Socio-economic Development Of Rural Communities Research Articles

The Taymate Cooperative: A Women-led Empowerment Story

When success stories from agricultural cooperatives are identified they deserve to be studied and told to inform actions for scaling out best management. We explore how cooperatives encourage strategies for livelihood improvement and support economic and social innovations to foster community adaptation to climate change. Lessons from the Taymate Olive Cooperative inform the design and implementation of effective policies and programs supporting the growth and sustainability of gender-sensitive agricultural cooperatives in Morocco and contribute to the socioeconomic development of rural communities.

Business Strategy and Development toward Sustainability: A Story of Ban Bo Chet Luk Community Entrepreneurship, Thailand

Summary Community-based entrepreneurship has been acknowledged to be an essential instrument for the socio-economic development of rural communities and social upliftment, especially in developing countries such as Thailand. This case study covers community background, management history, business strategy, ecotourism, and sustainable development in the Ban Bo Chet Luk community. It analyses community-based tourism initiatives, business strategy, and entrepreneurial activities to share ecotourism experiences with visitors and raise awareness about preserving the natural resources and environment of the region. Information © The Author 2023

СОЦІАЛЬНО-ЕКОНОМІЧНЕ ПЛАНУВАННЯ ТА УПРАВЛІННЯ ІНФРАСТРУКТУРНИМ РОЗВИТКОМ У СІЛЬСЬКИХ ГРОМАДАХ

Currently, the level of development of social, production and market infrastructure in agriculture remains very low, which has led to the devastation of Ukrainian villages and, as a result, to the disruption and decline of the reproductive process in the agro-industrial complex. Therefore, the formation and development of infrastructure is a necessary condition for the effective interaction of the subjects of primary and secondary production and contributes to the creation of general prerequisites for the growth and development of agricultural production. The article examines the management of infrastructural development of rural communities. The functions of the village infrastructure, state programs for the development of rural communities were considered. It is necessary to continue to work on state programs and projects, to improve the process of financing and control over its implementation in order to ensure their effectiveness, to take care of the sustainable development of the infrastructure of rural communities, to create new jobs, and to attract investments in the agricultural sector. The shortcomings of the development of the infrastructure of the village were studied. The interrelationship of production, social, and organizational-management aspects of village development and the interrelationship of the infrastructural complex of rural areas are schematically displayed. Increasing the level of control functions in unitary enterprises takes place in three stages: municipal level, regional level, interregional level). The socio-economic development of rural communities is analyzed. The number of the rural population for 2018-2022 has significantly decreased, the state of the labor market has worsened, the number of productive livestock has decreased, and the total area of residential buildings put into operation increased. To solve the problems of rural infrastructure development, it is necessary to train production personnel, experts and young scientists, as well as to develop special standards for training specialists to work with rural infrastructure equipment.

Introduction: how could rural tourism provide better support for wellbeing and socio-economic development?

PurposeIn this viewpoint, the theme editors provide an overview of the theme issue that aims to address the role of rural tourism in supporting the wellbeing and socio-economic development of local stakeholders.Design/methodology/approachThe paper covers different facets of rural tourism in promoting the socio-economic development of rural communities. Specifically, the articles in this issue capture the nuances of how local stakeholders in rural tourism in different geographical regions use various strategies to promote the well-being and socio-economic development of local communities.FindingsThe papers in this theme issue demonstrate the potential role of rural tourism in promoting the socio-economic development of rural communities. These papers make an important contribution to the theory and practice of rural tourism by providing in-depth insight into the recovery and growth strategies adopted by stakeholders in diverse rural tourism destinations, especially in the wake of turbulent times such as the recent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. These papers suggest frameworks for further research and provide case studies of innovation and adaptation.Originality/valueThis theme issue analyses stories of innovation, adaptation, and growth of rural tourism in various destinations that presented the industry with unique challenges in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The discussion provides some lessons and charts direction for the industry. The significance is greater when stakeholders of rural tourism and policymakers view rural tourism as an engine for the recovery and growth of the rural and national economy.

Taking stock of oral history archives in a village in KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa: Are preservation and publishing feasible?

