Rural Development Research Articles

Consumer preferences toward new circular bioeconomy agri‐food products

AbstractThe integration of circular bioeconomy (CB) principles into food production is key for a sustainable food sector. This research analyzes consumers' preferences for food products that include CB‐related attributes; namely, zero (plastic/bio) waste generation, carbon neutrality, sustainable water use and soil management, biodiversity conservation, and contribution to the rural economy. A novel approach is applied, combining best‐worst scaling choice experiments with contingent valuation and using a scale‐adjusted latent class model specification. The results reveal consumers have intense preferences for CB attributes in food, especially those related to plastic waste management, sustainable water use, rural development, and biodiversity. Four different consumer classes are identified according to their preferences toward CB attributes (Eco‐multifunctionals, Utilitarians, Sustainable agrarians, and Circulars—the latter two newly identified here). Willingness to pay varies by attribute and class. Relevant implications are drawn for businesses, especially about potential differentiation marketing strategies.

STATISTICAL INTEGRATION OF QGIS AND MULTI-CRITERIA DECISION ANALYSIS FOR SUSTAINABLE RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN BELSAR DEVELOPMENT BLOCK

The definition of “rural areas” varies significantly across regions, making the determination of rurality levels crucial for sustainable development and effective policy design. This study introduces a comprehensive rurality index to rank and categorize villages within the Belsar Development Block of Gonda District, India. Utilizing Multiple-criteria Decision-making Methods (MCDMs) such as Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (F-AHP), Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), Weighted Product Model (WPM), and Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment Evaluations (PROMETHEE), we developed a robust methodology for this assessment. A thorough sensitivity analysis was also conducted to ensure the reliability of the results. The study identified fourteen critical factors, grouped into five domains: (1) socioeconomic status, (2) education, (3) land use, (4) employment, and (5) healthcare. Based on these factors, villages were ranked and classified into four categories according to their rurality levels, and a detailed rurality map was created with QGIS. The study revealed that the modified F-AHP emerged as the most effective MCDM method for this rurality assessment. Given the systematic execution of this assessment, it can serve as a model for comparative studies in other regions of India and globally, promoting sustainable rural development through informed decision-making.

Agroecology for migrant ‘emplacement’ in the left‐behind European countryside

AbstractWe explore the nexus between the green and demographic transitions in the European Union (EU) through the analysis of the challenges and opportunities that agroecology offers for the settlement and socioeconomic participation of Italian city‐dwellers‐turned agroecological farmers and non‐EU agroecological farmworkers in ageing and marginalised rural areas in Italy. Many such areas in Italy have recently experienced an influx of newcomers, including non‐EU labour migrants, refugees and asylum seekers and Italian city‐dwellers looking for a different lifestyle. Municipalities and NGOs have developed initiatives, like agroecology, for newcomers to participate in local societies while simultaneously contributing to sustainable rural (re)development in the context of the EU Green Deal. We discuss the potential of agroecology for the ‘emplacement’ of diverse groups of newcomers in these unlikely places through the analysis of the interpersonal, cultural, economic and institutional relations between newcomers and long‐time residents, and across different groups of newcomers, in two Italian villages. Our findings suggest that everyday interactions among long‐time residents and newcomers contribute to the emplacement of the latter. The analysed agroecological initiatives show potential for the emplacement of newcomers through their strong ethical stance and aspirations for environmental sustainability and improved life quality. However, short‐term contracts for the non‐EU farmworkers combined with tight economic returns for the Italian agroecological farmers may lead to distributional and procedural injustices, including the hyper‐exploitation of migrant farmworkers in the name of environmental sustainability.

Decentralization Policies and Rural Socio-Economic Growth in Senegal: An Exploration of Their Contributions to Development and Transformation

Since proclaiming independence in 1960, Senegal has faced economic and demographic imbalances across its regions. To address these disparities, the government launched decentralization policies in three major phases, aiming to stimulate socio-economic growth at the local level. This study examines the impact of these policies on urban–rural development using socio-economic data between 2000 and 2020, and a multiple linear regression model in the entirety of Senegal. The findings reveal significant correlations between rural population growth, access to electricity, fertilizer availability, and per capita cultivated land, all positively associated with agricultural productivity. Additionally, rapid urbanization (47.3%) and weak land tenure (88.6%) adversely affect ecological systems and contribute to the proliferation of slums. A notable lack of health facilities per capita highlights a severe gap in healthcare accessibility. The study suggests increasing agricultural income, creating jobs, and promoting policies that support rural collective entrepreneurship as critical steps. It also recommends adopting a “one ecological zone, one economic activity” strategy to reduce economic disparities and encourage sustainable development in rural Senegal.

