Livelihood Research Articles

Holistic Benefits of Millets in Ayurveda

An examination of millets and Ayurveda demonstrates a deep relationship that goes beyond simple nutrition and provides a comprehensive approach to health. Ancient small-seeded grains called millets and the traditional Indian medical system known as Ayurveda work together to create a symbiotic relationship that connects health, wellbeing, and sustainable life. This essay explores the nutritional analysis of millets, their medicinal applications in Ayurveda, their health advantages, and the role of Ayurveda in endorsing millets as a mainstay for general well-being.

Designing a framework to analyze the impact of watershed development on socioeconomic development: integrating literature, theory, and practice

Watershed development initiatives have emerged as key tools for achieving sustainable rural development, especially in countries experiencing environmental degradation and resource constraints. Despite the increasing acknowledgment of the significance of watershed development interventions, there remains a dearth of comprehensive frameworks for evaluating their effects on the socioeconomic progress of communities, particularly concerning rural livelihoods and household food security outcomes. Hence, this study addresses this gap by developing a comprehensive impact analysis conceptual framework tailored to assess the impact of watershed development on socioeconomic aspects. This study designed the framework by incorporating existing theoretical perspectives (the sustainable livelihoods framework, political ecology, theory of change, and community-based natural resource management) and making essential adjustments. This novel conceptual framework offers a multifaceted approach to assess the socioeconomic impacts of watershed development projects, particularly on rural livelihoods and household food security. Employing a mixed methods approach, the framework sheds light on how interventions affect the livelihood assets and strategies of rural communities, ultimately influencing their food security and well-being. Furthermore, it examines how community involvement and national policy affect these efforts. By providing a holistic understanding of watershed development dynamics, this framework allows researchers and practitioners to assess impacts, identify trade-offs, and evaluate interventions. This informs policymakers about evidence-based interventions to promote sustainable socioeconomic development in rural communities.

A Study of Gender Perspectives on Farmers' Livelihood Resources in a Dryland Farming Community of Lombok Island, Indonesia

Aim: A case study on Lombok Island, Indonesia, examined livelihood resources among rain-fed rice farmers from a gender perspective. Study Design: Using a descriptive approach, the study purposely selected dryland and rain-fed farming communities reliant on agriculture. Place and Duration of the Study: The study was conducted in the southern part of Lombok Island between December 2023 to January 2024. Methodology: Data from 30 respondents (15 male, 15 female farmers) assessed livelihood resources across human, natural, financial, social, and physical aspects. Analysis employed categorical techniques and mode calculations. Results: Male farmers predominated in managing human resources and natural resources such as land and water ownership. Females excelled in household water use, technology adoption, and accessing financial aid. Both genders managed income and savings similarly, with males showing greater agricultural knowledge and communication skills. Conclusion: These insights underscore the nuanced gender dynamics in resource management and highlight the need for gender-responsive policies to foster sustainable livelihoods in vulnerable dryland communities.

An Assessment of Promoting Culinary Tourism in Ghana

Purpose: Ghana's tourism and hospitality industry has been extensively researched over the past five decades, primarily focusing on culture and heritage tourism, nature and economic tourism, marketing, and service quality. The aim is to assess the potential of culinary tourism as a powerful tool for creating sustainable livelihood empowerment channels, offering a beacon of hope for the future. Design/Methodology/Approach: The study was conducted with a rigorous qualitative research design and desk review approach, ensuring a comprehensive topic exploration. Published data and literature on the food tourism prospects of eight regions in Ghana were analysed. The gathered data was then subjected to content analysis, a common technique in qualitative research. Research Limitation: The findings derived from the desk review may not be generalisable to other contexts, populations, or geographic areas due to the reliance on specific literature that may not capture all perspectives. This acknowledgement ensures that the audience is fully informed about the scope of the study. Findings: The study exposes the stark reality that the culinary tourism market in Ghana, despite its significant potential, remains underdeveloped. This underscores the crucial need for strategic interventions and the active participation of all stakeholders in the industry's development. Practical Implication: From a practical point of view, the Ghana Tourism Authority must show greater interest in developing the sector by organising regional and national food festivals annually. This effort must be publicised internationally to attract tourists interested in exploring Ghana's culinary diversity. Social Implication: Culinary tourism promotes sustainable food production and consumption practices by emphasising local, seasonal, and environmentally friendly ingredients. This reduces tourism's carbon footprint and supports responsible consumption patterns. Originality/Value: This study has revealed a significant research gap with practical implications. Thus, narratives on the potential of culinary tourism across eight regions in Ghana have known to have been provided practical actions towards enhancing culinary tourism in Ghana.