In South Africa, the way oral history archives of rural villagers are managed calls for attention as it can limit the inclusivity, visibility, accessibility and socio-economic development of rural communities, especially the younger generation. This article reports on a study that aimed to unpack some of the opportunities and challenges regarding the preservation and publishing of oral history archives faced by a village community in the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province. In addition, the study aimed to determine what the community knew about the South African legislative requirements regarding the management of oral history archives. The study adopted a qualitative research approach, grounded theory design and a constructivist paradigm. The postmodernist theory helped in gaining insight into how the principle of provenance is central when trying to understand the importance of inclusivity in the management of archives in this digital era. The 21st century is haunted by many socio-economic challenges such as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), poverty, unemployment, inequality and social exclusion and giving space to the long-neglected oral history archives and counter archives or identity archives cannot be over-emphasised. In this context, such an initiative is viewed as critical in curbing the scourges of inequality, social exclusion and unemployment, particularly among the younger generation.Contribution: This article calls for the reimagining of the way oral history archives of a village are managed, preserved and published. In doing so, the use of a postmodernist approach and the provenance principle are viewed as critical in helping promote inclusivity and visibility of the long-neglected archives. The article argues that this approach may also help improve some of the socio-economic challenges faced by a village community when managing their oral history archives.

Стратегічні орієнтири та пріоритетні напрями сталого розвитку сільських громад і територій в Україні в умовах децентралізації влади

The purpose of the article is is to determine strategic guidelines and priority directions of sustainable socio-economic development of rural communities and territories in the conditions of power decentralization and self-government reform in Ukraine. Research methods. The techniques of the abstract-logical method, analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction, analogy and comparison were used to generalise the study's theoretical and methodological aspects. In analytical studies, some economic and statistical methods were used to diagnose the trends in the development of rural communities and territories in the context of decentralization of power (comparative analysis, averages and relative values, statistical groupings, trend analysis, graphical method, index analysis, etc.)—some forms of abstract-logical tools allowed to formulate intermediate and final conclusions and proposals. Research results. It is proved that the sustainable development of rural communities and territories presupposes the unity and balance of its four components: economic, social, ecological and institutional. The economic component should be based on obtaining the maximum aggregate income while maintaining and increasing the working aggregate capital and production volumes of competitive products; social - on creating the optimal social conditions and improving the quality of human life as the primary value of the society; ecological - on the balance of biological and natural systems, the integrity of the biosphere and ecosystem and their ability to self-reproduction; institutional - on strengthening the institution's role in ensuring sustainable socio-economic development of rural communities and territories. Together, they constitute strategic guidelines for sustainable socio-economic development of rural communities and territories and provide specific priority directions. Scientific novelty. In the article, the complex of strategic guidelines and priority directions of sustainable socio-economic development of rural communities and territories in power decentralization and self-government reform at the primary level on four components have been improved (economic, social, ecological and institutional). This will substantiate the methods and mechanisms of implementation of state policy to ensure its. Practical significance. The defined and substantiated strategic guidelines and priority directions set out in the article can be taken into account in developing effective targeted government policy aimed at sustainable socio-economic development of rural communities and territories in Ukraine. Tabl.: 3. Figs.: 4. Refs.: 22.

Intimate Partner Violence: The Lived Experiences of Economic and Financial Violence of Rural Women in Ghana

Economic violence (EV) or financial violence (FV) is one form of intimate partner violence (IPV), which has received less attention from scholars, policymakers, and social work practitioners. This study explores and describes the lived experiences of 24 rural Ghanaian women with economic violence within intimate partner relationships as wives, mothers, co-wives, and girlfriends. A qualitative methodology utilized a purposeful sample of 24 self-identified female victims as participants aged 20–50 years from three different rural communities in the southeastern region of Ghana. Data collected through individual semi-structured in-depth face-to-face interviews and data analysis utilized a qualitative thematic content analysis approach using Miles, Huberman, and Saldana (2014)'s thematic process. Data analysis identifies four main themes namely: (1) Exploitation of family resources; (2) Refusal of spouse/partner to support economic activities; (3) Not benefiting from commonly acquired marital properties; and 4) Inadequate reward for contributions. The article discusses policy implications, mental health interventions and suggestions for the provision of professional services and programs to increase the socioeconomic development of rural communities in Ghana.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF RURAL AREAS ON THE BASIS OF INDUSTRIAL, RESOURCE AND ENVIRONMENTAL POTENTIAL

