Search Results (406)

The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored and intensified existing structural inequalities, particularly in urban centers of the Global South. This paper revisits the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework (SLF), originally designed for rural contexts, proposing its adaptation to centralize mobility as a critical analytical axis in urban contexts. Through an examination of São Paulo, Brazil, we explore how mobility restrictions, access to natural capital, and health outcomes intersected during the pandemic, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations. To explore the application of the adapted framework, we analyze two contrasting neighborhoods in São Paulo, highlighting how different urban contexts mediate the impacts of systemic crises. By integrating mobility into the SLF, we aim to provide a more nuanced tool for analyzing and addressing urban vulnerabilities in times of systemic crises. Full article

This study examines the socio-demographic characteristics, rice production practices, and breeding preferences of farmers across three major rice-growing regions of Vietnam: the Mekong Delta, Central Vietnam, and North Vietnam. A survey of 109 rice farmers captured information on cultivation status, livelihood activities, and preferred breeding traits for rice improvement. The results reveal clear regional differentiation in farm structure, production objectives, and varietal preferences. Rice farming in the Mekong Delta is predominantly commercially oriented, characterized by larger landholdings and greater male participation, whereas rice production in Central and Northern Vietnam is more subsistence-oriented, with higher female involvement. Farmers across regions consistently valued locally adapted rice varieties, but articulated region-specific trait priorities shaped by agro-ecological conditions. In the Mekong Delta, preferences emphasized soft grain quality and salinity tolerance, reflecting coastal production constraints. In Central Vietnam, farmers prioritized heat tolerance and resistance to pests and diseases, while in Northern Vietnam, cold tolerance and grain quality attributes, including aroma and harder texture, were most important. Major biotic stresses, particularly blast and bacterial blight, also showed significant regional variation in reported incidence. By linking these region-specific preferences to clearly defined Target Populations of Environments (TPEs), this study provides a practical framework for aligning breeding targets with real-world production conditions. The findings offer actionable guidance for participatory breeding and decentralized varietal evaluation under the Biodiversity for Opportunities, Livelihoods, and Development (BOLD) initiative, as well as other rice improvement programs. To our knowledge, this represents the first multi-region evidence from Vietnam that systematically integrates agro-ecological variation with a TPE-based breeding approach, supporting the development of climate-resilient, farmer-preferred rice varieties and more sustainable rice production systems. Full article

The temperate Himalayan states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Ladakh, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh in India face unique agro-ecological challenges across agriculture and allied sectors, including pest and disease pressures, inefficient resource use, post-harvest losses, and fragmented supply chains. This review systematically examines 21 critical problem areas, with three key challenges identified per sector across agriculture, agricultural engineering, fisheries, forestry, horticulture, sericulture, and animal husbandry. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) interventions, including computer vision, predictive modeling, Internet of Things (IoT)-based monitoring, robotics, and blockchain-enabled traceability, are evaluated for their regional applicability, pilot-level outcomes, and operational limitations under temperate Himalayan conditions. The analysis highlights that AI-enabled solutions demonstrate strong potential for early pest and disease detection, improved resource-use efficiency, ecosystem monitoring, and market integration. However, large-scale adoption remains constrained by limited digital infrastructure, data scarcity, high capital costs, low digital literacy, and fragmented institutional frameworks. The novelty of this review lies in its cross-sectoral synthesis of AI/ML applications tailored to the Himalayan context, combined with a sector-wise revenue-loss assessment to quantify economic impacts and guide prioritization. Based on the identified gaps, the review proposes feasible, context-aware strategies, including lightweight edge-AI models, localized data platforms, capacity-building initiatives, and policy-aligned implementation pathways. Collectively, these recommendations aim to enhance sustainability, resilience, and livelihood security across agriculture and allied sectors in the temperate Himalayan region. Full article