DOWN DRAFT GASIFIER TO PRODUCE SYNGAS BY BIO WASTE

Biowaste is a valuable resource for sustainable energy production. Through combustion, it generates thermal energy, while gasification a thermo chemical process which transforms solid fuel into gaseous fuel. This process, specifically through a downdraft gasifier, converts biowaste into a combustible gas known as producer gas. Utilizing biowaste as a fuel source plays a crucial role in reducing dependency on fossil fuels, providing a renewable, low-carbon energy alternative. Combining biowaste with other renewable sources like wind and solar power is an effective solution for small-scale, decentralized power generation. This approach not only meets local electricity needs but also supplies heat for rural development. Optimizing operating conditions and methodologies for maximum syngas production in biomass gasification is essential. The gasification system designed here includes a downdraft biomass thermo chemical conversion gasifier, a gas transport line with tar removal, and a fully enclosed combustion chamber—together, forming a robust setup for efficient, clean energy production. KEY WORD: Downdraft gasifier, biowaste, gasification, pyrolysis, syngas

Rural development for sustainable social ecological systems-putting communities first

Rural development for sustainable social ecological systems-putting communities first

A Theoretical Design Framework of Contemporary Vernacular Architecture Based on a Scoping Review of the Best Practices Worldwide

This paper reviews the development of vernacular architecture design and practices worldwide and then focuses on Chinese rural development. It explores the evolution of vernacular architecture and related concepts from a longitudinal perspective, and indicates the dynamic adaptability of vernacular architecture. A scoping review based on archival materials and secondary source literature of the last 10 years is conducted. As a result, 41 design factors have been collected. With a cross-comparative study with related publications, five intangible design factors and ten key tangible design factors are discussed to build a theoretical design framework, which finally provides a foundation for related design practices and further research.

Exploring the Link Between Openness and Entrepreneurial Capacity in Young People: Building Resilient and Sustainable Rural Territories

Youth migration has significant consequences that lead to depopulation and less sustainability of local business, which is particularly pronounced in rural areas. All of this contributes to the potential devastation of rural communities, an impact that could be highly significant and far-reaching. Entrepreneurship and the innovation it brings with it can be important markers for effective rural development if changes are needed. Therefore, the primary objectives of our research were to determine how socio-demographic factors determine the attitudes of young rural people regarding openness to entrepreneurship, whether young rural people believe they have the ability to engage in entrepreneurship and take actionable steps, and what is the relationship between openness and entrepreneurial capacity. The research was conducted from December 2023 to May 2024 among 299 participants in rural areas of two neighboring countries, Serbia and Croatia. The results indicate various factors that influence rural youth’s openness to entrepreneurship, such as unemployment, age and country of origin. Also, the results show a positive correlation between openness to entrepreneurship and the perception of personal capacities for entrepreneurial activities. In addition, the study found significant differences between respondents from Serbia and Croatia in the assessment of personal capacities for entrepreneurial activities. The results of this research contribute to a deeper understanding of how young people perceive and experience life in rural areas, and highlight potential challenges related to their specific needs. This insight enables key stakeholders to design programs that support youth in starting businesses and sustaining entrepreneurial ventures. Furthermore, the study offers both a theoretical and practical basis for future research, serving as a valuable guide for the improvement of rural communities, that is, guidelines for strategies that focus on inclusive development based on the revitalization of social frameworks.

Pre-Planning and Post-Evaluation Approaches to Sustainable Vernacular Architectural Practice: A Research-by-Design Study to Building Renovation in Shangri-La’s Shanpian House, China