Attention to the problems of socio-economic development of rural areas by the official authorities, economists and the scientific community was mainly theoretical, sometimes point-practical. At the same time, rural poverty and high unemployment, the deterioration of the demographic situation, the reduction of the network of social infrastructure institutions in rural areas, which in combination has a negative impact on the reproduction of labor resources, a decrease in production, a high level of migration, have always been the problems of rural development in the country. In general, the sustainable development of rural areas is characterized, on the one hand, by external, the most important natural resource constraints that form a long-term perspective, and on the other — determine the possibility of socio-economic development of rural communities, economic entities, diversification of the economy of the territory, the formation of new activities, environmental management. This is a very wide range of problems, which in Russia and in a number of countries around the world is currently being considered from different positions.
 The article deals with the problems of economic development of rural areas as the main factor of their sustainable development in the agricultural regions of Russia. The main resources of development of rural areas of the region are defined. The characteristic of clusters of agribusiness and tourism industry is given. It shows their points of growth, the channels of products realization of the cluster, the development of tourism and recreation.

Land concentration and land grabbing: Implications for the socio-economic development of rural communities in south-eastern Romania

In the periods of pre- and post-accession to the European Union, Romania experienced great and rapid land concentration and land grabbing. The current article is seeking to identify the relationship between these processes, and the socio-economic development of rural communities in two counties (Călăraşi and Ialomiţa) located in the south-east of Romania. By using a set of statistical indicators, the authors computed two secondary indexes: Agricultural Development Index and Social Disadvantage Index, whose correlation revealed that areas with massive land concentration (almost 80% of all Local Administrative Units) have a low level of socio-economic development.

Developing capacity through co-design: the case of two municipalities in rural South Africa

ABSTRACTIn South Africa, the socio-economic development of rural communities lags the furthest. One of the factors contributing towards this is the incapacity of local municipalities to deliver basic services. This paper discusses how municipal capacity can be improved through an ICT system that is designed and implemented using co-design. In a case study of two South African rural municipalities, capacity was assessed before and after an ICT system was implemented. Using the co-design methodology, stakeholders became part of the design team. The study empirically showed that capacity increased in both municipalities after the ICT system was implemented. The resulting developmental change manifested itself in the sectors of governance, engagement, human resource management, institutional memory, and access to information. The findings showed that understanding the context and current capabilities of stakeholders and investing time in the design of the ICT system resulted in greater impact than literature previously suggested.

The Role of Rural Tourism Brands on Social Sustainability of Rural Settlements (Case Study: Binaloud County)