Blue economy aims to bring prosperity to coastal communities whilst also protecting natural ocean resources for future generations. But how can this vision be put into practice, especially in communities in which dependence on natural resources is high, and food and livelihood security are key concerns? This paper examines two cases of community-led nature-based enterprise in Kenya in a search for solutions to this challenge: fisheries reform through market access and gear sustainability; mangrove forest conservation and community development using carbon credit revenues. I use a ‘diverse economies framework’ for the first time in blue economy contexts to delve into the heterogeneous relations at work and in search of insights that can be applied in multiple contexts. Analysed through key informant interviews and field observation, the cases reveal a complex assemblage of institutions, knowledges, technologies, and practices within which enterprises operate. Whilst the enterprises featured are still relatively new and developing, they suggest a direction of travel for a community-led sustainable blue economy that both supports and benefits from nature recovery. The insights gained from this diverse economies analysis lead us to appreciate a sustainable blue economy as a rediscovered and reinvigorated relationship of reciprocity between society and nature—one that nurtures place-based nature-based livelihoods and nature recovery together, and which embodies a set of values and ethics shared by government, communities, and business. Full article

Working equids support millions of people globally, especially in low-income, lower-middle-income, and upper-middle-income countries. However, they commonly suffer from poor welfare and are typically overlooked in policy and funding decisions. This scoping review aimed to collate evidence on two topics related to working equid use in low- and middle-income countries: their socioeconomic value to their owners and the impact of educational interventions for owners/handlers aiming to improve equid welfare. Original research published from 2014 onwards was eligible for inclusion. This scoping review followed the JBI methodology and PRISMA-ScR framework. One search strategy encompassing both topics was applied to five databases (CAB Abstracts, MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and IBSS) on 24.04.24. Key characteristics and findings of eligible studies were charted. In total, 3514 sources were independently screened by two reviewers. In total, 61 socioeconomic value studies (47 journal articles, 2 reports, and 12 conference contributions) and 23 educational intervention studies (11 journal articles and 12 conference contributions) were included. Working equids supported their owners’ livelihoods in wide-ranging ways and contributed to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Educational interventions employed varied approaches, and most reported success. Multilevel initiatives and those developed through participatory engagement may be more likely to directly improve equid welfare in the long term. These aspects should be prioritised during intervention development. The included studies used inconsistent terminology and were of variable quality. This review highlights the importance of including working equids within policy and funding strategies and provides recommendations to increase the discoverability, quality, and impact of working equid research. Full article

The Silicon Alley model is enhancing neighborhood competitiveness through cultural and technological innovation, while the living experience of its inhabitants serves as a critical foundation for sustainable development. This study investigates neighborhoods developed under the Silicon Alley framework. It explores theoretical models and practical pathways that use inclusive design to enhance public facilities and service strategies, ultimately aiming to build a sustainable living experience system. Utilizing a combined LDA-DEMATEL-ISM-MICMAC methodology, the research first identifies seven key factors influencing living experience from multi-source texts, spanning social, technological, emotional, and governance dimensions. It then reveals the cause-effect relationships, hierarchical structure, and driver-dependency mechanisms among these factors. The findings indicate that sustainable collaborative governance acts as a fundamental driver, diversified community experience and urban attractiveness serve as intermediate transmission factors, while Elderly-Friendly Livelihood Experience, Digital Block Experience, Artistic Life Scene Experience, and Local Cultural and Historical Experience function as surface-level outcome factors. The study proposes short-term priorities focusing on collaborative governance and social integration, and long-term strategies emphasizing livelihood services and cultural identity. These recommendations are intended to enhance neighborhood living experience, promote inclusive and sustainable urban renewal, and provide both theoretical insights and practical guidance for achieving sustainable neighborhood development. Full article

