Journal of Rural Studies最新文献

{"title":"Spatial land conflict typologies in the Atlantic Forest of South America","authors":"Alberto Anticoli ,&nbsp;Jonathan von Below ,&nbsp;Ana Alice Eleuterio ,&nbsp;Aníbal Orué Pozzo ,&nbsp;Ahuvit Trumper ,&nbsp;María Piquer-Rodríguez","doi":"10.1016/j.jrurstud.2025.103847","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jrurstud.2025.103847","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Land is a vital natural resource for the environment and socio-economic activities. Competing interests over land often lead to conflicts among actors with varying levels of power and influence, which are frequently linked to land-use changes. However, due to its complexity, the intricate relationship between land-use changes and associated conflicts remains underexplored. The Atlantic Forest of South America, a bio-culturally rich ecoregion, has experienced significant land-use changes over the last five centuries, including deforestation, agricultural expansion, urban development, and resulting land conflicts. Our study reviews, geolocates, and characterizes land conflicts in the Atlantic Forest from 1985 using a mixed-methods review and ordination of typologies of land conflicts. Results revealed disparities in indexed sources among Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay, with Brazil dominating the production of sources. The identified land-conflict typologies reflected each country's socio-environmental history. In Brazil, agribusiness expansion displaced small producers and farmers; Argentina's forestry industry clashed with rural and indigenous communities; and Paraguay faced rapid deforestation and intensified land use driven by large landowners with the support of local authorities. These conflicts have caused severe social and environmental impacts, including land grabbing and forced land abandonment. This study is, to our knowledge, the first to spatially characterize land conflict typologies across a South American complex triple frontier. By providing interdisciplinary insights, it contributes to informing just territorial planning and a holistic understanding of land conflicts in the Atlantic Forest.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17002,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rural Studies","volume":"120 ","pages":"Article 103847"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144886966","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"“It's ‘common-sense’ farming”: Exploring farmers' decision-making and behaviours towards adopting circular agricultural practices","authors":"Ffion Evans,&nbsp;James Gibbons,&nbsp;Dave Chadwick,&nbsp;Heli Gittins,&nbsp;Prysor Williams,&nbsp;Sophie Wynne-Jones","doi":"10.1016/j.jrurstud.2025.103844","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jrurstud.2025.103844","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Adoption of more circular farming systems could offer an important avenue for sustainable agricultural transitions by promoting renewable and recycled resources to reduce the need for external inputs, enhance nutrient cycling and farm profitability, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This study explored UK stakeholders' perceptions of circular farming practices through focus groups with 16 agricultural industry experts and policymakers, and 17 semi-structured interviews with farmers already engaged in circular practices. These were analysed using the COM-B (Capability/Opportunity/Motivation-Behaviour) model to understand factors affecting adoption. Farmers perceived circular agriculture as a ‘win-win’ solution offering economic, social and environmental benefits, bridging ‘environmentalist’ and ‘productivist’ priorities. They also recognised the principles of circularity as ‘common-sense’ and aligning with their established knowledge and values, reinforcing their identity as ‘good [food producing] farmers’. However, despite these positive perspectives, there remains a need for interventions to enhance uptake, including targeted communication strategies and knowledge exchange to promote awareness and engagement across the sector. In addition, the implementation of circular practices often necessitates collaboration at various scales, particularly in integrating crop and livestock systems. Intermediary organisations could play a vital role in facilitating these partnerships and overcoming resistance stemming from socio-cultural norms and peer influence. Lastly, government support, including financial incentives, was seen as a critical factor in enabling the transition to circular practices and could mitigate risks by providing economic stability. Overall circular agriculture presents a promising pathway towards net zero goals by embedding sustainable practices that align with farmers' established values and knowledge.