Extended abstract 1. INTRODUCTION Currently, in most developed countries, the development of rural tourism is realized through creating brands for rural tourism destinations because tourism brands pave the way for competition between different service sectors; however, in a broader context, it competes with other tourism destinations for attracting more tourists and investment, and providing better services, employment, etc. In fact, rural tourism is a valuable source of employment and income generation that could be an important tool for socio-economic development of rural communities. Today, rural tourism is an invaluable source of job creation and income generation, which can serve as an important vehicle for social and economic development in rural communities. Thus, the creation of a unified brand for rural tourism and systematic planning of rural managers in the selection of suitable branding projects can prepare the ground for the promotion of sustainability in economic, social, environmental, physical, and structural domains. 2. METHODOLOGY This study is an applied one whose data are collected using a descriptive-survey method. The population consists of rural households in Binalood county. According to the most recent data, there were approximately 9263 rural households in Binaloud county. Based on Cochran formula, the sample size was comprised of 166 out of 4663 households, and as table 1.0 shows, the sample households were selected from nine villages including Jagharq, Abardeh-Oliya, Kang, Dehbar, Gorakhk, Abardeh-Sofla, Zoshk Neighborhood, Hesar, Sarasiab, Azghad and Zoshk. Households were the unit of analysis in this study, and the respondents were the units of observation. The required data were obtained using a questionnaire filled out by household members. The questionnaire designed by the authors of the study was the main research tool to collect data and asses the variables. Data processing and analysis were conducted using SPSS software package. For data analysis, descriptive and analytical statistical methods were employed. The validity (i.e., face validity) of data gathering tools was confirmed by experts. The reliability of the questionnaire was assessed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient, which showed the questionnaire was reliable (r=0.78). 3. DISCUSSION To analyze the impact of tourism on social sustainability of rural settlements, the path analysis test was used. The results were analyzed in three stages (outputs). In the first stage, 13 independent variables were included in the equation, with a regression analysis explaining 35% variation in the dependent variable (i.e., social sustainability). In this context, the variable of appropriate infrastructure with a coefficient of 0.364 had a significant impact on the dependent variable. Therefore, in the second stage, the “appropriate infrastructure” was treated as the dependent variable and seven other variables, which had high level of significance, were incorporated as independent variables. The results suggest that variables included in the regression analysis explained more than 14% of the variation in the dependent variable (i.e., appropriate infrastructure) with the variable of accessibility of tourist facilities (a=0.359) leaving the greatest impact on the dependent variable. In the third stage, tourism facilities were treated as the dependent variables and other variables were treated as independent variables. Thus, variables included in the regression analysis explained 7% of the variation in the dependent variable (i.e., tourism facilities). Finally, tourism development remained as the last variable. 4. CONCLUSION In this study, the effects of rural tourism brand factors on social indicators of rural settlement were investigated. There is a significant positive relationship between the creation of a tourism brand and social sustainability in most rural areas under study. That is, the development of rural tourism brand can lead to the sustainability of rural areas. Finally, the results of path analysis showed that the independent variable (i.e., rural tourism brand), in addition to its direct effects, had a number of significant indirect effects on the social sustainability of rural settlements as well. In this context, the variable of tourist facilities, besides its direct effects, could indirectly influence sustainability through variables such as access to appropriate infrastructure. Similarly, the variable of tourism development could exert indirect effects on variables like appropriate infrastructure and tourism facilities. On the other hand, entrepreneurship and employment variables also had significant indirect effects on sustainability. Finally, the independent variable factors (e.g., tourism brands) were ranked according to their impact. Out of eight variables analyzed in the regression equation, the variables of tourism facilities (0.472), appropriate infrastructure (0.364), and tourism development (0.169) had the greatest effect on social sustainability. However, the effects of factors such as education, artistic importance, existence of tourism-related job opportunities, tourism assets, accessibility, investment, natural potentials, cultural significance, and entrepreneurship on sustainability were identified as the least important factors in the path analysis though they are different from other equation variables.

An assessment of farmers’ satisfaction with land consolidation performance in China

Rural land consolidation has been a very important and efficient development tool all over the world for a century and is now an indispensable instrument for rural sustainable development in China. The Chinese central government has devoted large sums of money to rural consolidation projects each year in an effort to help protect cultivated land, to improve agricultural production, to enhance the socio-economic development of rural communities, and to help build rural landscapes. However, little attention has been paid to evaluating the performance of land consolidation projects from the view of community members, which is sorely needed. Household satisfaction with land consolidation projects is a key indicator of consolidation performance. Understanding the factors that influence household satisfaction is an effective way of dealing with problems in the interactions between land restructuring and human behaviors in rural areas and can help improve project performance. This paper examines the performance of land consolidation in terms of rural households’ levels of satisfaction in rural China and analyses the most influential factors of satisfaction. Data were gathered via questionnaires and analyzed with a probit model. Results indicated three significant points. First, overall satisfaction rate was 76.5%, meaning that most rural households in the regions of Hangzhou, Changsha, and Guiyang were satisfied with land consolidation projects. Second, 11 factors significantly affected rural residents’ satisfaction with consolidation. These factors included farmers’ level of education, employment characteristics, family size, input level of agricultural production, agricultural produce transportation methods, level of agricultural mechanization, the characteristics of land transfer in the village and within their own families, the perceived importance of land consolidation, their level of social insurance support, and their participation in rural production cooperatives. Third, six of these factors had positive effects on performance; four had negative effects, and one (employment characteristics) demonstrated a significant influence.

RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SOCIAL CAPITAL AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BASED ON RURAL COMMUNES IN THE WARMIŃSKO-MAZURSKIE VOIVODESHIP

The aim of this article is to assess the impact of social capital on socio-economic development of rural communities in the Warmia and Mazury Province. In the course of the study two synthetic indicators were calculated with the use of the TOPSIS method. One characterised social capital, the other the level of socio-economic development. The data used to determine the indicators (characterizing social capital and socio-economic development) were obtained from the Local Data Bank of the Central Statistical Offi ce and the National Electoral Commission for 67 rural communities from the Warminsko-mazurskie voivodeship. Subsequently, linear ordering of the examined units was conducted and typological classes (I–IV) were determined, characterising the level of both analysed indicators. It was established that rural communities in the Warminsko-mazurskie voivodeship do not show a large variation in terms of socio-economic development and social capital. Then, the relation between social capital and the level of socio-economic development was studied. As shown by statistical analysis, there is a positive, but low statistical dependence between the level of social capital and the level of socio-economic development. In turn, in the case of commune division into typological classes, compatibility was found between the discussed indicators, but only for 26 units, which constitutes only 40% of the analysed communes.

Agribusiness and Informality in Border Regions in Europe and North America: Avenues of Integration or Roads to Exploitation?

ABSTRACTAgribusiness is a globalized industry typified by capital-intensive, large-scale production for domestic and foreign markets. The employment of both migrant and immigrant laborers, and the informality that surrounds use of these laborers, are important components to such production. This paper examines the adaptation to and negotiation of farm laborers in informal markets in conjunction with the socioeconomic development of rural communities in border regions. I present ethnographic research from two important border production zones: the Coachella Valley of Southern California in the United States, and the Campo de Dalías in Almería Province, Andalucía, Spain. Through comparison of these cases, I explore two interrelated aspects of informality in the agribusiness industry: obtaining work and finding a place to live. Establishing and maintaining social networks are key to overcoming social consequences that arise out of agribusiness practices, but their resolution differ in the Coachella Valley and Campo de Dalías. I conclude by discussing the implications of the comparison and possible avenues for further research.

Resilience factors for food and nutrition security in Guatemalan communities

ObjectiveThe interaction of poverty and climate‐related crisis, along with socio‐ecological determinants of poor nutrition, could become major factors negatively affecting food and nutrition security (FNS). Therefore, it is important to identify resilience factors to enrich FNS. This study aimed at the identification of resilience factors (RF) as contributors to food and nutrition security in 3 communities from the municipality of Santa Catarina Mita, Department of Jutiapa, Guatemala.Methods: We assessed food and nutrition security with direct interviews, with a food security (FS) scale and with anthropometry in 184 families from the communities of La Barranca, El Quebracho y La Javia, from the southern department of Jutiapa.Results: A total of 590 subjects, mean age of 31y with 0‐99y as range, were recruited from the selected households (hholds). FS was present in 24% of hholds. RF associated with less vs. more malnutrition in preschool age children included hholds with cement floor, using a sewer system, availability of rice, eggs and leafy leaves and head of hhold not working in agriculture. For mothers, RF for less vs. more overweight and obesity included education, not buying sweet drinks, drinking water from the public system and head of hholds growing corn and beans as cash crops.ConclusionsOnly one‐quarter of families evaluated were food secure. Contrasting them against those food insecure, we identified resilience factors to avoid malnutrition in preschoolers and to control overweight/obesity among mothers. The identification of RF for sustainable FNS and for promoting health could contribute to solutions for the socio‐economic development of rural communities.