Smallholder rice farmers in sub-Saharan Africa face persistent livelihood challenges due to declining returns from monocropping, limited diversification opportunities, and vulnerability to climate and market shocks. This study integrated the Drivers–Pressures–State–Impact–Response (DPSIR) framework with the sustainable livelihood approach to evaluate how the transition from rice monocropping to integrated rice–fish farming influences productivity, profitability, and household welfare in Nigeria’s leading rice-producing region. Using a mixed-methods, three-year panel (2021–2023) of 228 households across three communities in Kebbi State, descriptive statistics, regression models, and thematic analyses were combined to assess changes in livelihood capitals, system pressures, and response mechanisms. Adoption of rice–fish systems was associated with substantial improvements: 96.1% of farmers reported increased income, 56.3% improved food security, and 30.6% greater dietary diversity. Regression analyses confirmed that access to more land (p < 0.001 for healthcare and education; p = 0.011 for social status), labor affordability (p < 0.001), and farm size (p < 0.05) were consistent predictors of gains in healthcare, education, and social status, while pesticide and herbicide use negatively affected food access and wellbeing (p < 0.05). The DPSIR assessment revealed that rice–fish integration altered the state of rice production systems through reductions in input-related pressures and generated positive livelihood impacts. The results align with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to poverty reduction, food and nutrition security, sustainable production, and biodiversity conservation, and provide the first large-scale, longitudinal evidence from West Africa that integrated rice–fish systems support food security, income diversification, and sustainable resource management. Full article

This paper examines how entrenched dichotomies between natural/cultural and tangible/intangible heritage shape conservation policy in contexts where material, ecological, and socio-cultural dimensions are deeply interdependent. Despite calls for more integrated frameworks, limited empirical research examines how such categorical divisions operate within living rural heritage environments or how they align with community perspectives and inform conservation policies. This paper addresses this gap by analysing the persistence of rigid heritage taxonomies in officially designated traditional villages in central rural Greece exploring how heritage officials and residents perceive and value their heritage. Drawing on qualitative fieldwork across six villages—including interviews, focus groups, and consultations with heritage professionals—it demonstrates that these categorical divisions fail to reflect local understandings of heritage as a living socio-ecological system. For residents, ecological conditions, built forms, agricultural practices, and social relations are interdependent and tied to livelihoods, land stewardship, and communal identity. Findings show that the Authorized Heritage Discourse (AHD) reinforces artificial separations that are misaligned with grassroots perceptions and hinder integrated planning. This mismatch has direct implications for sustainability: governance models that fragment nature, culture, and community obscure socio-ecological processes and limit the development of meaningful sustainability strategies. By foregrounding experiential and affective dimensions of heritage, the paper advances debates on community-centred and context-responsive heritage management. It reframes rural heritage as a co-produced, evolving system of material, social, and ecological relations, positioning rural landscapes as critical arenas for addressing sustainability challenges and offering new empirical insights into an underexplored dimension of heritage research. The study further advocates for governance approaches that embed local ontologies and lived knowledge into policy and practice, fostering more inclusive, resilient, and socio-ecologically grounded heritage frameworks capable of supporting long-term sustainable development. Full article

The responses of agricultural households are the central link in China’s eco-compensation, which directly determines the efficiency and effectiveness of compensation. This article reviewed the connotation, influencing factors, and ultimate effectiveness of agricultural households’ response to eco-compensation in China. The results indicated that agricultural households’ response to eco-compensation mainly includes reducing production intensity, optimizing production methods, and changing livelihood types. On this basis, taking protected objects such as farmland, grassland, forests, and watersheds as examples, the specific connotation of the responses was explained. Subsequently, according to policy mechanisms, sustainable livelihood theory, and planned behavior theory, the factors that affect agricultural households’ responses have been sorted out, forming a systematic factor system framework. In addition, focusing on the policy objectives of eco-compensation, the research progress on the economic and ecological effects of agricultural households’ responses, and the final results were summarized. Finally, this article identifies four shortcomings in the current research, namely imbalanced research fields, incomplete contextual impact, nonspecific ecological effects, and immature improvement strategies. The future literature should strengthen research in key fields and areas, focus on the correlation between contexts and responses, integrate multiple disciplines to accurately evaluate ecological effects, and demonstrate the improvement mechanism of agricultural households’ responses. Full article

