equitable benefit distribution. Government policies should focus on raising WEFE awareness, building capacity, and investing in climate-smart agriculture, especially in vulnerable, migration-prone regions, supported by reforms in financing, taxation, and spatial planning. Full article

Remote sensing visual question answering (RSVQA) involves interpreting complex geospatial information captured by satellite imagery to answer natural language questions, making it a vital tool for observing and analyzing Earth’s surface without direct contact. Although numerous studies have addressed RSVQA, most have focused primarily on answer accuracy, often overlooking the underlying reasoning capabilities required to interpret spatial and contextual cues in satellite imagery. To address this gap, this study presents a comprehensive evaluation of four large multimodal models (LMMs) as follows: GPT-4o, Grok 3, Gemini 2.5 Pro, and Claude 3.7 Sonnet. We used a curated subset of the EarthVQA dataset consisting of 100 rural images with 29 question–answer pairs each and 100 urban images with 42 pairs each. We developed the following three task-specific frameworks: (1) Zero-GeoVision, which employs zero-shot prompting with problem-specific prompts that elicit direct answers from the pretrained knowledge base without fine-tuning; (2) CoT-GeoReason, which enhances the knowledge base with chain-of-thought prompting, guiding it through explicit steps of feature detection, spatial analysis, and answer synthesis; and (3) Self-GeoSense, which extends this approach by stochastically decoding five independent reasoning chains for each remote sensing question. Rather than merging these chains, it counts the final answers, selects the majority choice, and returns a single complete reasoning chain whose conclusion aligns with that majority. Additionally, we designed the Geo-Judge framework to employ a two-stage evaluation process. In Stage 1, a GPT-4o-mini-based LMM judge assesses reasoning coherence and answer correctness using the input image, task type, reasoning steps, generated model answer, and ground truth. In Stage 2, blinded human experts independently review the LMM’s reasoning and answer, providing unbiased validation through careful reassessment. Focusing on Self-GeoSense with Grok 3, this framework achieves superior performance with 94.69% accuracy in Basic Judging, 93.18% in Basic Counting, 89.42% in Reasoning-Based Judging, 83.29% in Reasoning-Based Counting, 77.64% in Object Situation Analysis, and 65.29% in Comprehensive Analysis, alongside RMSE values of 0.9102 in Basic Counting and 1.0551 in Reasoning-Based Counting. Full article

As China’s agriculture transitions toward high-quality development, reconciling agricultural green transformation with improved farmers’ income quality has become critical. This study seeks to investigate the effects of agricultural green development on the quality of farmers’ income from three dimensions: direct impact, structural influence, and heterogeneous characteristics. Leveraging provincial panel data from China spanning the period 2011 to 2022, a mixed-methods research design is adopted to conduct empirical analysis. First, the entropy weight method is applied to evaluate the comprehensive development level of agricultural green development and the quality of farmers’ income, along with their respective temporal variation features. On this basis, a two-way fixed effects model is then constructed to examine three core issues: the overall impact of agricultural green development on farmers’ income quality, as well as the structural heterogeneity and spatial heterogeneity characteristics inherent in this impact relationship. The results show that agricultural green development has significantly promoted farmers’ income quality in China, with improved resource utilization efficiency and output quality being the core driving factors, while environmentally friendly practices exhibit a negative effect in the short term. Specifically, agricultural green development significantly enhances income adequacy and structure but has a short-term inhibitory effect on income growth, with no significant impact on knowledge-based income. Regional heterogeneity analysis shows the strongest positive effect in the western region, followed by the eastern region, a negative impact in the northeastern region, and an insignificant effect in the central region. The income-increasing effect of green development is more significant in regions with poor natural resource endowments and low fiscal support for agriculture but is weakened in regions with high market vitality. This study provides a theoretical and practical basis for formulating differentiated agricultural green development policies and improving farmers’ income quality. These findings enrich the theoretical interface between agricultural green transformation and rural income improvement and offer actionable, region-specific policy insights by clarifying the constraints, key links and heterogeneous effects involved. Full article

