Rural Development Practice Research Articles

Barriers Impeding the Contribution of Indigenous Knowledge to Rural Development in Mabheleni, South Africa

Indigenous knowledge is increasingly recognised as a critical resource in rural development practice in many African countries, South Africa included. However, the use and contribution of indigenous knowledge in the development of rural communities in South Africa is inhibited by numerous factors. Drawing from the lens of deliberative democracy, this article reports on a study that explored the barriers impeding the contribution of indigenous knowledge towards rural development in Mabheleni. This deep rural and underdeveloped community falls under the Umzumbe Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. This study used a qualitative approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 participants and one focus group discussion with 10 participants in Mabheleni. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. The study findings indicated that lack of recognition of indigenous knowledge itself in development practice, the use of a top-down approach by government officials, and barriers to community participation impede the potential contribution of indigenous knowledge to rural development. Therefore, the study recommends a bottom-up approach to rural development practice.

Integrating Rural Economic Development into the Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) Curriculum as a Practice to Ensure Sustainable Livelihoods

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore the integration of rural economic development initiatives and practices into the Adult Basic Education and Training curriculum with a view to leverage the people in rural communities to boost their productivity towards sustainable livelihoods. Methodology: This study adopted a qualitative approach in which the data was collected through focus group interviews. The participants were sampled from former and current ABET learners and their principal. The interviews were intended to solicit information about their farming project; how they started the farming and whether they were able to feed their families from the sale of their produce. Findings: The findings from the focus group interviews are that though they had support from the Kruger National Park, they still felt that the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) needed to intervene and make ABET a means for sustainable livelihoods for the beneficiaries. Unique contribution to public, policy and practice: This study contributed uniquely in the area of policy. The students proposed that the ABET curriculum needed to be restructured to include skills training to enable them to make a living after the ABET encounter.

Understanding the Dynamics of MGNREGA Beneficiaries through Social Work Lens: A Study in Shivamogga District, Karnataka State, India

This comprehensive study delves into the intricate tapestry of MGNREGA beneficiaries' perspectives, unravelling a rich array of insights that illuminate their empowerment journey. The objectives of the study include understanding the socioeconomic dynamics of MGNREGA beneficiaries, examining its impact on livelihood security, exploring the role of social work in its implementation, and analyzing the empowerment dimensions of the program. Utilizing data from 80 respondents in Shivamogga District, the study employs the Shapiro-Wilk test for normality, ANOVA for group differences, and Tukey's post-hoc test for specific comparisons. Key findings highlight significant improvements in communication skills, decision-making power, leadership skills, and social empowerment among beneficiaries. Economic empowerment aspects, such as annual income and food consumption patterns, also showed positive outcomes. Psychological empowerment, encompassing attitudes towards the program, role perception, and desire for control, reflected a high level of empowerment. The research highlights the critical role of social work in enhancing and sustaining these positive impacts, offering recommendations for policy improvement and contributing to the advancement of rural development practices. This exploration extends beyond mere statistical analyses, offering a profound examination of the human dimensions that shape empowerment dynamics in rural India.

KINARA BUMDes: Enhancing Management Strategies for Community Prosperity

This study employs qualitative descriptive methods, utilizing observation, interviews, and documentation to investigate the management of Kinara BUMDes in Kemiri Village, Sidoarjo Regency, through the lens of management theory by George R. Terry. Despite facing challenges induced by the COVID-19 pandemic, the village government demonstrated resilience in planning, reinvigorating Kinara BUMDes through new management units. The organizational structure was efficiently organized, ensuring a well-defined division of labor and effective communication. Results indicate successful actuation in achieving organizational goals and meticulous supervision, promoting transparency at all levels of society. The study emphasizes the adaptability and strategic planning of rural economic units, offering insights for global scholars interested in sustainable rural development practices. Highlight : Strategic Planning: Despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, the study highlights the ability of Kinara BUMDes to adapt and revitalize through strategic planning, showcasing resilience in the face of unforeseen circumstances. Organizational Efficiency: The research underscores the importance of well-organized structures within BUMDes, emphasizing a clear division of labor, effective communication, and efficient supervision as crucial elements for achieving organizational goals. Transparency for Community Engagement: The findings reveal a commitment to transparency, ensuring that all activities conducted by Kinara BUMDes are accessible to and understood by all levels of society, fostering community engagement and support. Keywords: Rural Economic Units, BUMDes Management, Sustainable Development, COVID-19 Resilience, Organizational Transparency

Development of Village-Owned Enterprises (BUMDes) for Prosperity through Community Services (Case Study in Damarwulan Village, Kepung District, Kediri Regency)

