Indicators for sustainable land management based on farmer surveys in Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand

There is an increasing need for spatial framework reforms to support land administration and management systems in developing countries such as Nigeria. This paper explores the problems and prospects of land management digitization in Nigeria, emphasizing the importance of improved infrastructure, legislative changes and heightened public participation. Using secondary data and case studies, this article presents the current trend in the digitization of land administration in Nigeria by analyzing the challenges and evaluating successful case studies in developed and developing countries. Lessons from Rwanda, India, Sweden, Ghana, Estonia, and Singapore on land management digitization demonstrate the transformative impact of technology, strong political will, and institutional reform. The study further asserts that to achieve best practices in land management systems, sustainable land administration and management are required. The research findings indicate that Nigeria has the potential to establish a transparent, secure and sustainable digital land management system that aligns with international best practices. This can be achieved by implementing the policy recommendations outlined in this paper, which include capacity building, investments in infrastructure, and necessary legal reforms. These reforms have the potential to facilitate transformation and foster collaboration among essential stakeholders in the land management sector, thereby enhancing overall efficiency and productivity.

Global achievements in sustainable land management

The concept of sustainability shows many facets. Ecologists, environmentalists, agronomists, sociologists, economists and politicians use it with different connotations. In addition, the sustainability of land management systems varies in space, according to climate, soil, technology and societal conditions. Sustainable farming systems vary also in time, as they evolve and may collapse, frequently together with the corresponding sociosystems. Because of its complexity, sustainability is difficult to measure directly and requires the use of appropriate indicators for assessment. A good indicator is free of bias, sensitive to temporal changes and spatial variability, predictive and referenced to threshold values. Relevant data are often incomplete or inadequate for indicator implementation. To embrace the whole width of sustainability, several methods and techniques should be used concurrently, including land evaluation and coevolutionary, retrospective and knowledge-based approaches. It is, however, at the application level that major constraints arise. A sustainable land management system must satisfy a large variety of requirements, including technological feasibility, economic viability, political desirability, administrative manageability, social acceptability, and environmental soundness. Real world conditions at farm and policy-making levels need to be substantially improved to achieve sustainable land management. Key words: Definition, assessment and implementation issues of sustainable land management

This study was conducted with the objective of determining the returns to sustainable land management (SLM) at the national level in Bhutan. The study first uses satellite data on land change (Landsat) to examine land use change in 1990–2010 and its impact on sediment loading in hydroelectric power plants. The study then uses the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model to analyze the impact of land use change and land management on sediment loading. The results from the land use change and SWAT analyses are used to assess the economic benefits of SLM. We estimate the benefits and costs of SLM practices and compare them with the land-degrading practices that are most prevalent in Bhutan—that is, business as usual. An analysis of the drivers of adoption of SLM practices is also done to draw conclusions about strategies that Bhutan could use to enhance adoption of SLM practices. The land cover change results show that the vast majority of forested areas remained as such between 1994 and 2010. SWAT results show that with long-term SLM practices such as contouring, increased forested cover and density, terracing, and other SLM practices, soil erosion from forested area could be reduced by 50 %. Analysis of returns to SLM practices showed that citrus orchards are the most profitable enterprises in 13 of the 20 districts (dzongkhag), but they require farmers to wait for at least six years before the first harvest. Improved pasture management is the second most profitable enterprise—underscoring the potential role it can play to meet the growing demand for livestock products as household incomes increase. Returns to community forest management are low but profitable at a 10 % discount rate. Considering the drivers of SLM adoption, our research shows an inverse relationship between returns to land management and their corresponding adoption rates. The factors that increase adoption of SLM were land security, access to extension services, and roads. In summary, Bhutan’s policies and its cultural and historical background have set the country on the path to becoming a global green growth success story. Results of this study vindicate the country’s efforts to invest in sustainable land and forest management and highlight the additional policies and strategies that will enhance achievement of Bhutan’s SLM objectives.

The issue of farmers' resilience to climate and natural resource degradation remains a major concern in Sahelian countries, including Burkina Faso. The aim of this study is to analyze the dynamics of farming practices in the province of Oubritenga in Burkina Faso, highlighting similarities and differences in climate-smart practices. To do this, a mixed method (qualitative and quantitative) was used, combining surveys, individual interviews and focus groups. The results indicate that these practices were disseminated and adopted in Oubritenga province well before the 1980s, and that they have evolved in terms of adoption rates and improvements in recent years through research. The practices mentioned include sustainable land management (SLM), water and soil conservation practices/soil defense and restoration (WSC/SDR). Rural households are responding by adopting and reinforcing climate-smart farming practices that are considered more sustainable in the face of climate shock, soil degradation and greenhouse gas mitigation. It should be noted that other agricultural practices and techniques have been disseminated and adopted over time, in connection with mechanization and the promotion of technical production itineraries. This is a body of endogenous knowledge that coexists with technical production itineraries aimed at respecting the balance between nature and the well-being of living beings by integrating a sustainable land and environmental management system.

