Fruit tree agrobiodiversity is critical for smallholder livelihoods and resilience in countries of the Global South, yet it is threatened by complex socio-economic and environmental pressures. Understanding the spatial drivers of this diversity is fundamental for targeted conservation. This study provides the first spatial-econometric analysis of fruit tree diversity in Lebanon and the region, combining field-based surveys of 112 farming households across six villages in three agroecological zones (AEZs) with a Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) model. We assessed how tree diversity (Simpson's Index) is influenced by a suite of socio-economic and environmental factors. Our results reveal significant spatial heterogeneity in diversity patterns. The GWR model identified land tenure, farm size, and income as the most powerful determinants. We found that increased private land ownership and larger farm sizes were predominantly but variably associated with lower fruit tree diversity, indicating a shift towards commercial monocultures driven by urbanization. This suggests that while fruit tree cultivation is expanding, it is reducing overall agrobiodiversity. The study demonstrates that the preservation of agrobiodiversity need to address the socio-economic realities of smallholder farmers. Our findings provide an exploratory spatial framework to inform policies that support both farmer livelihoods and the preservation of genetic resources in changing agricultural landscapes.

Foliar inputs from indigenous agroforestry tree/shrub provide organic matter and nutrients to sustain crop production in the West African Sahelian region. This study aims at monitoring the decomposition and nutrients release of leafy biomass of selected agroforestry tree and shrub species. In Mali and Burkina Faso, fresh leaves were collected from leguminous trees (Faidherbia albida (Delile) A. Chev., Pterocarpus lucens Lepr.) and non-leguminous trees (Vitellaria paradoxa C.F. Gaertn., Khaya senegalensis (Desr.) A. Juss.) and in Senegal, fresh leaves were obtained from leguminous trees (Faidherbia albida (Delile) A. Chev., Pterocarpus lucens Lepr. and Piliostigma reticulatum (DC.) Hochst.) and the non-leguminous tree Guiera senegalensis J.F. Gmel. The leaf samples collected during the dry and rainy seasons were deployed for decomposition and nutrient release experiments using the litter bag technique. Average decomposition rate for this study was 0.23 k week− 1 whereby the rate of decomposition was 155

Little is known about land use and land cover (LULC) changes in the semi-arid pastoral landscapes of Nurota, Uzbekistan (1968-2023). Through object-based and SVM classification methods, we mapped seven main LULC classes using a combination of CORONA and Landsat imagery and identified distinct spatiotemporal patterns across five points in time (1968, 1987, 2000, 2010, 2023). Results show a significant reduction in productive pastures, expansion of marginal rainfed cultivation, and increased land abandonment in lowland and highland areas. The formation of Lake Aydarkul, resulting from Soviet-era agricultural policies and hydrologic mismanagement of the Aral Sea basin, became a key factor in landscape changes, flooding large lowland grazing areas prompted herders to adopt alternative livelihoods such as fishing and gold panning. These biophysical shifts are aggravated by institutional fragmentation following the dissolution of Soviet-era collective management. Using the Qizilcha Karakul Breeding farm (a former ‘sovkhoz’) as a case study, we apply a suite of ecological and socioeconomic indicators, including landscape metrics, drought indices (SPEI), and proximity measures to investigate how dispersed governance, weak policy enforcement, and climate variability have intensified LULC changes, pastureland fragmentation, and socioeconomic vulnerability. While policy reforms and donor-supported initiatives aim to modernise livestock practices and restore pastures, gaps in implementation remain. The findings underline the importance of adaptive, locally integrated land use strategies that address environmental and institutional weaknesses to promote sustainable pastoral livelihoods in Uzbekistan’s drylands.

Despite growing knowledge on informal e-waste economies in the Global South, thorough understanding is lacking of how power structures operate across different urban contexts and what this means for livelihood sustainability. Drawing on dyadic power theory and political ecology, this study examines informal governance in two contrasting e-waste communities in Ghana's Greater Accra Region: Sodom-Agbogbloshie and Ashaiman. A mixed-methods analysis involving 325 structured interviews, focus group discussions, and in-depth interviews, reveals two key insights. First, power asymmetries manifest differently depending on spatial configurations: Agbogbloshie's residential-commercial overlap produces community-centered, oligarchic leadership marked by intense tribal-political conflicts (95% report power struggles), while Ashaiman's commuter-based workforce generates market-driven, distributed authority with relatively stable trader networks (27% report struggles). Second, these governance structures shape livelihood outcomes distinctly: Agbogbloshie's conflicts simultaneously undermine collective action yet foster adaptation and resilience, whereas Ashaiman's market competition enables operational efficiency but concentrates vulnerability among marginal actors. Regression analyses confirm that site-level governance structures, rather than individual characteristics, predict power struggle experiences and livelihood effects. The study advances conceptual understanding of "rurban governance" by showing how informal authority emerges at the intersection of tribal affiliations, demolition-driven displacement, and value chain financing. We argue for context-sensitive policies that engage with - rather than bypass - informal power structures as avenues of potential governance innovation.