REDD+ in Indonesia: An assessment of the international environmental program

AbstractThis paper provides a comprehensive review of the literature and assesses the progress on the effects of Indonesia’s REDD+ program. Due to the significance of Indonesia in terms of global rainforests and the comprehensive implementation practice of REDD+ programs since 2009, focusing on the case study of Indonesia enables interesting insights regarding the challenges and opportunities of REDD+. Indonesia faced challenges during the project’s implementation, but there were also reductions. This success is attributed to the set program design of REDD+. In this paper, we show that without international development cooperation in the field of climate change mitigation, the countries in the Global South lack locally driven forest conservation or restoration incentives. These incentives emanate exogenously from international development cooperation programs in the field of climate change mitigation. The review of the program also shows that despite the rigorous institutional design of REDD+ in Indonesia, not all the stakeholders could benefit from the program appropriately. Because of the de facto weakness of the smallholder farmers, indigenous population groups, and other vulnerable categories in the political process of Indonesia, these groups’ interests have not come fully to their own in Indonesia. Hence, we conclude that international programs that target environmental protection, while addressing inferior institutional quality, bad governance and operate through more accountable NGOs than government agencies would perform better in terms of global environmental targets and the sustainability of local livelihoods.

Development of Sustainable Lifestyle Project E-Module As Strengthening Environmental Awareness of Elementary School Students

Objective: to test the feasibility of the sustainable lifestyle project e-module in strengthening the attitude of caring for the environment of grade 2 elementary school students. Theoretical Framework: Indicators of environmental care attitudes, namely: environmental care, reduction of plastic use, waste management according to type, reduction of carbon emissions and energy saving. Methods: The research was conducted in December 2023 - June 2024 using the (R&D) method. The respondents who participated in this study were 6 validators consisting of media experts and material experts and 14 2nd grade elementary school students to respond to the e-module media at the implementation stage. The instruments used in this study are, the material expert questionnaire consists of 21 items, the media expert questionnaire consists of 29 items, and the student response questionnaire consists of 19 items. The research instruments used have gone through validation. Results and Discussion: The aspect of material suitability with the applicable curriculum was 79%; the aspect of project flow activities was 88.33%; the language aspect was 86.66%; the aspect of material suitability with the indicator of environmental care attitude was 95.33%; and the aspect of suitability with the characteristics of elementary school students was 88.33%. The average results and criteria for the validation of e-module materials were obtained with an average validity score of 82.86% which means valid. Research Implications: this sustainable lifestyle project e-module is in accordance with the scope of the material with the applicable curriculum, the project flow activities are appropriate, the use of language, materials are in accordance with the indicators of environmental care attitudes, and in accordance with the characteristics of students in elementary schools that are interesting and encourage students to innovate and create. Originality/Value: Based on the expert validation of the sustainable lifestyle project e-module developed in this study, it was declared feasible to form an attitude of caring for the environment of grade 2 elementary school students.