Selecting indicators for assessing sustainable land management

Achieving best practices in land administration and management systems supporting land rights for all requires sustainable land administration and management, contributing to successful and significant land administration and management systems. There is an increasing need for legal framework reforms to support land administration and management systems. These reforms may enable rural transformation and social inclusion. Central to reform strategies may be decentralisation to improve inclusivity and collaboration between the customary and statutory institutions. Using Soft Systems Methodology to analyse the current land administration and management systems in Ekiti State, Nigeria, will be helpful for policymakers, professionals and academics reforming land administration and management systems. The study findings reveal the need for improvement in land administration and management systems.

Rangelands play a vital role in supporting livelihoods, biodiversity, and ecological balance across arid and semi-arid regions. However, these fragile ecosystems are increasingly threatened by overexploitation, land degradation, and unsustainable management practices. Understanding the human and behavioral dimensions of rangeland conservation has therefore become an urgent priority. Many of the world's rangelands, including those in Iran, have recently been exposed to destruction and serious damage. Collaboration among various stakeholders (especially pastoralists) in sustainable land use and management is considered a key factor in reducing this degradation. Guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), this study tries to identify and analyze the behavioral nudges for the sustainable land use and management in Iran. This research employed a cross-sectional survey design involving 248 pastoralists in Fars Province, southern Iran, selected through simple random sampling. An extended version of the TPB was applied, incorporating two additional constructs-awareness of consequences and moral norms-to enhance its explanatory power in predicting sustainable land use intentions. Behavioral nudges, such as increased awareness of consequences, strengthening moral norms, perceived behavioral control, and attitudes, can lead pastoralists to sustainable land use and management, thereby helping to conserve rangelands. To operationalize the research, a cross-sectional survey of 248 pastoralists with livestock grazing certificates, who were selected using simple random sampling, was used. The results of the research showed that the constructs of attitude towards sustainable land use and management had a positive and significant effect on the intention towards sustainable land use and management (Beta = 0.292; T = 4.239; Sig = 0.001). The direct effects of two variables, awareness of consequences of rangelands' destruction (Beta = 0. 335; T = 3.333; Sig = 0.001) and moral norms of sustainable land use and management (Beta = 0. 323; T = 2.791; Sig = 0.005), were positive and significant on Intention. In addition, the results of this study showed that moral norms not only act as a constructive factor in the intention of the pastoralists towards sustainable land use and management, but also can play a mediating role for some other variables such as awareness of consequences of rangeland destruction. The results of SEM analysis showed that the extended TPB can explain 75% of the variance of pastoralists' behavioral intention, which shows the high explanatory power of the model. These findings provide practical insights for policymakers and land managers by emphasizing the need to design interventions that enhance moral and environmental awareness, promote participatory management, and align behavioral policies with local cultural norms. However, as this study is based on a cross-sectional design, causal inferences should be made cautiously, and future longitudinal research is recommended to validate these relationships over time.

The article is devoted to the formation of a system of sustainable land management, economic reforms in Russia largely depend on the level of development of land relations and the use of land resources. This is due to the fact that the land, in addition to its traditional properties (means of production, territorial basis, natural body, etc.), has become the object of legal relations and real estate. That is why the particular relevance for today is the building of a certain system of land management, which has an impact on the development of the economy of the state as a whole. The article describes theoretical and methodological approaches to the formation of a management system.

In Bangladesh, there is a need for socioeconomic sustainability in land management systems. An exploratory study was conducted in the southern part of Bangladesh (Nesarabad) to evaluate the successful strategy of sustainable land management (SLM), where swampy land is transformed, using ridges and ditches. Approximately 25 agro-based sites were studied to evaluate their relevant land use, management, and economic aspects. We determined that nearly 100% of the cultivated lands adopted this technology, representing a combination of SLM measures. The technology was based mainly on structural measures, combined with other conservation measures. The maintenance and recurring activities increased the efficiency of the technology and improved the land quality, making it more useful for various agricultural practices. Most of the lands were cultivated with fruit trees and vegetables, which provided high net average profits with low effort during cultivation. Land users claimed some weaknesses in establishment cost, marketing, transportation, etc. This study assesses these constraints and recommends some suggestions to generate a more suitable scheme for more SLM measures.