Abstract For centuries, apricots (Prunus armeniaca L.) were used as a staple food in Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B), northern Pakistan where their high nutritional and medicinal value is still highly appreciated by many inhabitants. Here, many locally recognized landraces (referring to mainly undescribed varieties or cultivars) of apricot are available of which some are at risk of extinction, because of current human preferences replacing landraces by modern cultivars and other crop species. To assess the distribution, diversity, management and use of apricots in G-B, we made use of the region’s unique topography by employing the so-called ‘Dead-end valley sampling’ approach. It allowed to test the influence of market distance on morphological parameter classes. In 2021 and 2022, landrace richness, quantitative and qualitative morphological characteristics, and genetic diversity were investigated in 240 samples of several valleys. By employing 12 SSR markers we elaborated the identification of homonyms and synonyms of landraces. In addition, a total of 52 households from five valleys with three villages each as well as employees of two arboricultural research centres of Gilgit and Baltistan were interviewed. Among the sampled landraces, 120 different landraces were distinguished by farmers of which Halman, Habi, Karfo chuli and Shikanda were most frequent. The highest Simpson index (0.96) was found in Ishkoman, the most western valley studied. The high average genetic diversity (He = 0.729) across three identified genetic clusters was supported by high excess of heterozygotes, indicated by negative inbreeding coefficients. Across-valley β-diversity was 0.737. Correlation between phenotypic and genetic dendrograms was moderate (r = 0.45, p = 0.001) indicating genetically linked fruit traits, warranting further investigation. Due to its considerable genetic and phenotypic diversity, Gilgit-Baltistan constitutes an important reservoir of apricot germplasm for future breeding programs. Promoting local landraces—potentially even recognized as distinct varieties—could help farmers diversify production and income sources while preserving the region’s historically significant bio-cultural heritage. To realize this potential, conservation and management measures combined with stakeholder-driven research, and controlled breeding initiatives for effective monitoring will be essential.

ABSTRACT Little is known about the complex power and governance dynamics within e‐waste hubs in the Global South. Taking the example of Sodom‐Agbogbloshie, Mortuary‐road, Ashaiman and Ashaiman New Town in Ghana's capital Accra, we explore their role as catalysts for sustainable rurbanity—a concept that blends urban and rural characteristics within an informal economy. Ghana, home to some of Africa's largest informal e‐waste dumpsites, presents a typical case where e‐waste processing, traditional herding and related economic activities converge, creating a vibrant yet challenging landscape for urban informal actors. Our research utilises the assemblage theory to analyse the interconnectedness and interdependencies of various economic practices, social networks and environmental factors. Employing a mixed methods approach, data were collected through stratified random sampling, resulting in a total of 420 respondents across the four locations. Non‐parametric statistical tests, including Kruskal–Wallis, Dunn's post hoc tests, Wilcoxon signed‐rank tests and chi‐squared tests, were used to assess the economic, social and environmental dynamics of the four e‐waste hubs. Key findings highlight diverse demographics, the adaptability of economic activities, site‐specific resilience to economic outcomes and the motivations driving engagement in the informal sector. We also identify major challenges, including health risks, environmental footprints, and socio‐economic instability, and outline pathways to sustainable rurbanity. The pathways comprise integrating local endowments, improving connectivity, promoting diverse livelihoods, and establishing supportive institutions. Leveraging the unique rurban characteristics, this study provides a blueprint for transforming informal economies into more resilient and thriving communities, capable of withstanding urbanisation pressures while preserving their local identity and socio‐economic fabric.