Sustainable land management and implications on incomes, food self-sufficiency and women

The adoption of Sustainable Land Management (SLM) practices among smallholder farmers remains low, particularly among women farmers. Understanding the relationship between assets, gender, and SLM adoption and how their interaction impinges on household food self-sufficiency and livelihoods is essential for developing gender-responsive SLM programmes that effectively promote sustainable livelihoods and address household food insecurity. This study examines the effects of asset type on SLM practices adoption, women farmers, and their implications on household incomes and food self-sufficiency. Data was collected through a cross-sectional survey of 761 households selected from 11 chiefdoms across six districts in Eastern Zambia. Analysis involved Structural Equation System framework and Propensity Score Matching techniques to examine relationships between SLM adoption, food self-sufficiency, and household incomes, considering various socio-economic factors. Results showed marital status and household size as significant demographics, with education positively correlating with household income and SLM participation (p < 0.05). Gender disparities persisted, with male-headed households having higher incomes. Labour allocation analysis revealed women’s involvement in labour-intensive tasks, while smaller farms showed higher income probabilities, supporting sustainable agricultural intensification. Social capital significantly influenced SLM participation, and access to financial capital. Livestock assets, land size, and crop diversity predicted food security, while male decision-making influenced food security and income. Incomes were higher for women participating in SLM projects. This study underscores the importance of SLM practices in influencing household incomes and food security, especially for women. Addressing gender disparities and promoting women’s empowerment in agriculture are crucial for achieving equitable and sustainable rural development. Policymakers can foster sustainable livelihoods in rural communities by prioritizing SLM and empowering women.

Short-Term Digital Platform Work’s Long-Term Impact on Livelihoods

As platformization and virtualization of work gain prominence in the digitally connected world, parallel efforts are being made to narrow the digital divides, driving the globalization of short-term digital labor as both a rapidly evolving theoretical construct and a practical reality. Although the disproportionate influence of platforms on Global South development is a growing area of concern, the global reach of platforms does not necessarily imply a uniform impact on development gains and constraints across different developing regions. This review paper explores this interplay between digital platform work and local development, particularly emphasizing the long-term impact of platform-mediated digital work on workers’ livelihoods in the Global South. The study delves into how the variation in local contextual factors changes the livelihood outcomes of platform work in different Global South countries. The study focuses on three key areas endogenous to local development, i.e., access to decent work, employability skills development, and workers’ resilience within the ever-changing job market. A realist synthesis method is used to distinguish between different scholarly perspectives across various disciplines and geographic areas. The findings are further utilized to refine a conception of the Sustainable Livelihood Framework, providing a tool that broadens the scope of platform work analysis to account for the diverse structural and contextual factors impacting workers’ livelihoods in different regions. The study calls for a thorough examination of the uneven distribution of platform labor outcomes, focusing particularly on the local contextual factors contributing to this disparity.

Contribution of the informal market of village chickens to sustainable livelihoods in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Contribution of the informal market of village chickens to sustainable livelihoods in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

THEORETICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

This paper presents a study of the theoretical and methodological foundations of the process of forming a development strategy for a company. It was determined that the main goal of the development strategy is to achieve a long-term competitive advantage that guarantees the survival and sustainable functioning of the enterprise in the future. After considering the opinions of various authors, we have reached the conclusion that a development strategy is a coherent set of interrelated strategic decisions that determine the priority areas of a company's activities in terms of implementing its mission, goals, and objectives. According to its content, the strategy takes into account the main fundamental processes in the company and its external environment, the potential for growth of its strategic potential. And since each firm is unique, the strategy formulation process for each firm is individual. The paper investigates the possibility that an enterprise can function well through management that is adaptable to rapid changes in business conditions and through efforts to solve internal problems related to increasing the efficiency of resource use in current activities. In other words, it is necessary to implement a process of planning, organizing, motivating, and controlling in order to formulate and achieve the goals of the enterprise. Summarizing the different approaches to the content of the strategy formulation process, it was determined that there is no single method of formulating development strategies, nor is there a single form of enterprise. After analyzing the studies of scientists dealing with the issue of the development strategy of an enterprise, it was determined that the development strategy of an enterprise is a complex and long process of actions and measures to improve business processes, continuously shape the customer portfolio, and improve the system of relations with customers, taking into account the interaction between the external environment and the enterprise and the dynamics of its development, as well as the We were able to reach the conclusion that it is the result of a process, designed to support the sustainable and long-term livelihood of enterprises in the turbulent conditions of the socio-economic system. The analysis of a large number of publications shows that the scientific and methodological approach to the formation of development strategies and the structuring of their development process needs updating and further development, both in its scientific and organizational/practical aspects.