The integration of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) into contemporary landscape planning is hampered by a lack of methodological frameworks that can translate site-specific practices into generalizable design principles. This study addresses this gap by developing and applying an integrated analytical framework to decode the resilient Ruza farming system in Nagaland, India. Employing a mixed-methods approach that triangulates qualitative data (ethnographic observation, semi-structured interviews) with spatial analysis (drone-based orthomosaics), this research moves beyond mere description to extract a set of transferable socio-ecological design principles. The findings identify four core principles such as vertical integration, gravity-fed resource flow, closed-loop resource cycling, and participatory governance, that underpin the system’s functionality. By demonstrating a clear methodological pathway from fieldwork to framework, this research contributes a replicable “methodological bridge” for landscape architects and planners. While derived from a single case study, the framework offers a robust approach for applying the logic of TEK to create climate-resilient and culturally grounded designs in diverse contexts. Full article

This research is an in-depth qualitative case study of a historic homestead in the town of Čekiškė, located in Lithuania, through the lens of sustainability aesthetics and cultural ecology. The research addresses a gap in the literature where aesthetic expressions of sustainability are predominantly examined in urban settings, while rural hybrid environments, intertwining urban and traditional features, remain underexplored. The homestead, with architectural and landscape features dating back to the early 20th century, was studied across four temporal stages: the interwar period (1922–1946), the early Soviet period (1946–1976), late Soviet to post-independence (1976–2021), and the period of a proposed vision for its sustainable development (2025 and beyond). The theoretical framework developed and applied in this research combines four complementary approaches: (1) the cultural ecology model by J. Steward, (2) environmental ethics trends (egocentrism, homocentrism, biocentrism, ecocentrism), (3) the principles of biophilic design, and (4) the ecological aesthetics framework by M. DeKay. Data collection included continuous qualitative in-depth on-site observations, analysis of the relevant literature sources, archival documents and photographs, and the recording of information in photographs and drawings. The findings reveal nuanced and evolving aesthetic expressions of sustainability tied to cultural practices, land use, ownership attitudes, and environmental perception. While earlier periods of development of the analyzed homestead reflected utilitarian and homocentric relations with the environment, later stages showed increased detachment from ecological sensitivity, resulting in the degradation of both material and intangible heritage; future perspectives of the homestead being transformed into a private museum, actualizing heritage through sustainability aesthetics, were also presented. The study highlights the role of tacit knowledge and lived experience in shaping hybrid sustainable aesthetics and provides insights for design and landscape planning in rural and small town heritage contexts. The research reveals that sustainability aesthetics in rural hybrid spaces is shaped by a confluence of environmental adaptation, socio-cultural transitions, and embedded values. It argues for a more context-sensitive and historically aware approach to sustainability discourse, particularly in heritage conservation and rural development. Full article

Community-based Forest management (CBFM) has emerged as a promising approach for reconciling biodiversity conservation with rural livelihoods. However, despite its growing implementation in Ethiopia, limited empirical evidence exists on how CBFM influences biodiversity outcomes and socioeconomic conditions across different local contexts. This study addressed this gap by examining the biodiversity outcomes and socioeconomic implications of CBFM across three districts in Northwest Ethiopia—Dangila, Fagita–Lokoma, and Banja—where forests are communally managed. A structured questionnaire was administered to 412 randomly selected farmers, and responses were analyzed quantitatively using Likert scale ratings, descriptive statistics, and chi-square tests in SPSS Version 23. The findings revealed statistically significant variations among districts in terms of community engagement in conservation, awareness of environmental policies, and involvement in habitat restoration efforts. Fagita–Lokoma showed the highest levels of participation and knowledge regarding conservation laws (χ² = 11.81, p < 0.019; χ² = 13.3, p = 0.01) as well as active involvement in habitat restoration (χ² = 301, p = 0.000). These differences appear to be associated with stronger local governance structures and greater livelihood dependence on forest resources in Fagita–Lokoma than in the other districts. It consistently demonstrated the highest levels of participation and knowledge, whereas Banja had the lowest levels. Most respondents (76.7%) indicated that socioeconomic interests, particularly related to timber, wildlife, and tourism, were key drivers of their conservation activities. While the economic benefits of biodiversity were generally perceived as moderate, the cost of conservation was seen as low to medium by 65% of participants. These results highlight the critical role of community participation and local awareness in shaping the outcomes of biodiversity conservation. This study concluded that CBFM can achieve positive biodiversity results when local livelihood interests are effectively aligned with ecological goals through inclusive and well-supported governance frameworks. Full article