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17002,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rural Studies","volume":"120 ","pages":"Article 103844"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144880292","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Iniqua Praxis: Social and criminal liability among caporali and agricultural entrepreneurs in the exploitation of irregular migrant farm workers","authors":"Fabio Indìo Massimo Poppi","doi":"10.1016/j.jrurstud.2025.103857","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jrurstud.2025.103857","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This article examines the distribution of social and criminal liability within the caporalato system by drawing on qualitative interviews with migrant farm workers, farmers, agricultural entrepreneurs, and caporali in southern Italy. It identifies three core dynamics: the “Search for Caporali,” where entrepreneurs actively seek informal intermediaries; the “Creation of Caporali,” where employers promote trusted workers into recruitment roles; and “Coercion and Collusion with Authorities,” which deters reporting through intimidation and institutional complicity. The findings suggest that agricultural entrepreneurs bear greater responsibility for labor exploitation, due to their structural power, capacity to externalize risk, and active role in organizing and legitimizing informal labor arrangements within broader systems of rural political economy and labor governance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17002,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rural Studies","volume":"120 ","pages":"Article 103857"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144880293","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Growing trees for the greater good – German agroforestry farmers are driven by self-transcendence values","authors":"Valeska Maria Volckens ,&nbsp;Kai Husmann ,&nbsp;Jan-Henning Feil ,&nbsp;Carola Paul","doi":"10.1016/j.jrurstud.2025.103856","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jrurstud.2025.103856","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Despite the German government's ambitious objective of expanding the area of agroforestry to 200,000 ha by 2027, German farmers have been slow to integrate this ecologically-friendly land-use practice into their farming portfolios. In view of this, previous studies have predominantly focused on the perceived barriers or attitudes of non-adopters to agroforestry uptake, while the pioneer's motivation to implement agroforestry has rarely been the subject of investigation. We aim to provide a deeper understanding of the underlying reasons of agroforestry farmers' behaviour, employing Shalom H. Schwartz's value theory. We hypothesise that German agroforestry farmers are more open to change and demonstrate a greater capacity for altruistic values compared to the average German farmer. Incorporating the ‘21-Item Portraits Value Questionnaire’ into an online survey facilitated an examination of the personal values of German agroforestry farmers and a comparison with previously surveyed values of German farmers.</div><div>Our results provide a comprehensive description of the formerly undocumented population of German agroforestry farmers (N = 40), including characteristics of their farms and agroforestry systems. The overall value portrait reveals that the highly self-transcendent German agroforestry farmers exhibit a greater concern for the common good than any other group of farmers analysed to date. The low score for 'Self-Enhancement' suggests that the greater good is more important to agroforestry practitioners than their personal benefit. Our findings yield implications for the legal framework and promotional activities pertaining to agroforestry.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17002,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rural Studies","volume":"120 ","pages":"Article 103856"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144880291","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Social expectations for Agriculture 4.0. Evidence from Living Labs in the Mediterranean greenhouse sector","authors":"Oriana Gava ,&nbsp;Sara Sturiale ,&nbsp;Marisa Gallardo ,&nbsp;Dolores Buendía Guerrero ,&nbsp;Dursun Buyuktas ,&nbsp;Gulcin Ece Aslan ,&nbsp;Asma Laarif ,&nbsp;Thameur Bouslama ,&nbsp;Alejandra Navarro ,&nbsp;Luca Incrocci ,&nbsp;Fabio Bartolini","doi":"10.1016/j.jrurstud.2025.103855","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jrurstud.2025.103855","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Agriculture 4.0 technologies, including digital tools, e.g., the Internet of Things and Cloud Computing, promise significant environmental and economic benefits for intensive farming systems like greenhouses. However, their social impacts remain controversial and relatively underexplored compared to environmental and economic impacts. This study aims to fill this knowledge gap by providing empirical evidence on actor expectations for the social impacts of Agriculture 4.0 technologies, specifically through the adoption of a decision support system in greenhouse farming. Using a qualitative assessment framework, the study explores the relevance and mechanisms of social impacts based on perspectives collected from four case studies in Almería (Spain), Antalya (Turkey), Monastir (Tunisia), and Tuscany (Italy). The findings reveal significant regional variations in the expected social outcomes of decision support system's adoption. While improvements in learning and skills, health, and wellbeing are anticipated, challenges remain in addressing gender gaps and the inclusion of vulnerable groups. The study underscores the importance of tailoring Agriculture 4.0 interventions to local socio-economic and political contexts to maximise their benefits. It also highlights the need for continuous training, skill enhancement, and holistic societal interventions to ensure equitable and sustainable outcomes. These insights