Due to the land degradation, the land use conflicts have intensified, and there is an increasing necessity to adapt sustainable land management. Sustainable land management deals with the demands for land in terms of not only human society but also the nature conservation and biodiversity. To persue and realize sustainable land management, the indicators and evaluation system are necessary, and ecosystem services has emerged as the proper indicator for sustainable land management. This study focused on the balance between the demand and supply of ecosystem services. If the balance between them was maintained or supply exceeded demand, the land can be assessed to be managed sustainably. In this study, CO2 sequestration, Heat mitigation, and water provision were assessed as ecosystem service in South Korea. The supply of each ecosystem service was evaluated by using related models which had been developed and used widely in previous studies. The demand of each ecosystem service was defined based on specific figures which had already suggested as policy goals in South Kroea in purpose of drawing social consensus. Afterwards, the ecosystem services supply and demand ratio (ESDR) were calculated to show the balance between supply and demand quantified by region. As a result, the exessive demand for CO2 sequestration service was found compared to supply. The supply of heat mitigation service was found to be sufficient for the demand nationwide. However, in specific areas such as cities, the demand was higher than the supply. In the case of water provision service, the national demand was being met by some regional suppliers. Through these results, it is possible to find out the ecosystem services that need to be supplemented spatially and regionally, and ultimately, it is expected to support the establishment of urban space, green space, and environmental planning at the regional and national levels.

Assessment of fungal communities in soil and tomato roots subjected to diverse land and crop management systems

Sustainable land management is a pressing challenge in Morocco, where environmental pressures, rapid urbanization, and informal land practices undermine legal frameworks and planning efforts. Despite progress in service digitization, land governance remains weakened by inefficiency, overlapping claims, limited environmental oversight, and poor integration between cadastral data and ecological regulations. This paper examines the environmental and institutional shortcomings of Morocco’s land management system and advocates for a shift toward digitally enabled environmental governance. Current weaknesses in administration contribute to urban sprawl, land degradation, and climate vulnerability, particularly in peri-urban and rural zones. A review of legal frameworks and planning instruments reveals gaps in enforcing environmental regulations, protecting sensitive ecosystems, and securing tenure in high-risk areas. To address these challenges, we propose a governance-centered strategy that leverages digital tools—not as technical ends, but as enablers of sustainability. Innovations such as automated verification, spatial planning systems, and simplified registration workflows can enhance the enforcement of zoning laws, prevent unauthorized construction, and facilitate climate-resilient planning. We also assess Morocco’s commitments to environmental goals, including Nationally Determined Contributions and SDGs 11, 13, and 15, demonstrating the central role of sustainable land governance in achieving them. The study concludes with a roadmap for institutional reform that balances tenure security, ecological resilience, and equitable land access. Findings aim to guide policymakers, land managers, and planners in Morocco and across the MENA region, offering an integrated and adaptable model that bridges land administration with environmental protection.

Sustainable land management (SLM) is an effective climate adaptation technique in the present world. Bangladesh is listed in long-term Climate Risk Index 2019 due to its unicorn geographic features (e.g. low-lying riparian lands, big rivers, dense population and coastal settings). The livelihoods of Bangladesh are directly or indirectly linked to agricultural practices and or agribusiness. Many studies revealed that climate change-induced natural calamities (e.g. rainfall and temperature variability, sea level rise, flood, cyclone, drought, groundwater depletion, salt intrusion) unfavorably effect on agricultural production and livelihood activities and these are making critical food insecurity situation. Thus, identification and implementation of SLM practices to maintain food security of the bursting population are a prerequisite in Bangladesh. In this study, we have compiled the prospective SLM practices based on land management objective, land user requirements, crop and land suitability by reviewing peer-reviewed articles and grey literature. The potential SLM identified includes land resource conservation, erosion control, tillage technology, soil fertility management, vegetation management, efficient groundwater use, salinity-drought adaptations, land zoning and site-specific climate-smart agriculture. Among these SLM practices, the cultivation of suitable crop based on land quality and resource availability requires knowledge of decision support components involving the stakeholders for meaningful implementation of SLM. We proposed conceptual decision support components (e.g. land user, land quality, crop suitability, site-specific management, capital and governance) that would be the basis for the development and implementation of SLM towards land users and or farmers. The motivation of farmers through efficient extension activity and agri-governance for optimized land management can lead to minimizing the climate-induced vulnerability in agriculture. We concluded that the identified SLM practices, if implemented by adequate decision supports, SLM will help to achieve agricultural production as required by the sustainable Millennium Development Goals in Bangladesh.

Land quality indicators of sustainable land management across scales