The phenomenon of counterurbanization, understood as the migration of urban residents to rural areas beyond the suburbanization zone, includes both permanent relocation to the countryside and seasonal migration. The aim of the study is to identify the relationship between newcomers or people temporarily staying in rural areas and their permanent residents, with particular emphasis on the impact of the former group on the local community. The research was conducted in 2023 in 18 villages from different regions of Poland. It was assumed that the villages studied were located outside the zones of strong influence of large urban centers, including outside metropolitan areas. Surveys and in-depth interviews were conducted aimed at both permanent residents of the villages living there from birth and newcomers. The group of newcomers was divided into two categories—new residents who settled in the village in the last few years and owners of second homes who stay in the village temporarily. It can be generally stated that the newcomers from the city, when organizing their life in the countryside, are more active and more frequently initiate contact with the permanent residents than this takes place in the opposite direction. The purpose of the contact is to acquire information, useful for settling down or maintaining the estate, as well as for daily functioning in the countryside. The interactions between the representatives of the two groups considered are usually short-lived and momentary, and they take place usually in the central square of the village, in the street, or in a shop. Conversations concern daily life in the village and private matters. Encounters at home or in other places, which might be conducive to deeper exchange of knowledge and experiences and which might establish conditions for undertaking joint initiatives, are much rarer. Full article

This paper investigates the impact of demographic changes on regional disparities within the European Union. The analysis focuses on key demographic trends—population ageing, low fertility rates, and migration flows—and their long-term implications for labor markets, economic growth, and the sustainability of social systems across EU regions. Using Eurostat data for 169 NUTS2 regions for 2022 and 2023, the study applies descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and multiple regression models to quantify the effects of life expectancy, fertility rates, and educational attainment on GDP growth and employment in knowledge-intensive and high-tech sectors. Findings indicate that regions with higher shares of highly educated labor and favorable demographic profiles tend to achieve greater economic resilience and competitiveness. In contrast, demographic decline and outmigration continue to deepen structural disparities, particularly in rural and less developed regions. The results underscore the importance of integrated EU policies aimed at addressing demographic challenges while promoting regional cohesion through investment in human capital, innovation, and infrastructure. By highlighting the critical role of demographic factors in shaping regional development, this study contributes to the discourse on designing effective policies to foster sustainable and inclusive growth within the European Union. Full article

Mango production plays a vital role in rural livelihoods in Mozambique, yet post-harvest losses remain high, ranging from 25% to over 50%, due to inadequate preservation methods. Improved solar drying technologies offer a sustainable solution by extending shelf life and enhancing product quality. However, their adoption among smallholder mango farmers remains limited. This study investigates the key barriers and drivers influencing the uptake of these technologies in three districts of Inhambane Province, through a combination of literature review and semi-structured interviews. Major barriers include limited technical knowledge, high upfront costs, poor market access, and limited institutional support. Field data show that over 80% of farmers are unaware of improved fruit drying techniques, and fewer than 5% have received any training. While the literature emphasizes environmental sustainability and policy support, field interviews highlight a stronger interest in practical enablers, such as affordable systems, hands-on training, and income-generating potential. The study calls for a multisectoral approach, involving financial support, capacity-building, and strengthened extension services to promote adoption. Scaling solar drying technologies can significantly reduce post-harvest losses and strengthen the mango value chain, contributing to food security and rural development in Mozambique. Full article