Purpose: This research examines the impact of Village-Owned Enterprises (BUMDes) on Damarwulan Village's economic development. It explores BUMDes' significance as a village-owned legal entity managed independently with capital from local resources.
 Method: We employ descriptive qualitative methods, gathering data from various sources, including manuscripts, interviews, and official documents. The study focuses on BUMDes' existence, economic contributions, and factors influencing their success. An analysis follows an Interactive Model involving data reduction, presentation, and conclusions.
 Practical Applications: Our findings have practical implications for rural development and local governance. They inform policymakers and communities about the potential benefits and challenges of BUMDes, aiding decisions on supporting and establishing such enterprises.
 Conclusion: BUMDes significantly enhance Damarwulan Village's economy, offering valuable insights for rural development and governance practices, ultimately improving socio-economic conditions.

Rediscovering rural territories: Local perceptions and the benefits of collective mapping for sustainable development in Colombian communities

Territorial analysis contributes to sustainable rural development practices and social action. Based on the qualitative methodological principle in the application of collective mapping, where peasants are the main actors in identifying local realities from a participatory geographic perspective, it is possible to characterize multiple rural realities and their community diversity. Firstly, recent qualitative methodological tools are identified to evaluate the scope of application and level of satisfaction of local actors in a Colombian rural context. Secondly, an explanation of the collective mapping method with communities is addressed for its subsequent application. Finally, local perspectives are examined based on the documentation of sociocultural and environmental components, threats, pollution, and places of interest within the territory that allow for the construction of the visual tool in active community participation workshops. Therefore, the article's purpose is to discuss the benefits of collective mapping as a playful and visual option for the rediscovery of the territory from local perspectives, leading to reflection on the need to create sustainable rural development strategies.

Preface

It is with great honor; we present the proceeding of the 4th International Conference of Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture in The Tropics (IC-FSSAT) 2023, which was organized by the Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Hasanuddin, and held online in the 15 – 16 February 2023. The proceeding of the previous conferences in this series has been published in the IOP conference series: Earth and Environmental Sciences (EES).The proceeding of the 4th IC-FSSAT consists of 225 reviewed papers across 10 main scopes; (i) Industrial-scale Agriculture, (ii) Food Agribusiness and Rural Development, (iii) Food Agribusiness and Rural Development, (iv) Biodiversity, Soil Health and Agricultural Practices (v) Integrated Pest and Disease Management, (vi) Plant Breeding and Biotechnology (vii) Agricultural Engineering, (viii) Digital Farming, (ix) Food Processing, Safety and Diversification and (x) Crop Production System. In addition to the excellent paper presentations at the conference, the conference also featured nine keynote and invited speakers with expertise in the field of the conference’s subjects. Please allow us to take this opportunity to thank the keynote speaker and the invited speakers: Dr. Tony Liwang (Oil Palm Plantation Fund Management Agency, Indonesia; Prof. Siti Kusujiarti (Warren Wilson College, USA); Prof. Bunyamin Tar’an (University of Saskatchewan, Canada); Prof. Sikstus Gusli (Hasanuddin University, Makassar- Indonesia); Dr. Thong Nguyen-Huy (The University of Southern Queensland, Australia); Dr. Didier Lesueur (Centre de cooperation Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Developpement (CIRAD), France; Dr. Anwar Syed H. Rizvi Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USA; Prof. Hasil Sembiring (IRRI Indonesia); and Dr. Inamullah Khan (The University of Agriculture, Pakistan).I would like to express our deepest gratitude to all committees for this conference’s success and smooth running. Last but not least, a warm thank you to all academics, researchers, and observers of Faculties of Agriculture, Science, Animal Husbandry, and Forestry for their participation in submitting their article in the IOP proceedings series EES 2023. I sincerely look forward to all the contributions that will benefit and promote the development of a sustainable agricultural innovation sector toward achieving the SDGs and dealing with the triple planetary issues.Warm Regards,Muhammad JUNAID, SP., MP., PhDConference Chairman Faculty of Agriculture, Hasanuddin UniversityList of Conference Committees, Conference Photograph are available in this pdf.