Little is known about land use and land cover (LULC) changes in the semi-arid agro-pastoral landscapes of Nurota, Uzbekistan (1968–2023). Using object-based and SVM classification methods, we mapped seven main LULC classes using a combination of CORONA and Landsat imagery and identified distinct spatiotemporal patterns across five points in time (1968, 1987, 2000, 2010, 2023). Results show a significant reduction in productive pastures, expansion of marginal rainfed cultivation, and increased land abandonment in lowland and highland areas. The formation of Lake Aydarkul, resulting from Soviet-era agricultural policies and hydrologic mismanagement of the Aral Sea basin, became a key factor in landscape changes. It flooded large lowland grazing areas prompting herders to adopt alternative livelihoods such as fishing and gold panning. The consequences of these biophysical shifts are aggravated by institutional fragmentation following the dissolution of Soviet-era collective management. Using the Qizilcha Karakul Breeding farm as a case study, we apply a set of ecological and socioeconomic indicators, including landscape metrics, drought indices (SPEI), and proximity measures to investigate how dispersed governance, weak policy enforcement, and climate variability have intensified LULC changes, pastureland fragmentation, and socioeconomic vulnerability. While policy reforms and donor-supported initiatives aim to modernise livestock practices and restore pastures, gaps in implementation remain. The findings underline the importance of adaptive, locally integrated land use strategies that address environmental and institutional weaknesses to promote sustainable pastoral livelihoods in Uzbekistan’s drylands.

Rapid urbanization and population growth in West Africa are intensifying pressure on natural resources and reconfiguring telecoupled supply chains, especially for essential household fuels like charcoal and firewood, here collectively referred to as woodfuel, that link urban consumers to distant production landscapes. However, these cross-regional linkages remain poorly understood. This study, therefore, investigates how urban dynamics structure telecoupled woodfuel flows in Benin, based on quantitative and qualitative surveys of roadside charcoal and firewood traders along the country's major long-distance roads RNIE#2 and RNIE#3. Collected data included sources, destinations, quantities, pricing, and organizational aspects, combined into a system analysis of fuelwood trading across sending, receiving, and corridor (spillover) areas. Results show consumers growing reliance on charcoal, which in our study amounted to 35,770 t year-1 (97% of the total surveyed flow) to urban areas. Roadside trading depends heavily on connectivity, traffic, and regional trade links, with RNIE#2 emerging as the main corridor, channeling 30,960 t year-1 (84% of the total surveyed flow). Contrary to assumptions that woodfuel sources reflect vegetation density, distances to reported sources were short, with supply shadows averaging 11.3 km (SD = 14.5). Urban demand shapes woodfuel flows by concentrating most trade in major cities-especially the Cotonou-Porto-Novo area, which received 83% (28,770 t year-1) of charcoal and 84% (850 t year-1) of firewood traded along the surveyed flow axes of Benin, with market reach distances varying between 1 and 390 km.

Sand, shaping both natural waterways and urban infrastructure, has recently seen a major surge in extraction, particularly in rapidly urbanizing regions like West Africa. To assess the organization, quantification, and socio-ecological implications of sand mining around Mali's capital Bamako, we employed a mixed methods approach including structured and unstructured interviews, truck counts, turbidity analyses, and river depth measurements. Our study identified five artisanal systems for mining sand and gravel from the Niger River, using tied-up pirogues, single pirogues, carts, tractors, and trucks. Recent increases in extracted quantities, workforce size, and sand prices were observed, resulting in an estimated annual extraction of 4.86 million m3 in 2022, mainly sourced from upstream of Bamako. With extraction rates surpassing natural replenishment, the riverbed in the study communities of Gouni and Usine Toch has reportedly lowered by 1.4 m and 1.8 m during the last 50 years. Mining activities are highly informal, characterized by self-organization, low and irregular salaries, and unsafe working conditions, particularly for women. Economically, sand mining activities have created symbiotic relationships rather than conflicts with local farming, fishing and other livelihoods. Sand mining operations did not significantly affect the Niger River's water turbidity, which varied primarily with seasonal rainfall fluctuations. Recent developments suggest that mining activities are accelerating, with mechanized practices likely to replace current artisanal methods and underlying social structures.