Anti-Poverty Programmes (APPs) are closely linked to rural livelihoods, yet comparative evidence on how participants and non-participants differ in livelihood-capital composition and income-generation patterns remains limited in ecologically fragile pastoral regions. This study draws on a cross-sectional household survey conducted in Northern Tibet in July 2020, covering 696 households—including 225 APP participants and 471 non-participants. Using the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework and the entropy weight method, we construct multidimensional livelihood-capital indices (human, social, natural, physical, and financial capital) and compare the two groups. We further apply Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regressions to examine factors associated with per capita net income. The results reveal substantial heterogeneity in livelihood capital and income across both groups. APP participants exhibit higher human-capital scores, largely driven by a higher share of skills training, whereas they show disadvantages in physical and financial capital relative to non-participants. Natural capital shows no statistically significant difference between the two groups under the local grassland contracting regime. Significant differences are observed and identified in certain dimensions of social capital. Regression results suggest that income is positively associated with skills training, contracted grassland endowment, and fixed assets, with skills training showing the strongest association. For participants, herd size and labour capacity are not statistically significant correlates of income; for non-participants, larger herds and greater labour capacity are associated with lower income. Taken together, the findings indicate that APP participation is associated with stronger capability-related capital (notably training) alongside persistent constraints in productive assets and financial capacity. Policy implications include improving the relevance and quality of training, strengthening cooperative governance and market linkages, and designing complementary packages that connect skills, inclusive finance, and productive asset accumulation. Given the cross-sectional design and administratively targeted certification of programme participation, the results should be interpreted as context-specific associations rather than strict causal effects. Full article

Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) pose a significant threat to livestock productivity and rural livelihoods in South Africa, particularly among resource-poor communal farmers. This narrative review synthesises findings from case studies on communal farmers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAPs) toward TBDs and their control. The analysis reveals that while many farmers can identify TBDs and their symptoms, significant gaps exist in understanding acaricide resistance and effective tick management. Socioeconomic factors, including age, gender, education, and access to veterinary services, strongly influence knowledge and practices. Indigenous ethnoveterinary practices are commonly used alongside conventional methods, although their efficacy remains understudied. The review emphasises the importance of integrated pest management, participatory approaches, and targeted awareness campaigns. A One Health framework is recommended to enhance surveillance, collaboration, and sustainable TBD control. Empowering farmers through training and inclusive communication strategies is crucial for mitigating the impacts of TBDs on communal farming systems. Full article

The methodological frameworks applied in the Colombian Amazon to study emerging agri-food systems are insufficient, as they often employ linear models that fail to recognize the importance of small-scale producer networks that depend on the integration and cooperation of other actors to form part of a value chain. In this study, the value network (VN) perspective was applied to characterize four Amazonian fruits identified as emerging agricultural economies in rural communities: Seje (Oenocarpus bataua), Asaí (Euterpe precatoria), Moriche (Mauritia flexuosa), and Peach palm (Bactris gasipaes). The research was conducted in the Amazonian department of Guaviare, where economic momentum around value networks of Amazonian fruits has emerged in recent years. The framework proposed by Sprinzer-Heinze was adapted, using the social, economic, institutional, and environmental dimensions instead of linear chains to analyze the value networks (VNs). Data collection combined participatory workshops, surveys, and interviews with key actors involved throughout the value network, and an index was constructed to compare the networks and identify their strengths and weaknesses. The study was complemented with social network analyses to assess the levels of cooperation among key actors across each product’s value network. The findings reveal that value networks have emerged as an institutional attempt to implement a strategy aimed at enhancing rural livelihoods and promoting economic initiatives with a lower impact on deforestation. Nevertheless, further actions are required to strengthen such networks, as their performance remains weak in aspects such as environmental sustainability, technological upgrading, innovation, and institutional and social support. Social network analysis revealed a common structure characterized by interconnections among producers, associations, and institutions across all value networks. However, these actors need to develop a more robust network culture to better coordinate their actions and ensure long-term sustainability. Full article