Research on the Impact of Rural Tourism on Farmer’s Sustainable Livelihood and Coordinated Development (Case Study Jiwodu Village in Yangshuo, Guangxi)

Rural tourism is considered a viable strategy for achieving sustainable rural economic development and poverty reduction, offering significant economic, social, cultural, and ecological benefits. However, as an external force, rural tourism disrupts the livelihood capital and strategies of farmers, significantly influencing their sustainable livelihoods. This paper uses the sustainable livelihood analysis framework from a micro perspective to assess rural tourism's impact on farmers' livelihoods, particularly in Jiwodu Village, Guangxi, China. By categorizing farmers based on the proportion of rural tourism income in their total household income—Tourism-related, Tourism-dominated, and Tourism-exclusive livelihoods—the study constructs a farmer livelihood capital scale, employs a participatory assessment method, and compares changes in the five major livelihood capitals before and after rural tourism development, exploring farmers' perceptions of its impact.

Sustainable Tribal Livelihood Generation through Tribal Cooperatives and the Effective Use of Minor Forest Products in Jharkhand

A significant part of India’s tribal community, which forms 11.3% of its rural demographic, relies heavily on Minor Forest Products (MFPs) for their livelihood. Reports indicate that around 100 million people are engaged in the collection and trade of MFPs, supporting nearly 275 million rural Indians, many of whom are tribal. Despite these natural resources, tribal groups in India face substantial socio-economic challenges, lagging behind in access to essential services such as healthcare, education, and financial opportunities. This gap is where Tribal co-operatives can make a significant impact, focusing on poverty reduction, environmental sustainability, and community development by creating sustainable business models that address unmet societal needs. Jharkhand, known as the "land of forests," is among the top three Indian states with a high tribal population, where approximately 60% depend on forest resources for their sustenance. Diverse MFPs like tamarind mainly enrich the state's economy. Yet, the full economic potential of these resources is underutilized due to limited market access and inadequate livelihood opportunities for tribal populations. The present study, titled " Sustainable Tribal livelihood generation through tribal cooperatives and the effective use of minor forest products in Jharkhand," examines how forming cooperatives can not only increase villagers' incomes by producing higher-value products but also strengthen communities and promote sustainable economic development. Educating tribes on available government schemes could significantly enhance their livelihoods and contribute to India's economic growth.

Impact of the rural enterprise programme interventions on smallholder farmers’ climate adaptation strategies: Qualitative evidence from Ghana’s transitional agro-ecological zone

ABSTRACT This paper combines theoretical insights from vulnerability literature and interpretive paradigm using a qualitative approach involving semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions to examine smallholder farmers’ climate perception, adaptation strategies, and challenges under the rural enterprise programme interventions in the Kintampo South district of Ghana. The farmers reported rainfall variability and rising temperatures as their key observed changes. The study revealed that climate impacts on farmers and their agricultural systems are multidimensional, which affect their productive capacity and livelihoods. These impacts have pushed them to adopt adaptation strategies with the support of the programme interventions. The farmers benefitted from material and non-material resources, minimizing climate impacts and reducing vulnerabilities. The paper provides critical insights into how future agricultural development interventions could develop effective interventions to build sustainable agricultural systems and livelihoods that are inclusive, sustainable, and responsive to the needs of the most vulnerable communities and obviate smallholder farmers’ vulnerability.