The renovation and revitalization of vernacular architecture are pivotal in sustainable rural development. In regions like Shangri-La, traditional structures not only safeguard cultural heritage but also provide a foundation for enhancing local communities’ living conditions. However, these villages face growing challenges, including infrastructure decay, cultural erosion, and inadequate adaptation to modern living standards. Addressing these issues requires innovative research approaches that combine heritage preservation with the integration of contemporary functionality. This study employs a research-by-design approach, focusing on the Shanpian House as a case study, to explore how pre-planning and post-evaluation methods can revitalize traditional vernacular architecture. The pre-planning phase utilizes field surveys and archival research to assess spatial, cultural, and environmental conditions, framing a design strategy informed by field theory. In doing so, it evaluates how traditional architectural elements can be preserved while introducing modern construction techniques that meet current living standards. The post-evaluation phase, conducted through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, assesses user satisfaction, focusing on the impact of architectural esthetics, structural stability, and material choices. Key findings from an OLS regression highlight the strong positive correlation between architectural style, structural choices, and cultural relevance with resident satisfaction. The research emphasizes that design elements such as structural details, materials, and infrastructure upgrades are critical in shaping perceptions of both functionality and cultural identity. Interestingly, the model reveals that improving architectural esthetics, alongside modern indoor features such as network connectivity, has a significant impact on enhancing overall resident satisfaction (significance level: 0.181). This study contributes to the broader discourse on sustainable building renovation by demonstrating how traditional architecture can be thoughtfully adapted for contemporary use and also proposes a paradigm shift in the renovation of historic buildings, advocating for a balance between preservation and modernization. The application of sustainable materials, digital modeling, and innovative construction techniques further ensures that these traditional structures meet the demands of modern civilization while maintaining their cultural integrity.

Investigating the Relationship between Awareness and Ecotourism Engagement among Academic staff in the Faculty of Agriculture Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria

The study examined awareness of ecotourism among academic staff in the faculty of agriculture, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto using semi structured questionnaire to elicit information on socioeconomic factors, awareness, participation in ecotourism, constraints to participation in ecotourism and perception of respondents towards ecotourism. Complete enumeration was used to administer questionnaire to eighty respondents (N=80) belonging to seven departments: Agricultural economics (n=10), Agricultural extension and rural development (n=08), Animal science (n=15), Crop science (n=12), Fisheries and Aquaculture (n=09), Forestry and Environment (n=09) and Soil science (n=16). Data was analysed using descriptive statistics, chi-square and ordinal regression. Results showed that majority of the respondents are male (96.3%) and married (98.8%). Majority have PhD (78.7%) with 10-20 years lecturing experience. Most of the respondents are aware of ecotourism (90%) and they got the information through academic line (52.2%) but only 36.3% have ever embarked on ecotourism trip. Busy office schedules were the major problems that affect respondents’ participation in ecotourism (55%). A significant relationship exists between age and respondents’ participation in ecotourism activities (χ2 =13.137). Ordinal logistic regression results showed that age (1.315) and educational qualifications (1.671) are significant predictors of respondent’s perception towards ecotourism (R2=0.27). Travels to ecotourism destinations are quite poor among the members of academic staff in the faculty of Agriculture in Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, despite their level of education and their stance on biodiversity conservation practices. Academic staffs in tertiary institutions are encouraged to make use of their annual leave to embark on ecotourism trip.

Public Service Equalization, Digital Financial inclusion and the Rural Revitalization: Evidence from Chinese 283 prefecture-level cities

While China has made significant strides in poverty alleviation, the persistent urban-rural divide poses challenges for sustainable development. Previous studies have explored various factors influencing rural revitalization, yet the interplay between public service equalization, digital financial inclusion, and rural development remains understudied. This research investigates how public service equalization impacts rural revitalization in China and examines the moderating role of digital financial inclusion. Using panel data from 283 prefecture-level cities from 2011 to 2021, we employ a fixed-effects model and conduct robustness checks including endogeneity tests and alternative specifications. Our findings reveal that public service equalization positively influences rural revitalization, with both accessibility and beneficiality dimensions playing crucial roles. Importantly, digital financial inclusion enhances this positive impact, suggesting a synergistic effect. These results underscore the need for a holistic approach integrating public service provision and digital financial services to promote inclusive growth in rural China. By elucidating the mechanisms through which these factors interact, our study contributes to the broader literature on rural development and offers policymakers valuable insights for designing effective rural revitalization strategies.

A novel smart irrigation framework with timing allocation using solenoid valves and Arduino microcontroller

Irrigation in agriculture is the most common way of providing water to agricultural land or fields at normal stretches through channels and embedded platforms with the internet of things (IoT), to upgrade rural development. In this paper, the arrangement of the various types of irrigation systems and embedded platforms for agriculture was studied. The embedded platform can be designed in a suitable framework that can assist the irrigation system in growing more water-required crops. In this work, three relay switches, two solenoid valves, and one water pump source were connected to Arduino ESP32. The free version of Sinric Google Cloud was utilized significantly to control three devices namely, two solenoid valves using two relay switches and a water pump source using one relay switch. The experiment was executed in a prototype manner with timing allocation by considering two agricultural fields where water was supplied either in one field at a time and showed more prominent results to save time, replacement of manual valves, man intervention, power, and suitable quantity of water for more water-required crops namely, arecanut and coconut.