Mapping the Environmental Education Policies for the Youth to Encourage Rural Development and to Reduce Urbanisation: Econometric Approach

Urbanisation, rural development, climate change, and population growth have significant environmental impacts on sustainability and survival, particularly in rural areas of Indonesia. To slow down the process of urbanisation in these regions, it is essential to promote environmental education among the youth, encouraging them to prioritise rural development and sustainable practices. This study presents a research framework that examines the mapping of environmental education on young preferences for rural development and its impact on reducing urbanisation. Using a knowledge-based approach, the study employs regression and bootstrap analysis on data collected from 227 Indonesian and Malaysian provinces. The results show that ecologically friendly education among executives promotes environmental concerns and managerial practices, mediating the relationship between environmental education and urbanisation. Additionally, understanding these interactions positively moderates the influence of organizational ecological problems. Overall, this study highlights the importance of environmental education in promoting rural development and reducing urbanisation, which is crucial for sustainable development.

Determination of Current Status of The Criteria and Indicators Used in Rural Development Studies: The Case of Isparta Villages

Rural development is the work aimed at improving rural local conditions that bring negative effects to human life. In rural development studies, the problems of rural communities are identified and defined, and suitable solutions are developed according to these problems. The problems encountered in rural development are determined within the framework of rural development indicators and the criteria that these indicators reflect. In this study, criteria and indicators that were used in the past in rural development practices and that should be added today have been determined. The study was carried out based on the villages of Isparta Province. According to the results of the research, it was determined that 4 social criteria and 38 indicators, 7 economic criteria and 32 indicators, 4 political criteria and 16 indicators, 4 environmental criteria and 15 indicators were used in rural development studies in the past. For today's rural development studies, 8 social criteria and 36 indicators, 6 economic criteria and 35 indicators, 6 political criteria and 21 indicators, 6 environmental criteria and 28 indicators have been determined.

Appraising Goat Support for Educational Continuation Project of Kallery Secondary School, Dhading: Rural/Development Perspective

This paper has attempted to explore how a small support can make a big difference to cope-with poverty challenges in rural life. It is about an innovative way of support entitled ‘goat support for educational continuation’ for few children of poor families of Galchhi rural municipality, Dhading, provided before a decade (in 2012 and 2013). It applied narrative inquiry research strategy and used a blended mode of data collecting techniques (observation, KII and case study) for appraising lost and benefits of the p[roject. It has exemplified that if we use resources properly and innovatively and act cooperatively, we can make difference. It has exemplified that school and community people can solve some of educational problems while they act cooperatively. It was really a cooperative work and initiatives among school family, parents and helping hands to address problems of poor families. It is because the notion of development has rapidly been changing so that our worldviews and acts on rural/development must be changed according. A simple but become a model approach of sustainable rural development practice.

Interventions addressing functional abilities of older people in rural and remote areas: a scoping review of available evidence based on WHO functional ability domains

BackgroundThe World Health Organization (WHO) encourages healthy ageing strategies to help develop and maintain older people’s functional abilities in five domains: their ability to meet basic needs; learn, grow, and make decisions; be mobile; build and maintain relationships, and contribute to society. This scoping review reports the available evidence-based interventions that have been undertaken with people ≥ 50 years of age in rural and remote areas and the outcomes of those interventions relevant to enhancing functional ability.MethodsThe scoping review was undertaken following the JBI methodology. A literature search was carried out to identify published intervention studies for enhancing functional ability in older people living in rural and remote settings. The databases searched included CINAHL, Scopus, ProQuest Central, PubMed, EBSCOHost, APA PsycInfo, Carin.info, and the European Network for Rural Development Projects and Practice database. Gray literature sources included government reports, websites, policy papers, online newsletters, and studies from a bibliographic hand search of included studies.ResultsLiterature published from January 2010 to March 9, 2021 were included for review. A total of 67 studies were identified, including quasi-experimental studies (n = 44), randomized controlled trials (n = 22), and a descriptive study. Five main types of interventions were conducted in rural and remote areas with older people: Community Services, Education and Training, Exercise and Physical Activity, Health Promotion Programmes, and Telehealth. Health Promotion Programmes (n = 28, 41.8%) were the most frequently reported interventions. These focused primarily on improving the ability to meet basic needs. About half (n = 35, 52.2%) of the included studies were linked to the ability to learn, grow, and make decisions, and 40% of studies (n = 27) were relevant to the ability to be mobile. Only a very limited number of intervention studies were geared towards outcomes such as maintaining relationships (n = 6) and contributing to society (n = 3).ConclusionInterventions for enhancing functional ability focused primarily on the ability to meet basic needs. We identified the need for health-related interventions in rural and remote areas to consider all five functional ability domains as outcomes, particularly to strengthen the psychosocial wellbeing of older people and enhance their sense of purpose through their contributions to society.