Mobilizing Evidence-based Knowledge for Sustainable Wetlands Co-management and Co-governance amidst increasing Anthropogenic and Environmental Stressors: Key Lessons from Mityana District, Uganda

Wetlands (covering about 1.5–1.6 billion hectares globally), are critical biodiversity and livelihood hotspots. Wetlands further replenish the global economy with $47.4 trillion/year worth of ecosystem services. By jealously guarding wetlands, progress toward sustainable development goals, and livelihood welfare are possible. Unfortunately, despite the promulgation of wetland governance mechanisms, 35 percent of the global natural wetlands have been lost since the 1970s. This could be worse in undocumented or explored wetland zones situated in remote tropical regions. In this study, we bring to the fore insights from 286 documents sourced from Scopus and engagements from 105 citizens in Mityana, to (i) map wetlands (including the current vulnerabilities and threats), and (ii) co-develop a wetlands management action pathway that could create sustainable co-management possibilities and sustainable livelihood futures. Findings revealed that although research on wetlands has increased for the last 31 years, since 2021, it has plummeted. In Uganda, wetland research and scholarship is predominantly situated around the Lake Victoria region. Most research focuses on natural or biological sciences. Emerging policy themes and trending research topics are shifting from key wetland management paradigms. From a total of 105 sampled wetlands scattered across fourteen (14) sub-counties in the Mityana district, critical wetland issues were unraveled. Mityana is crossed by two wetland systems (Lake Wamala and River Mayanja dominated by permanent papyrus and seasonal swamps respectively. Wetlands offer unique livelihood, cultural assets/capitals, and ecological benefits (including cultural/aesthetics meaning). An unfathomable rate of degradation is evident. Anthropogenic factors are the predominant threat drivers, especially eucalyptus planting. The loss of culturally valuable wetlands has increased socio-cultural-ecological grief, such as around Lake Wamala. Micro-level management actions are increasing, albeit mainly around accessible permanent wetlands. Most riparian wetland sedentary populations expressed willingness and interest in the co-management and governance of community wetlands. More robust actions and pathways are needed to create avenues for community co-management. The co-developed the sustainable wetlands management action pathway (SWeMAP) provides seven (7) coherent steps, including critical social science insights that could aid sustainable wetlands governance and management across geographies. As wetlands in Uganda have been gazetted as critical to sustainable development, the urgent co-development and financing of micro-level wetland action plans, including situational inventories could help create avenues for sustainable wetlands management.

Agriculture and Tourism: A Historical Perspective on Food Security Strategies in Rural Development

This article examines the historical relationship between agriculture and tourism and its implications for food security strategies in rural development. Food security is one of the foundational pillars for sustainable rural livelihoods. Integrating agriculture and tourism has enhanced resilience and food security in rural development. This study reviews the historical case studies of agriculture and tourism across various regions to trace the evolution of agriculture and tourism and their mutually dependent relationship, as well as the local food culture playing an essential role in a journey to attract visitors and to enhance local economy and employment. Results indicate that practical cooperation between these two sectors can result in resilient food security, heightening community identity, and strengthening environmental awareness. This article also studies rural areas' challenges and the opportunities for integrating agriculture and tourism to improve food security. Ultimately, it emphasizes the importance of a holistic approach incorporating historical insights, community engagement, and innovative strategies.

Assessing the Role of Agroforestry-Livelihood-Food Security Nexus in the Madhupur Sal Forest of Bangladesh

Agroforestry practices play an inevitable role in reinforcing the livelihood of millions of small-scale farmers while ensuring sustainable food security throughout the world. The significance of practicing various strategies of agroforestry models in densely populated countries like Bangladesh is highly recognized according to livelihood functionalities. To achieve the sustainable goals of the United Nations, identifying potential agroforestry practices along with their impacts towards socio-economic, and ecological demands is crucial. Socio-economic interactions are highly influenced by livelihood improvement and assurance of food security for the participants. Madhupur Sal forest is one of the major sources of diversified combination agroforestry systems practiced by the people around it. Age, education, annual income, and agroforestry knowledge had a significant relationship with the farmers' opinions on socio-economic development through agroforestry practices. Sustainable livelihood capitals (Human, Social, Physical, Financial, and Natural) were improved in each model we determined, and agroforestry multi-functionally increased food security ensuring 94% yearly food sufficiency, and 6% sufficiency for two-thirds of the year according to the response variables. This study depicted various prospects for livelihood enhancement and food security concerning diverse agroforestry models.