The heavily strained water resources in Bengaluru, India, as a result of rapid urban expansion are increasingly at risk of overexploitation and pollution due to intensified agriculture practices, such as increased nitrogen (N) use and irrigation. In recent years, thermal cameras mounted on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have proven useful in detecting crop water stress and managing irrigation. However, the use of these cameras in managing N fertilization in the subtropics has been understudied. We employed this technology in two agricultural field experiments in Bengaluru to study the effects of N fertilization on canopy temperatures of maize, finger millet, and lablab, and their correlations with Leaf Chlorophyll Content (LCC), and soil temperature. The results showed that the effect of N was more pronounced at the rainfed experimental site, where the soil is highly acidic and porosity is low. At this site, N significantly affected the canopy temperature of maize and finger millet, particularly under sunny conditions (p = 0.000245), resulting in plots receiving higher nitrogen dosages showing canopies with 2.1 degrees C and 1.3 degrees C cooler temperatures, respectively. Lower temperatures with higher N application were also observed in the irrigated experiment (p value = 0.118), albeit only under sunny conditions. Additionally, canopy temperatures and LCC significantly correlated for maize (R = -0.68, p = 0.015) in the rainfed experiment and millet (R = -0.7, p = 0.011) in the irrigated experiment. However, the correlation of LCC with NDVI was stronger on both sites. Canopy and soil temperatures correlated significantly only when analysed without considering crop species. The use of thermal cameras, equipped with uncooled microbolometers, is accompanied by the dilemma of temperature drift, which affect measurement accuracy. We introduced a drift correction process, which effectively reduced drift by up to 45%, and decreased the drift standard deviation to less than 1 degrees C, that resulted in homogeneous thermal maps suitable for robust statistical analysis. In my submission i added keywords, are they going to be included in the publication ??

While traditional materials like clay-based adobe bricks are common in Burkina Faso, rapid urbanization in its capital, Ouagadougou, has driven a shift to more durable construction materials. The city’s demand for aggregates - sand, gravel, and crushed stone - is met by several mechanized and artisanal quarries. To assess the scope and processes of these extraction systems as well as the socio-economic and environmental implications of two artisanal granite quarries (Pissy and Yagma) in Ouagadougou, we employed a mixed-methods approach, including truck counts, aerial imagery for 3D volume estimation, interviews, and air quality measurements. Our findings indicate that sand is predominantly sourced from south of Ouagadougou, with transport distances reaching up to 165 km and an extrapolated annual extraction volume of 1.8 million m3, which is relatively low compared to the high urbanization rates and greater volumes extracted in neighboring countries. The 3D model of the Pissy quarry revealed significant terrain alterations and detailed granite extraction data, totaling nearly 450,000 m3. Granite quarrying, predominantly carried out by Burkinabe women with limited education, involves cracking, transporting, and crushing rocks. The artisanal quarries displayed a high level of informality, characterized by lack of regulatory compliance, absence of worker contracts and legal protection, manual and small-scale operations, hazardous working conditions, and economic vulnerability and instability. Air pollution varied, with Pissy exhibiting significantly elevated levels of particulate matter. Policy decisions on the future of these quarries should consider health standards as well as the workers’ realities and alternative granite sources.

Traditional agricultural activities and rural livelihoods in Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains are rapidly changing. This is triggered by increasing rural-urban interactions and new livelihood opportunities in cities. A typical example is the oasis of Tizi N’Oucheg in the country’s High Atlas Mountains, which over centuries was largely self-sufficient in food grain and livestock production. Improved infrastructure and better connections to distant urban centers have caused declining livelihood reliance on agricultural activities and enhanced dependence on remittances and the tourism sector in the region. Based on the case of Tizi N’Oucheg, this study aims at assessing the socio-economic and ecological implications of rural-urban transformation for ancient oasis systems in Morocco. Surveys on agricultural practices, census, and meteorological data were combined with GIS (Geographical Information System) -based analyses to examine land use and cropping pattern changes of 625 fields from 1967 to 2022. For the GIS analyses, historical aerial images, multispectral satellite images, and drone-based surveys were used to generate manually classified agricultural fields and NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) time series. Our results show a major decline in cultivated land from 13 ha to 6.8 ha over the past 50 years accompanied by an expansion of modern infrastructure since the 2000s. Land management has shifted from labor-intensive multiple cropping and natural fertilization to monocropping of barley for local livestock feeding and increased application of mineral fertilization. The challenging geography of the oasis increased the hardship of practicing traditional agriculture, and therefore largely determines the response of the community to rural-urban transformation. Our data also highlight the increased financial dependence of rural populations on urban centers and the demise of traditional, sustainable agriculture in Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains if policies on agricultural development are not adapted to rural circumstances.