Understanding of the Transformational Rural Actors’ Behaviors: A Review

Rural actors’ behavior is crucial to materializing top-down rural development policies, albeit the rural physical planning. However, studies on detailed perspectives of rural actors’ behavior in response to complex stimuli are limited, particularly in the types of transformational rural actors’ behaviors. Specifically, this study aims to understand rural actors’ behaviors in transforming rural development. The systematic literature review methodology was applied. The findings revealed five themes: economy, environment, psychology, social, and technology—as the stimuli perspectives of transformational rural actors’ behaviors (TRAB) that shed light on rural transformation. This study contributes to synthesizing a new framework for conceptualizing transformational actors’ behaviors in rural development initiatives.

Digital Literacy and the Livelihood Resilience of Livestock Farmers: Empirical Evidence from the Old Revolutionary Base Areas in Northwest China

Enhancing the livelihood resilience of livestock farmers in the old revolutionary base areas helps them to cope with the increasingly complex external risk shocks of recent years and promotes the sustainable development of regional agriculture. This study is based on survey data from 1047 livestock farmers in the Ningxia and Gansu provinces of the northwest old revolutionary base area. It incorporates the characteristics of livestock farmers and the elements of psychological capital into the sustainable livelihood analysis framework to construct a livelihood resilience index system. After measuring livelihood resilience, this paper uses a general linear regression model and a probit model to explore the impact and mechanism of digital literacy on the livelihood resilience of livestock farmers. The results show the following: (1) digital literacy has a significant positive effect on the livelihood resilience of livestock farmers, and the impact of different dimensions of digital literacy on different dimensions of livelihood resilience also varies. Additionally, this effect also shows the heterogeneity in different village clustering forms and different income groups. In areas inhabited by ethnic minorities and among moderate-income groups, the role of digital literacy on the livelihood resilience of livestock farmers is more significant. (2) The improvement of digital literacy has a significant positive impact on livelihood resilience through three different pathways: the “differential mode of association”, learning channels, and types of income. (3) Digital literacy has led to the psychological aspects of rural hollowing-out problems among livestock farmers, which is particularly evident in families with only one type of caregiving burden (either only left-behind elderly people or only left-behind children). This problem is more evident. Therefore, this paper poses that the advancement of agricultural and rural economic development in China should not only focus on the cultivation of farmers’ digital literacy but also accelerate the construction of digital infrastructure to ensure the long-term effective mechanism of improving digital literacy. At the same time, in the process of promoting digital rural areas, attention should be paid to the psychological isolation issues that the network era brings to farmers.

POLARIZATION OF LOCAL COMMUNITY ORIENTATION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF ECO-RURAL TOURISM IN KERINCI REGION, JAMBI PROVINCE, INDONESIA

Rural areas are increasingly the focus of exploration by various stakeholders. However, local communities, as landowners in these regions, often do not reap the full benefits. This issue stems from their limited involvement in regional development and a lack of awareness about ongoing projects. Local communities play a crucial role in the success of rural development, and understanding their attitudes is vital.This study aimed to explore local community attitudes toward eco-rural tourism development in Kerinci Regency, Jambi Province. A closed-ended questionnaire, designed with a "One Score One Indicator" system, assessed various factors including socio-cultural aspects, conservation, ethnic politics, economics, regional development, tourism, and landscape ecology across six villages. The analysis of local community orientation was conducted using quantitative descriptive methods and One-Way ANOVA statistical tests.Results indicated a positive polarization in community attitudes across all villages, showing strong support for eco-rural tourism. By focusing on the identified indicators, local communities are motivated to collaborate and enhance their rural areas through eco-tourism initiatives. The findings suggest that these communities possess significant potential to develop their regions in line with eco-rural tourism principles. Additionally, the insights gained can inform the creation of eco-rural tourism programs that emphasize community involvement and leverage local strengths. This approach aims to ensure that rural communities benefit from the exploration and development occurring in their areas.