Resolving Early Retirement Conflicts Among School Teachers for Sustainable Living

Although the official retirement age for Malaysia is 60 years, a significant number of academia opt to retire early. The number of early retirement applicants increases on a yearly basis. Exploring the factors that influence academia to retire early is essential, particularly with the upcoming retirement of baby boomers. This study aims to investigate the influence of gender as a moderating factor in the association between early retirement intentions (ERI) and several factors, including financial security, health conditions, workload, and a lack of IT skills, within the context of teachers. Out of a total of 180 questionnaires sent, 126 teachers responded to the given questionnaire. The selection of teachers has been done randomly around the Klang Valley and the questionnaire has been distributed using the Stratified Random Sampling Method. PLS-SEM v4 has been used to analyse the collected data. The results show that health conditions and a lack of IT skills are important influences on early retirement decisions. This study sheds light on the complexities of early retirement decisions among teachers and highlights the importance of addressing health and IT skill-related issues to better retain and manage experienced educators in the Klang Valley, ultimately contributing to achieving sustainable existence in the region. By understanding the factors influencing early retirement intentions, educational institutions and policymakers should take proactive measures to create a supportive work environment that fosters teacher retention.

Livelihood Analysis of People Involved in Fish-Drying Practices on the Southwest Coast of Bangladesh

The southwest coast, specifically the Khulna region of Bangladesh, has seen a substantial increase in the production of dried fish, involving marginalized coastal people. This study uses a mixed methods approach and the sustainable livelihood approach (SLA) to assess these fish-drying communities’ socioeconomic characteristics, ways of living, and adaptability. Due to their lower literacy, irregular wages, and labor-intensive employment, the research outcomes indicated that the communities engaged in the drying process were economically disadvantaged. Male workers exhibited a relatively higher participation rate compared to females. However, it was observed that females had less power over their wages and earned less than USD 2.74–3.65 per day compared to males at USD 3.65–5.48 per day. Even though there were a lot of opportunities for employment, the survey showed that very few vendors, manufacturers, and laborers regarded themselves as financially independent. To cope with various impacts and obstacles, off-season earnings, a variety of fish species, drying facilities, dealer associations, and social relationships were crucial for dried-fish processors, workers, and traders. The research suggests implementing suitable measures to diversify alternative sources of income and emphasizes the importance of fostering strong collaboration among the communities, local management authorities, and the government. With regard to dry-fish approaches, these steps are essential for ensuring long-term sustainability and improving community resilience among coastal communities.

A REVIEW OF THE SUSTAINABILITY - CIRCULAR ECONOMY IN THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY

Climate change, the number of the global population, and the diversity of activities with an impact on the planet have been on an upward slope, which requires taking preventive measures and changing from a social, economic, and environmental perspective, thus meaning that the adoption of a sustainable lifestyle is necessary. This study provides a review of the literature on the adoption of the circular economy and sustainability concepts in the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector. This study aims to qualitatively assess the need to implement sustainability in the pharmaceutical industry, given that the latter has a significant environmental impact on human existence. In this study, the “Web of Science," "Scopus,” databases, and “Springer Publishing” are used, from which works are extracted based on the keywords sustainability in the pharmaceutical industry and circular economy in the pharmaceutical industry, following the evolution of works written in the last ten years on this topic. The most relevant approaches of the authors to this topic are presented. It can be seen that this topic is one discussed by an important category of researchers, especially in countries where the need for medicines is greater due to the standard of living, such as those in Asia, for example. The research can also be extended to other databases using the same keywords or words related to sustainability or circular economy in the pharmaceutical industry.

Green Collaboration for Sustainable Living: Learning, Empowerment, and Prosperity in Sukadamai village, Cikupa District, Tangerang

Green Collaboration for Sustainable Living: Learning, Empowerment, and Prosperity in Sukadamai village, Cikupa District, Tangerang