Micro-Finance Operations and Socio-Economic Development of Nigeria Rural Communities

This paper focused on the role of Microfinance banks on the socio-economic development of rural communities in Nigeria. The operations of microfinance institutions date back to the pre – independence period in Nigeria when traditional thrift saving systems and activities of local people could not really handle the growing expansion and needs of the rural people and transformation. Also, the failure of conventional banking in Nigeria to meet the socio-economic complexities of the rural communities that consistently experiences rapid growth and changes as well as government desire to reach rural areas in development, gave rise to the emergence of microfinance institutions as a way of providing financial answers to the low income people so as to finance and improve their income generating activities. Key concepts such as conceptual overview and basic issues in microfinance, the role of microfinance banks in the socio-economic development of rural communities among others were analyzed. The paper adopted the demand following and supply leading hypothesis to support its argument. The paper concluded following its findings that small scale business men and women especially those operating within the rural communities are always confronted with the problem of financing their business; getting proper education to sustain the business and enlarge same. Therefore, the paper recommended that government should set up a more practical and result oriented monitoring and evaluation team to facilitate a cordial link between small scale business enterprises and microfinance banks in rural com munities. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n23p742

Local Community Entrepreneurship: A Case Study of the Lenggong Valley

Entrepreneurship has been acknowledged as the best approach to empower the socio-economic development of rural communities in various countries. Lenggong Valley is in its first phase of tourism development and entrepreneurship of local community is still under studied in Lenggong. By looking at various business activities that could be generated by the development, their involvement in business would contribute to a better economic return. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the entrepreneurship of local community in Lenggong Valley. Based on quantitative face to face survey conducted on 500 residents in Lenggong Valley, the finding indicates that some of the local communities in Lenggong are already involved in entrepreneurship activities; however their business survivability should be a concern as they face limited financial sources and support. Furthermore, the majority of them are still involve in agricultural related activities making an indication that major effort is required to transform their life-style from agriculture to entrepreneurship. The finding provides a suggestion to the government on the needs to implement various entrepreneurship related programme in Lenggong Valley. Strategies to increase their involvement could be done through innovative programs, awareness, preparedness, and education on future entrepreneurs. Having newly declared as a world heritage site, this paper demonstrates the preliminary result on the need for a deeper examination on local community entrepreneurship in Lenggong Valley.

The Role of Microfinance Banks in the Socio-Economic Development of Rural Communities in Cross River State

The Role of Microfinance Banks in the Socio-Economic Development of Rural Communities in Cross River State

Comprehensive Life-Cycle Cost Analysis for Selection of Stabilization Alternatives for Better Performance of Low-Volume Roads

Low-volume roads (LVRs), such as rural, farm-to-market, and less-used local and city roads, are an important part of the world's transportation infrastructure. LVRs have been credited as a direct cause of the socioeconomic development of rural communities. It has been estimated that 60% of the road network in the United States is made up of low-volume roads. The construction, maintenance, and rehabilitation of these roads are major tasks that result in about 54% of the total annual expenditure of transportation agencies in the United States. Better design and construction methods will lead to lower maintenance and rehabilitation costs of LVRs. Stabilization of weak subgrade soils to support LVRs is a widely accepted method of improving their performance. However, the selection of a stabilization alternative on the basis of cost–benefit analysis is a crucial task for a transportation agency and one that has not been addressed in a systematic manner. In this paper, a new conceptual engineering economics tool–based life-cycle cost analysis (LCCA) is developed to optimize and to select the best stabilizer and the stabilization technique for a given subgrade soil and given traffic conditions. In this analysis, agency, user, and externality costs are addressed. Two case studies are analyzed for European and U.S. road conditions to validate the LCCA model. Results demonstrate that, under specific boundary conditions, soil stabilization can play an important role, merging the environmental and mechanical effectiveness of low-volume roads.

The development of Anglo-Saxon rural settlement forms

ABSTRACT A new generation of large-scale, mostly developer-funded excavations of Anglo-Saxon settlements are revolutionising our understanding of the socio-economic development of rural communities in the mid- to late Saxon periods. After characterising the settlement forms seen during the fifth to seventh centuries, this paper traces the diversification in the structure and layout of settlements from the later seventh century onwards and considers its causes, such as the possible relationship between the construction of extensive complexes of ditched enclosures and droveways, and new forms of land use.