Rural Development Practice and History in Ghana and India: Some Comments

This note offers some comments on Theophilus Nkansah’s article entitled, ‘The Role of Adult Literacy in Community Development in Ghana: Perceptions and Experiences of Two Rural Communities’, which was published in the previous issue of this journal (Vol. 4, Iss. 3, pp. 272–293). It aims to share some of the more interesting and insightful aspects of Nkansah’s article and draw attention to the commonalities between Ghana and India in their rural development practice and history.

Individual and Village Level Factors Affect Farmers’ Satisfaction with Sustainable Rural Development Practices: Evidence from Guangdong Province in China

Farmers are the most important stakeholders in the sustainable development of rural areas. Studying farmers’ satisfaction with sustainable rural development (SRD) practices can help us to understand how to mobilize farmers’ enthusiasm and initiative, such that they can play a major role in SRD. This study aimed to identify the factors influencing farmers’ satisfaction with SRD practices. Based on the survey data of 599 farmers in 57 villages in the Guangdong Province, Hierarchical Linear Modelling (HLM) was used to identify the influencing factors of farmers’ satisfaction with SRD practices in Guangdong Province at the individual and village levels. This study found that there was spatial heterogeneity in farmers’ satisfaction with SRD practices in the Guangdong Province, and factors at the individual level and village level jointly affected the farmers’ satisfaction. At the individual level, farmers’ college education, identity of Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and participation have positive predictive effects on farmers’ satisfaction. At the village level, the improvement of public services, village infrastructure, and grassroots governance has a positive predictive effect on farmers’ satisfaction. However, the improvement of the village living environment and the income of the village’s collective economy were not significant determinants of farmers’ satisfaction. The results provide practical implications for policymakers to guide farmers to actively participate in SRD practices.

Social Innovation in Rural Areas of the European Union Learnings from Neo-Endogenous Development Projects in Italy and Spain

Within the framework of the LEADER approach to rural development applied in rural areas of the European Union, a high degree of social innovation (SI) has been achieved with the support of public–private partnerships. This research analyzes the different forms of SI achieved in specific projects in marginal rural areas facing depopulation. These initiatives make important, sometimes intangible, contributions to rural society, which are not sufficiently valued in rural development practice. Using an exploratory qualitative methodology, we made a selection of projects carried out in rural areas of Spain and Italy by searching for specific keywords (“innovation”, “entrepreneurship”, and “LEADER”) in the European Network of Rural Development database. According to the typology of promoters, we considered Transnational Cooperation Projects promoted by various Local Action Groups (LAGs), by public sector initiative and by private promoters. In-depth interviews were also conducted. The main findings include: the crucial role played by local leaders, social enterprises and LAGs in overcoming resistance and reluctance amongst the local community to participate in and support rural development projects; the importance of creating collective learning processes; the complexity of the network affects the number of contributions; the need for long-term continuity of processes and projects, and the importance of combining exogenous and endogenous development and knowledge.

Residual Biomass Recovery in the Wine Sector: Creation of Value Chains for Vine Pruning

Waste management is a current and transversal problem in all production areas, including agriculture. Within this economic activity, wine production generates a large amount of waste, namely, that resulting from the winemaking activity itself, such as pomace and grape stalks, and waste resulting from the management of the vineyards, with operations such as vine pruning. The management of vine pruning residuals has traditionally been conducted by burning leftovers on-site, without any use for the energy produced. This research analyzed the potential for the valorization of residual biomass resulting from vine pruning by creating a business model based on value chains of local scale. For this analysis, several samples of residues resulting from the “Loureiro” vine variety planted in Ponte de Lima (northern Portugal) were collected and characterized. The objective of the small-scale business model created, in addition, to solving the environmental problems related to the disposal of waste from agricultural activities, a value chain can be established, contributing to increasing the income of the farmers while introducing a circular bioeconomy and sustainable rural development practices.

Inner Mongolia Rural E-Commerce Innovation and Development Practice Path

Inner Mongolia is located in the northern frontier of China, with a rural population of 7.63 million(note1). It is positioned as the "national production base of green agricultural and livestock products". The rural e-commerce market has great potential and broad development prospects. In the case of COVID-19's normalization of prevention and control, rural e-commerce has become the current solution to better solve the "three rural issues"(note2) and promote the new engine of "double cycle"(note3). This article focuses on the rural e-commerce in Inner Mongolia to promote the Rural Revitalization. It studies the current situation and existing problems of the rural e-commerce in Inner Mongolia, and analyzes its realization path, and then puts forward corresponding countermeasures and suggestions.

