Ecosystem transformation driven by climatic, environmental and societal factors poses interlinked ecological and social challenges for many Indigenous communities. For Inuvialuit communities in and around the lower Mackenzie Delta, in the western Canadian Arctic, recent changes in the population of beavers (Castor canadensis) have disrupted subsistence harvesting activities and travelling routes, exacerbating stresses linked to the cost of living and increasing the exposure of active harvesters to risk. Drawing on interviews with 25 Inuvialuit knowledge holders from the three communities of Inuvik, Tuktoyaktuk, and Aklavik, we investigated concerns around beaver population change in the western Arctic and the impact of this change on Inuvialuit livelihoods and wellbeing. Beyond the direct impact of beavers, the issues associated with ecosystem transformation pose challenges for Inuvialuit collective identity, the continuity of knowledge and connections to the land. While beaver population change was widely attributed to the local effects of a warming climate, participants also pointed to the effects of social transformations over recent decades. Ecological changes interact with social factors to produce complex and wide-ranging consequences for Indigenous communities.
In community forest management, cooperation is rarely a one-time decision. It depends on whether local actors continue contributing time, labor, and resources year after year. We examine this problem with a system dynamics model that follows changes in trust, reputation, reciprocity, perceived benefits, and free-riding. The model adapts an earlier structure to the case of ejido La Loma, Mexico. The case material guided several modeling decisions, especially the choice of variables and the interpretation of the scenarios. It did not, however, provide enough information for full empirical calibration. The simulations show that trust and reputation may sustain cooperation even as participation declines. Over time, however, the loss of active members can weaken monitoring and place collective action at risk. One result is particularly relevant: a favorable starting point does not guarantee long-term stability. We use the model to think through these possible trajectories, rather than to forecast La Loma”s future.
Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) mainly inhabit fragmented landscapes within their range and frequently clash with humans, rendering subsistence farmers socially vulnerable. However, the extent of this vulnerability in Nepal is not well understood. In this study, we explored the social aspects of human–elephant conflict (HEC) and its impact on subsistence farmers by interviewing 1,060 affected households in Nepal’s Chure Terai Madhesh Landscape. Data were analyzed using the Social Vulnerability Index based on the five capitals of the Sustainable Livelihood Framework. 60
Landscape transformation driven by agribusiness expansion in the Dry Chaco is among the most pressing socio-ecological challenges globally, yet biophysical, ecosystem-service (ES), and sociodemographic dynamics are typically analyzed separately, obscuring how territorial configurations shape landscape change. To address this gap, this study proposes the Socio-Ecological Landscape Context (SELC) framework — a spatially explicit approach that integrates biophysical metrics with sociodemographic variables to define territorial units and interpret how they mediate ES supply over time. We applied it to Santiago del Estero Province in the Argentine Dry Chaco, analyzing landscape transformation (patch count and edge density) and ES supply (a rapid multicriteria assessment assigning potential supply values to land-cover types) over two decades (2000–2020), using satellite imagery (MapBiomas Chaco Collection 4), deforestation records, and census data. Cluster analysis identified six SELCs: First Wave Agroexpansion, Second Wave Agroexpansion, Concentrated Population, Inhabited Dry Forest, Hilly Arid, and Alluvial Plain. Closed woody vegetation declined by 12.6
This study examines out-migration and the prospects for sustainable reverse migration in the hilly regions of Uttarakhand, addressing three objectives: identifying the main drivers of migration, synthesizing reinforcement strategies to reduce distress migration and support return, and linking causes and responses within a human-environment systems perspective. We conducted a scoping review of 68 studies (2010–2025) using a structured screening and synthesis process. Findings show that migration results from interacting economic, infrastructural, geographical, policy, and social pressures rather than a single employment factor, with reinforcing feedback effects such as land abandonment, declining agricultural viability, weakened local services, and heightened human-wildlife conflict that can intensify future migration. The study synthesizes an evidence-graded portfolio of interventions: livelihood diversification, agri-value-chain strengthening, digital access and skills, climate-resilient infrastructure, community-based and eco-tourism, and improved local service delivery and governance support, contributing an integrated conceptual framework linking drivers, feedback loops, and intervention levers for coordinated, place-based mountain-region planning.