Introduction: The informal food sector in Kisumu City, largely run by women informal food vendors, plays a crucial role in the urban food system. However, these female-led businesses faced disproportionate risks stemming from COVID-19-related policies, exacerbating gendered vulnerabilities. This paper explores the gender gaps of post-pandemic recovery strategies and their implications for resilience, recovery, and sustainability of women-led informal food businesses. Methods: This cross-sectional study was guided by the Intersectionality-Based Policy Analysis (IBPA) framework. In collaboration with the Pamoja Community-Based Organization, we employed qualitative methods grounded in community-based participatory approaches. Data were collected through key informant interviews (n = 20), depth interviews (n = 20), focus group discussions (n = 40), and a review of policy documents (n = 2). Data was analyzed guided by the eight principles of the IBPA framework alongside Braun and Clarke’s six-phased thematic analysis approach. Results: Findings indicated that power dynamics in the formulation of post-pandemic policies and top-down implementation approaches excluded women informal food vendors from meaningfully participating in policy processes. For example, female vendors were excluded from the recovery priorities as the strategies adopted had limited to no targeted gender-responsive interventions. As such, women informal food vendors faced several challenges during recovery, including limited government support, barriers to accessing credit facilities, heightened household and unpaid care work, gender-based violence, sexual exploitation, and insecurity. The female vendors employed both individual agency and collective action to facilitate recovery. Discussion: Gender-responsive COVID-19 policies were critical to addressing the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on women-led informal food businesses. Moving forward, a comprehensive understanding of existing sociocultural inequalities is crucial for designing post-pandemic strategies that are gender-inclusive and promote equitable recovery. Such an approach would enhance women informal food vendors’ resilience to emergencies and their contribution to urban household food security and livelihood. Full article

This study aimed to assess various social–ecological traps of hilsa shad (Tenualosa ilisha) fisheries and to investigate the factors that significantly impact livelihood adaptation strategies during the ban period, based on fieldwork in coastal fishing communities. To collect empirical data, a total of 247 in-depth interviews were conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire along with six focus group discussions, oral history, and ten key informant interviews in the Chattogram and Patuakhali districts of Bangladesh. A conceptual framework derived from a strategy for reducing poverty, known as the Sustainable Livelihood Approach (SLA), is applied to determine the livelihood outcomes of hilsa fishers. The results showed that low income (<5000 BDT/month), high interest in loans from dadondar (lender) (10–12%) and aratdar (lessor of the vessel) (5%), high harvesting costs, an increasing number of hilsa fishermen, and intergenerational traps (81.78%) are creating social–ecological traps (SETs) in the hilsa fishery. The significant factors affecting the choice of adaptation strategies include family members, training facilities, home ownership, and belonging to a formal society. Apart from fighting against some extreme climate events, negative feedback comes from the absence of cold storage facilities, illegal use of fishing nets, frequent ban seasons, ignorance of conservation laws, limited opportunities for alternative occupations, and poor supply of drinking water. Hilsa fishermen in these regions depended on aratdar and dadondar for their financial support, which resulted in lower prices than the prevailing market prices. To escape from the SETs, this study identifies potential alternatives, such as government–community finance schemes, the promotion of alternative livelihoods, opportunities for technical education of their children, improvement of the local framework, and strong cooperation between local stakeholders and management authorities that are necessary to maintain the sustainability of hilsa fisheries. Full article

The sustainability of reservoir resettlement depends on the synergistic development of resettlers’ livelihoods and host regions; however, existing studies lack an integrated analytical framework. Combining the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework with synergistic development theory, this study establishes a dual-system evaluation model comprising the Regional Development Support (RDS) and Resettlers’ Livelihood Development (RLD) indices. Using survey data from 289 households across 10 counties in Zhejiang’s QC Reservoir project, we apply composite weighting, coupling coordination modeling, and spatial analysis to evaluate the levels of synergistic development and examine spatial patterns. The findings reveal that (1) there is significant gradient differentiation in the Synergistic Development Index (SDI), with scores ranging from 0.134 to 0.738; (2) spatial autocorrelation is weak (Moran’s I = −0.089), reflecting industrial heterogeneity; and (3) four distinct coordination types are identified, with employment–industry mismatch and ecological constraints being the primary limiting factors. This study provides a diagnostic framework for assessing resettlement outcomes and offers guidance for formulating differentiated policy interventions. Full article