스마트팜 데이터를 활용한 오이 출하량 예측 시계열 모델 연구

This study utilizes data collected by the Rural Development Administration from smart farm sites to identify key variables affecting cucumber shipment and proposes the most accurate prediction model through comparative analysis of various forecasting models. The dataset includes daily weather conditions, cultivation environments, and management activities from 36 different crop seasons. The predictive models used in this study include Multiple Regression, ARIMA(Auto Regressive Integrated Moving Average), LSTM(Long Short-Term Memory), and SARIMA(Seasonal Auto Regressive Integrated Moving Average). Model performance was evaluated using RMSE and MAE, with SARIMA demonstrating the best results. By optimizing the hyperparameters, SARIMA's prediction accuracy improved significantly, effectively capturing the strong seasonality in cucumber shipments.

Digital Leadership Impacts on a Village-owned Enterprise Performance: A Moderation Effect of Artificial Intelligence

This study investigates the impact of digital leadership on the performance of village-owned enterprises, or VOEs emphasizing the moderating effect of artificial intelligence, or AI. As digital transformation reshapes the business landscape, effective digital leadership emerges as a crucial factor for enhancing organizational performance, particularly in rural settings. This study employs quantitative surveys and interviews from VOEs across various villages with 192 research sample size. The findings reveal that digital leadership significantly correlates with improved performance metrics, such as profitability, operational efficiency, and community values. Moreover, the integration of AI technologies further amplifies these effects, providing tools for better decision-making, resource allocation, and customer interaction. The moderation analysis indicates that the presence of AI not only enhances the effectiveness of digital leadership but also facilitates innovative practices within VOEs. This research also contributes to the understanding of how digital leadership, coupled with AI, can drive sustainable growth in village enterprises, offering practical implications for policymakers and community leaders aiming to leverage technology for rural development. Future studies are suggested to explore the long-term effects of these dynamics in diverse contexts.

Comprehensive Evaluation Research on the Sustainable Development Level of Rural Energy Based on CRITIC-MABAC in Henan Province

Energy shortages are a key issue at present, and climate problems caused by the extraction and use of traditional fossil energy sources are also creating new challenges for rural development, with sustainable rural energy development being a priority at present. This paper takes the sustainable development of rural energy as the research object, and evaluates the development of rural energy in each prefecture-level city in Henan Province. On the one hand, rural development is viewed from the perspective of energy, on the other hand, the evaluation results provide a reference for each prefecture-level city, and most of the energy data can be obtained directly and with a high degree of accuracy, based on the CRITIC – MABAC methodology to determine the weights from an objective point of view and to rank the evaluation results, which is capable of obtaining the most accurate evaluation results. Finally, we used energy-related data from Henan Province in 2022 to conduct empirical analyses, and verified that Shangqiu City has a high level of sustainable rural energy development, which verifies the feasibility of the methodology proposed in this paper, and gives relevant recommendations.

AJAD’s First Twenty Years: Evolving Knowledge and Practice in Asian Agriculture and Rural Development

This special 20th Anniversary Issue, with the theme “Asian Agriculture and Development in a Dynamic and Volatile Landscape of Demands, Peoples, and Risks,” features articles from three senior members of our Editorial Board, namely C. Peter Timmer, James Roumasset, and David Dawe, who take both a retrospective and forward-looking view at agriculture in Asia. Five more articles mainly authored by renowned experts complete the lineup in this special issue, tackling pressing issues that beset the agriculture and development landscape. All together, the eight articles are hoped to provide our readers and subscribers an engaging variety of relevant, useful and even practical knowledge to students, educators, researchers, practitioners, advocates, and policymakers alike. As AJAD looks to its next 20 years, we aim to cast an even wider net across the region to gather and share broader and deeper perspectives toward building a stronger knowledge base to propel agriculture and rural development in Asia and beyond, for the benefit of all.

The Endogenous Motivation and Cultivation Strategies for Rural Teachers' Professional Development from the Perspective of Social Support Theory

Based on social support theory, this paper aims to explore the sources of endogenous motivation for rural teachers' professional development and the cultivation strategies. Due to the influence of factors such as the urban-rural dual structure and the specific geographical environment of rural areas, rural teachers often face the challenges of lack of resources and isolation. Social support can provide emotional support, information help and resource support, thereby enhancing the endogenous motivation for professional development. On this basis, this paper proposes a series of cultivation strategies for rural teachers, including providing institutional guarantees for the professional development of rural teachers, establishing a platform for rural teachers' cooperation and co-construction, providing continuous professional development training, and establishing a supportive education community network, so as to improve the endogenous motivation of rural teachers.