The trade and use of wildlife for traditional medicine are widespread in many developing countries and continue to expand. The increasing demand for high-value, endangered animals used in traditional medicine has raised important conservation concerns. In this first nationwide cross-sectional study of its kind in Ghana, we assessed the economic value of wildlife traded for traditional medicine through interviews with 133 vendors in 48 markets and examined its implications for biodiversity conservation. The mean annual sales per vendor were estimated at USD 15,123.6. Based on an estimated 1,074 vendors engaged in the trade of Animal-Based Medicine (ABM) nationwide, the annual economic value of the sector was approximately USD 16.2 million. We found that the vendors' sex, age and religious affiliation were not statistically associated with their annual trade values. However, vendors whose clientele consisted predominantly of females recorded significantly higher annual sales than those serving predominantly male clients (USD 247,852.8 vs. 59,765.6; p-value = 0.004). The most expensive animal parts included endangered species such as lion (Panthera leo), tiger (P. tigris), African savanna elephant (Loxodonta africana), and Home’s hinge-back tortoise (Kinixys homeana). Our findings showed that the ABM trade in Ghana provides employment and income for many actors along the supply chain, and contributes millions of dollars annually to the national economy. These findings highlight the need for stakeholders and policymakers to strengthen collaboration in regulating the harvest and trade of wildlife used in traditional medicine to promote both sustainable livelihoods and biodiversity conservation in Ghana and across sub-Saharan Africa.
Enhancing rural productivity and resilience depends heavily on agricultural extension services, which support farmers in climate-vulnerable regions. This research examines how different farmer characteristics affect access to agricultural information through three channels: individual, group, and mass media. A cross-sectional survey of 820 farm households across the High Barind Tract and the southwest coastal and southeastern hilly regions of Bangladesh used random sampling for data collection. Researchers then analyzed the data with descriptive statistics and Zero-Inflated Negative Binomial (ZINB) and Tobit regression models to identify determinants across the three communication channels. According to the results, human capital (education, experience) and social capital (organizational participation) remain the strongest and most consistent drivers of farmers’ multi-channel access to agricultural extension services. Age negatively influenced engagement, while farming experience enhanced contact. The majority of farmers relied on informal networks, including progressive farmers and neighbors, but showed minimal interaction with official extension agents and digital resources. Older and less-educated participants displayed restricted use of mass media. The study establishes that effective extension strategies require educational development, organizational engagement, and demographic adjustments. The successful delivery of agricultural information requires both formal service expansion and digital literacy education, as well as reinforcement of community-based learning platforms in climate-vulnerable regions.
The debate on institutional pluralism (IP) in relation to natural resources management and people-centred development has become significant in Tanzania and many other developing countries. Mostly, the debates are related to the challenges of balancing conservation goals with people-centred development pathways in natural resources management. The theory of Self-Governance explains how the central government manages resources in community-owned areas. Data were gathered from national- and local-level government, non-governmental, and private-sector institutions relevant to the study, particularly those predominantly involved in natural resources management. The study utilized key informant interviews (KIIs), focus group discussions (FGDs), and household surveys in villages within the Selous-Niassa wildlife corridor (SNWC). The KII and FGD data were analysed using content analysis, and descriptive statistics were computed for the household interview data using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The results indicate that the evolution of institutional pluralism progressed through distinct stages, both before and after independence. During the pre-independence period, indigenous knowledge and practices for managing natural resources were destroyed, giving the colonial government power, even though it did not ensure sustainable management. This remained the same until the 1990s, when decentralization and Community-Based Resource Management were established (1990s - present). Tanzania saw increased recognition of the role of institutional pluralism in natural resource management. However, the increased recognition did not align with the current management status of natural resources in the SNWC, where degradation is accelerating due to increased human development. This paper concludes that natural resource management under institutional pluralism is influenced by communities’ development ambitions. This paper calls for strategies that balance the goals of natural resource management and development and recommends natural recovery measures.
Traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) underpins sustainable pastoralism by guiding livestock mobility, resource management, and climate adaptation. However, in Eastern Anatolia, Türkiye, TEK is increasingly marginalized by socio-economic change and restrictive land-use policies. This study documents the TEK held by mobile pastoralists in Eastern Anatolia, Türkiye, and examines how it informs herd mobility, pasture use, and weather-related decision-making. Ethnographic fieldwork was conducted between February and April 2024 across Diyarbakır and neighboring provinces, involving structured interviews, participatory observations, and focus group discussions with 20 mobile pastoralists. Qualitative and descriptive statistical analyses were used to identify patterns in decision-making related to migration, pasture selection, and weather forecasting. Within this small, purposive sample, pastoralists reported weighing pasture condition (75
Slash-and-burn agriculture in tropical forests is widely debated in the context of net-zero carbon emissions and global warming. In India, approximately two million hill tribes practice slash-and-burn agriculture, locally called jhumming, across 11 million hectares, with a high concentration in Northeast India. The present study aims to assess climatic risk perception in jhumming in Northeast India, examine livelihood diversification and labor migration as part of livelihood strategies, and finally propose policy measures to address the crisis. This is a case study based on a field investigation of 352 tribal households in Manipur, one of the Northeast Indian states where jhumming is predominant. The study finds that soil erosion, declining soil fertility, monsoon vagaries, and summer temperatures are the predominant perceived risks in cultivation. There are also non-ecological issues, such as market inaccessibility and infrastructure deficits. Approximately 72
The mollusks caught by coastal fishing were analyzed as a resource, as well as the socioeconomic condition of the fishermen involved in this activity, who are members of the fishing cooperatives of the Costa Grande of the state of Guerrero. The objectives were to be acquainted with the list of species fished for human consumption, determine those of greatest economic importance, analyze the socioeconomic characteristics of the fishermen, and determine the current state of the mollusk resource based on the fishermen’s perception. The specimens were acquired from landing zones and restaurants, and a total of 27 surveys were conducted with fishermen, members of fishing cooperatives in the region. A total of 24 species of mollusks were identified; 10 were the target species for fishing, and seven species were not economically profitable for fishermen. Striostrea prismatica, Trochita trochiformis, and Hexaplex princeps generate more income annually. Five species have been excluded from the list of catches: Megapitaria squalida, Periglypta multicostata, Pinctada mazatlanica, Malea ringens, and the giant limpet Scutellastra mexicana. There was no evidence of generational replacement in the fishing activity. The fishermen’s income is sufficient to cover their basic needs and those of their families. The current regulations are insufficient. There is an urgent need to carry out technical-scientific and biological research to provide relevant information that can be used to implement measures for the appropriate use and regulation of mollusk fisheries in the region.
Recent literature acknowledges the significance of women’s empowerment in the global agenda for environmental sustainability. While the role of information and communication technology has been acknowledged, only a few studies have examined the relevance and peculiarities of electronic government (e-government) in combating environmental degradation in developing economies. In addition, the role of e-government in the women empowerment-environmental sustainability nexus has not been explored. This study examines the role of electronic government (e-government) in the relationship between women’s empowerment and a sustainable environment across a panel of 31 African countries from 2003 to 2022. Environmental sustainability is proxied by ecological footprint, while women’s empowerment is proxied by women’s political empowerment and the female labour participation rate. The results, based on the system generalised method of moments, pooled ordinary least squares based on Driscoll and Kraay, and panel quantile regression via moments, show that women’s empowerment reduces ecological footprints, while e-government strengthens and complements women’s empowerment to sustain environmental quality in Africa. This result underscores the significance of women’s empowerment in protecting the environment. Hence, policies to enhance the empowerment and participation of women in all spheres of life should be vigorously pursued in the region, while e-government applications serve as an important policy instrument to transition to a safer and more conducive environment.
The debate surrounding the ethical nature of the African environmental worldview remains inconclusive, with some scholars arguing that it is primarily eco-centric, while others claim that it is largely anthropocentric. Using the case study of Abanyom’s preservation of sacred forests and rivers, we revisited this debate by exploring the taboos and rituals associated with these sacred sites as well as the motivations for their preservation. The study conducted in-depth interviews with 15 community members (comprising traditional leaders, clan heads and chief priests) and analysed the data thematically. The findings reveal that the Abanyom community’s environmental worldview cannot be strictly classified as either eco-centric or anthropocentric. Instead, the worldview is best categorised under the relational value framework, an “in-between” category that incorporates elements from both perspectives. The study recommends utilising the relational value framework in future research on African relationships with nature and in formulating environmental sustainability policies on the continent.
Tourism significantly contributes to the livelihoods of host communities, influencing their social, environmental, and economic development. However, residents’ diverse demographics and attitudes often shape their perceptions of tourism, affecting the level of support or opposition within these communities. Such demographic factors may influence how individuals perceive tourism’s benefits and drawbacks, leading to regional variations in engagement. This study examined the relationship between sociodemographic factors, New Silk Road (NSR) infrastructure, community well-being, and tourism sustainability in destination areas. Specifically, it analysed correlations among NSR infrastructure, demographic variables, tourism impact (TI), quality of life (QOL), place image (PI), and support for tourism development (STD). Data were collected during the NSR infrastructure project in Turkistan, Kazakhstan. The findings indicated that 24 of 28 relationships between variables were statistically significant, demonstrating strong associations. Additionally, post-hoc analysis revealed significant differences in satisfaction with non-material aspects of life—affected by respondents’ income, occupation, and parental status—providing valuable insights for policymakers to develop targeted strategies.