Practice of rural settlement development in foreign countries

The article discusses the main approaches to the development of rural areas, that are used abroad. One of the strategic directions of most countries of the world is the revitalization of rural areas. The problems of rural areas, as a rule, are the same: the small number and aging of the population, underdeveloped or complete lack of infrastructure, the lack of, for example, a store, the minimum necessary services, Internet connection, stable work and, accordingly, wages have led to the fact that young people leave the village. At the same time, rural areas play a significant role in the development of the country, as they primarily ensure the country's food security, which is an integral part of national security, the preservation of historical and cultural heritage, the improvement of the demographic situation in rural settlements, the development of infrastructure, and the cultivation of environmentally friendly products. That is why, in modern conditions, foreign experience in solving problems of the popularization and development of rural settlements is of great interest.

Sustainable Political Leadership Based on System Thinking in Rural Development Practices of Nepal

The sustainable political leadership based on system thinking is a highly qualified skillful political leadership on sustainable development administration on rural development practices of Nepal. This paper analyses the quality of sustainable political leadership based on system thinking in overall sustainable rural development application and process in Nepal and its empiricisms. It also presents the national and international context of leadership, system thinking and sustainable development and their contemporary debates and issues. Methodologically it is an empirical literature review on sustainable development, system thinking and leadership for Rural Development and its practices in Nepal. In conclusion, in Nepal social inclusion, justice, and equity; economic and ecological balance and good governance in a basket of rural development is essential phenomena for sustainable political leadership based on system thinking. The real practices of the ideas of social inclusion, justice, equity; economic and ecological balance and good governance to increase productivity of sustainable political leadership is to be more important. However, these types of practices on sustainable political leadership based on system thinking are insignificant, qualities and practices both are low. The national and international importance and urgency of sustainable political leadership based on system thinking are increasing to maintain sustainability governance from local to global level.

State-scalar politics of rural land reform in China: The case of Wujin district

China’s central government has been devoted to advancing its dualistic land administration system, such as by designating pilot areas to explore rural land circulation and marketization. Given the increasingly liberalized rural land development practices at localities, this paper aims to explore the variations between policy-making by the central government and implementation at the local scale in the context of interactive politics. A case study of Wujin District, located in the economically developed Yangtze River delta, was examined to unfold the local policy implementation process as intertwined with scalar politics, rural land politics, and the experimentation features of China’s reform. Conducted qualitatively, crucial policy actors were interviewed across multiple administrative levels ranging from the province, prefecture, county, and township governments to village collectives. It was found that within China’s hierarchical land administration, decentralized policy experimentation encouraged by the central government was compromised by the scalar politics and local governmental power structure when implemented on the ground (i.e., the city-county struggles and the resultant incomplete authorities of the primary policy actor). The findings highlight that central policy design and the autonomy of local governments during the policy-making process should be coordinated by embracing scalar complexity.

ОСНОВНІ ПІДХОДИ ДО СІЛЬСЬКОГО РОЗВИТКУ ПІВНІЧНОГО РЕГІОНУ

The prevailing sectoral approach based on agrarian-industrial policy, to the detriment of the socio-spatial direction of the development of rural areas, is ineffective from a social point of view. More correct is an integrated approach, within which rural development is viewed as a process of improving the life of people directly related to the use of land and other biological resources included in the system of geographical division of labor and corresponding social relations. The purpose of the article is to consider the development of rural areas based on a combination of socio-territorial and sectoral approaches. The object of the research is the countryside of the Komi Republic. The example of Komi is interesting in that rural life in the taiga part of its territory has features characteristic of many thoroughly inhabited regions of the North-West, the Urals, Siberia and the Far East, and in the extreme northern part (forest-tundra and tundra) - the western sector of the Arctic. The subject of the research is socio-economic processes in the northern village. Analytical, historical, statistical, logical, comparative methods were used as research methods. The main hypothesis of the study was the revival of rural life as a social process, the management of which cannot be carried out only within the framework of the production sector approach. Highlighting the development of rural areas and the agrarian sector as an object of comprehensive research will improve the quality and standard of living of rural residents. Presentation of the main material. New approaches to rural development are considered, including the transition from the exogenous-sectoral model to both endogenous and neo-endogenous. The impossibility of solving numerous problems of rural areas in the sectoral model of their development is shown. Originality and practical significance of the study. A significant disagreement in the domestic practice of rural development between sectoral and socio-spatial development has been established. The role of the rural economy in the development of the village is investigated, directions of its diversification are proposed. Conclusions and prospects for further research. The obtained results of the study can become the basis for the preparation of Strategies and Programs for the sustainable development of rural areas and its economic entities at the level of the region and municipalities.