West Africa's rapid urbanization is challenging natural resource governance of its far distant rural hinterlands. This becomes visible in remote oases at the fringe of the Sahara Desert in northern Niger, which have gained access to food markets of growing coastal cities. Farmers have shifted from subsistence-oriented to large scale market production for urban consumers. However, the expansion and intensification of agricultural land use is heavily constrained by the availability of fertile land and quality irrigation water. The oasis of Timia in the Air Mountains of northern Niger is a regionally exceptional example for sustainable agricultural intensification meeting market demands and fulfilling subsistence needs. Our study investigates Timia as a model for the successful adaptation of rural hinterlands to an urbanizing world through the effective governance of common natural resources. We combined GIS-based land use change and above ground water flow analyzes with agricultural production records, 98 surveys with oasis farmers, GPS tracks of pastoral activities, and well measurements. The results indicate agricultural land intensification in the oasis through agroforestry systems, with the addition of 12,000 citrus fruit trees between 1980 and 2023. Local social-ecological constraints limit land expansion and groundwater exploitation. The example shows that sustainable rural transformation and the creation of new livelihood opportunities may benefit from diversified crop-livestock production and niche market farming of high-value products. Social consensus appears to be a key prerequisite for fostering efficient, decentralized and community-led management of scarce natural resources. Investments in autonomous communities, knowledge building, access to infrastructure and technology minimize the need for policy interventions from central government bodies for sustainable development.

Little is known about the complex interactions between e-waste recycling and livestock activities in 'Sodom-Agbogbloshie', Ghana, one of the world's largest e-waste processing complexes. We examined soil, air, and livestock milk samples across different functional zones of the e-waste scrapyard to assess contamination patterns and their implications for ecological and human health. Analysis revealed severe heavy metal contamination with soil concentrations in burning areas reaching 17.6 g Cu kg-1 and 6.6 g Pb kg-1, far exceeding FAO thresholds. Air quality measurements demonstrated significant temporal variations, with PM2.5 levels in herding areas reaching 496 mu g m-3 , 33 times above WHO guidelines. Livestock milk analysis showed significant heavy metal contaminations, with 41 mg Zn L-1 in cattle, 44 mg L-1, in goats, and 28 mg L-1 in sheep exceeding WHO/ FAO thresholds. Dioxins (PCDD/F) and PCB concentrations in milk from burning areas reached 32 pg WHO-TEQ g-1 fat, substantially exceeding global safety standards. This indicates severe risks of contamination transfer through the food chain particularly for children, with hazard indices 8.3 times higher than for adults. The study highlights the urgent need for integrated intervention strategies addressing income opportunities, personal and public health concerns, and environmental contamination in this unique landscape with amalgamating urban and rural characteristics.

Worldwide agriculture operates under the threefold challenge of adapting to climate change and mitigating its effects while aiming for sustainable agricultural intensification to meet the food demands of a growing population. Conservation agriculture (CA), a combination of reduced tillage, diversified crop rotations, and mulching, claims to target all three challenges at the same time. However, major knowledge gaps regarding CA’s mitigation potential remain. This study used a mobile, closed chamber system to determine soilborne, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from rainfed, farmer-managed CA- and conventional agriculture (CONV), in northern Zimbabwe. Measurements were carried out in locations of contrasting soil fertility (Arenosols and Luvisols) and under contrasting environmental conditions (cold-dry, cold-moist, warm-dry, warm-moist). Additionally, a horizon-specific soil fractionation with consecutive soil carbon and nitrogen quantification was conducted. The GHG emissions from a total of 8 farms depended on soil temperature and moisture and tended to be higher in CONV fields, although differences were statistically not significant. Field emissions were highest under warm-moist conditions, which are prevailing for large parts of the growing season. Mean carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions from Luvisols were 3.0% lower in CA fields (583 mg CO 2 m 2 h −1 ) than under CONV (601 mg CO 2 m 2 h −1 ), respectively 7.6% lower in CA fields (464 mg CO 2 m 2 h −1 ) than under CONV (502 mg CO 2 m 2 h −1 ) in Arenosols. Conservation agriculture reduced mean nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emissions by 17.5% from 0.27 mg N 2 O m 2 h −1 (CONV) to 0.23 mg N 2 O m 2 h −1 (CA) in Luvisols and by 54.7% from 1.16 mg N 2 O m 2 h −1 (CONV) to 0.53 mg N 2 O m 2 h −1 (CA) in Arenosols. The upper soil horizons of Luvisols had higher concentrations of particulate- and mineral-associated organic matter compared with Arenosols and lower soil horizons but no differences were noted between management systems. Our data indicate that the mitigation effects of CA are highly site-specific and that CA management practices can have unexpected negative effects on GHG fluxes. The unimodal rainfall distribution with a long dry winter period of 7 months and recurrent dry spells in northern Zimbabwe may prevent a net carbon sequestration under CA management that would have occurred in the humid tropics.