This study examines how Tswana cosmology and sacred beliefs shaped the spatial organization, social structure, and geography of traditional settlements, focusing on the Setswana kgotla as the central sociopolitical, ritual, and spiritual space. Although the kgotla has undergone substantial functional and physical transformation through colonization, modernization, and contemporary planning, its historical development provides important insight into the principles underlying Tswana settlement planning. Using an interpretive qualitative approach based on historical documents, classic ethnographic literature, comparative spatial analysis, field observations, and oral accounts from six historically significant Tswana villages in Botswana—Kanye, Mochudi, Molepolole, Maun, Serowe, and Ramotswa—this study investigates the sacred and social principles governing settlement organization, including the location of the kgosi’s ward, the centrality of the kgotla, geographic setting, cardinal orientation, hierarchical ward structure, spatial configuration, and threshold treatments. The findings show that traditional Tswana settlements were shaped not only by practical and defensive needs but also by a cosmological order in which authority, ancestry, community, environmental relationships, and protection were expressed through space. Rather than serving solely as a traditional court, the kgotla functioned as the symbolic center where the moral, political, and sacred dimensions of Tswana society converged. The study argues that Tswana spatial organization is best understood as a dynamic system shaped by cosmology, environmental knowledge, and historical change rather than as a fixed symbolic structure. It further demonstrates that precolonial Tswana settlement planning embodied an Indigenous system of spatial knowledge rooted in concepts of hierarchy, enclosure, ecology, and social affiliation. Reconsidering the cosmological foundations of the kgotla therefore provides valuable insights into Indigenous settlement planning and contributes to broader discussions of culturally grounded, context-responsive approaches to spatial organization.
By facilitating cooperation, the multi-household management pattern (MHMP) enables some household members to engage in non-agricultural employment and is often assumed to enhance production efficiency. However, empirical evidence on its actual efficiency effects remains limited. Drawing on survey data from 156 herder households in Maqu County on the QTP collected between November 2021 and March 2022, this study applies an output-oriented Data Envelopment Analysis combined with Tobit regression to examine the impact of MHMP on production efficiency. The results show that participation in MHMP is associated with lower production efficiency. Labor reallocation from animal husbandry to non-agricultural activities explains this negative relationship. Moreover, strong kinship ties intensify the efficiency loss, as households embedded in close kinship networks tend to adopt more lenient norms regarding effort. While kinship-based cooperation facilitates collective action, it simultaneously reinforces relational norms that weaken performance-oriented incentives. These findings highlight a critical trade-off between social cohesion and production efficiency in collective pasture management.
Women’s participation in agricultural and livestock systems extends well beyond domestic responsibilities and encompasses productive activities as well as, in some cases, technical and managerial roles in farm operations. Despite their critical contributions, limited attention has been paid to women’s perceptions of how new technologies reduce their workload. This study used field visits and participatory workshops with women and men dairy farmers participating in the Rutas PDET Program in Puerto Rico, Caquetá, Colombia. The program seeks to improve livestock systems through the adoption of sustainable production and conservation technologies. The findings indicate that women perform most daily productive and domestic tasks. This pattern is closely associated with the prolonged absence of male spouses, who often work on nearby farms and, in some cases, return home only at night. Although the sustainable technologies promoted by the program have reduced some aspects of women’s workload, participants emphasized the continuing need for greater support from other household members. They also reported that their rest time remained disproportionately limited relative to the intensity of their working days. These findings highlight the importance of combining technological innovation with stronger household cooperation to reduce women’s labor burdens and promote more equitable and sustainable dairy systems.
Floods disrupt food and nutrition security by affecting food availability, accessibility, utilization, and stability. This study examined the effects of flooding on household food accessibility, availability, and stability, and identified coping and adaptation strategies used by households in Hamakuya Village, Thulamela Local Municipality, Limpopo Province, South Africa. A cross-sectional mixed-methods design was employed. Rainfall and flood patterns (2020–2023) were assessed using South African Weather Service data from the Punda Maria station. Quantitative data were collected from 407 households through interviewer-administered questionnaires, while qualitative data were obtained from four focus group discussions (28 participants) and six in-depth interviews. Quantitative data were analysed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS, and qualitative data were analysed thematically. Participants reported major flooding events in 2020/2021 and 2023, which caused crop destruction and damage to transport infrastructure. These disruptions reduced food production, limited market access, and constrained household purchasing power. In 2023, 66.3