West Africa’s land and food systems are increasingly reshaped by the effects of urbanization and trade liberalization. This study aims at quantifying changes in food production and consumption patterns along selected rural-urban transects in Niger and Ghana over the past 20 years. Remote sensing analyses of cropland changes were combined with data on food flows and household surveys. Our findings indicate that rapid urban growth and rural market integration in West Africa are driving distinct, location-specific transformations. Niger’s land and food systems are increasingly linked to major West African coastal cities through growing intra-regional trade. This is leading to the expansion of cropland and rising consumption of imported products. In rural and peri-urban Accra, Ghana, the ongoing conversion of cropland to built-up areas is challenging food access and security. To enhance food system resilience, multidirectional dependencies between cities and their nearby and distant rural hinterlands must be recognized and addressed.

Granite quarrying, a cornerstone of the construction industry in South India, yields significant economic benefits but poses substantial environmental and social challenges, including land degradation, dust pollution, alternation of the water regime, and harsh working conditions. Rapid urban expansion has escalated granite demand in many countries, intensifying quarrying activities. This trend is particularly pronounced in Bengaluru, India, where rural-urban transformation causes concerns about environmental sustainability and social-ecological consequences of urban resource mining. This study proposes an innovative multi-modal framework to monitor granite quarrying in Bengaluru by combining deep learning with a 2024 dry-season multi-date Sentinel-2 composite for quarry segmentation and UAV SfM-MVS photogrammetry for volumetrics. We benchmark five CNN architectures—U-Net, PSPNet, DeepLabV3 + , FCN, and EMANet. In-area development results peaked with DeepLabV3+ (F1 ≈ 94.6%, IoU ≈ 89.7%), while an external, geographically independent audit established PSPNet as the most robust model (F1 = 93.4% [95% CI 90.8–95.9], IoU = 87.6%) with significantly fewer errors than alternatives (McNemar tests, FDR-adjusted p < 0.001). Applying the best model across the region yielded 252 candidates; 227 quarries were confirmed via field checks and sub-meter imagery, spanning 740 hectares. UAV photogrammetry at the Prasannacharipalya site (0.046 m grid; LoD95 masking), yielded a combined lowering volume of 9 280 051 m³ (acceptance area 97.2%; 95% CI ± 17 864 m³, 0.19%). The satellite-to-UAV pipeline enabled automated, scalable quarry footprint mapping with site-level volumetric quantification, offering actionable evidence for environmental management and oversight of quarrying in the quickly-urbanizing study region.

Population growth, urbanization, improved infrastructure, and climate change are reshaping land use systems worldwide, creating spatial trade-offs between economic development, ecosystem services, and cultural heritage. In Ladakh, Himalayan India, mass tourism and recent political changes have triggered a particularly rapid transition from traditional subsistence farming to market-oriented production, raising concerns about the sustainability of changing land management practices, cultural identity, and growing dependence on external inputs. To disentangle these concerns, we investigated land use changes, development patterns, and socio-economic drivers over the past 40 years. To this end we merged Landsat-based remote sensing data with household surveys in two contrasting, urbanizing regions—the Union Territory’s capital Leh and its more remote, third largest town of Diskit. Spatially explicit land cover maps for three periods of the 1970s, the 2000s, and the 2020s revealed an eightfold increase in residential area in Leh, with 41.7% of agricultural land converted to urban use, compared to a twofold increase and only 1.7% farmland loss in Diskit. Expansion of urban land use in Leh occurred in all directions across multiple land use types, while in Diskit, it remained localized to previously unused land. Survey data on socio-economic parameters showed a production shift toward goods demanded by tourism and the military, the latter being linked to border tensions with China and Pakistan. The divergent dynamics highlight the need for integrated spatial planning and scenario analysis to balance globalization-driven development with the conservation of cultural landscapes and ecosystem services. We recommend ecotourism-based strategies as an optimized pathway toward sustainable and multifunctional land systems in mountain regions.