provide valuable guidance for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners aiming to leverage digital agriculture for social sustainability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17002,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rural Studies","volume":"120 ","pages":"Article 103855"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144880290","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Can agrodealers be agents of sustainability transitions in agriculture? Reflections based on the expansion of biological inputs in Mexico","authors":"Frédéric Goulet ,&nbsp;Ramiro Ortega Landa ,&nbsp;Francisco Buenrostro ,&nbsp;Simon Fonteyne","doi":"10.1016/j.jrurstud.2025.103838","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jrurstud.2025.103838","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Agrodealers are key players in providing technologies and support services to farmers. Nevertheless, they are generally perceived as reluctant, or at least inactive, in the transition to more sustainable practices. In this article, we examine their contribution to the expansion of biological inputs - biological control, biofertilizers, biostimulants - understood as a set of alternative technologies for reducing the consumption of chemical inputs. Based on a qualitative survey of agrodealers and various agricultural R&amp;D stakeholders in Mexico's Bajío grain-production region, we show that they play a proactive role in the expansion of these technologies. Faced with a highly competitive environment, including these products in their portfolio enables them to differentiate themselves from their competitors, while continuing to promote the productivity and profitability of their crops to their customers. In some cases, they not only distribute the products of upstream industries, but also become producers themselves of the microorganisms they offer for sale. They are also actively involved in encouraging farmers to acquire and use these technologies, while striving to minimize the disruption that this may cause to their practices. To this end, they provide advice and support, and develop formulas for integrating biological inputs into technical packages that facilitate their adoption. These results call for a reconsideration of the role these actors could play in initiatives aimed at promoting sustainable technologies and practices for the agricultural sector.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17002,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rural Studies","volume":"120 ","pages":"Article 103838"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144867473","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A policy and practice divide? Zambia's artisanal and small-scale mining sector and the Sustainable Development Goals","authors":"M. Kaczmarska ,&nbsp;R.K.M. Clube ,&nbsp;F.C. Mubanga ,&nbsp;J. Tomei","doi":"10.1016/j.jrurstud.2025.103774","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jrurstud.2025.103774","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Zambia continues to promote resource-based development through mineral exploration and exploitation. Whilst expanding copper production remains a top priority, recent Government announcements have signalled an intent to diversify export revenue by scaling-up exploitation of other minerals (e.g. gemstones, manganese, gold). The development of its artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector has been pinpointed as a strategy to do so. This paper investigates, firstly, whether Zambia's policy ambitions for the sector are, in theory, compatible with achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); and secondly, to what extent it has, in practice, achieved progress. An original framework was developed to map Zambia's ASM-related policies to the SDGs. We find that, on paper, the ASM policy framework is compatible with most SDGs. However, an overemphasis on large-scale mining and economic growth persists, whilst other positive socioeconomic and environmental synergies are missed. Additionally, a new sector bias has emerged towards artisanal and small-scale <em>gold</em> mining, with less attention paid to other minerals in the policy framework. The findings also reveal that some policies with high social impact potential have, so far, been inadequately implemented. Consequently, issues relating to availability and accessibility of finance, inadequate equipment and training, unsafe mining conditions, gender and child labour concerns, as well as poor environmental performance, persist. The study concludes that Zambia's ASM sector is still far from achieving the SDGs and reiterates the need for targeted policies that foster socioeconomic transformation of the sector.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17002,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rural Studies","volume":"120 ","pages":"Article 103774"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144867474","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"From the ground up: exploring European carbon farming through social practice theory","authors":"Mariana Debernardini ,&nbsp;Jeroen Candel ,&nbsp;Rogier P.O. Schulte","doi":"10.1016/j.jrurstud.2025.103850","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jrurstud.2025.103850","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The IPCC has highlighted the role of Carbon Dioxide Removals (CDR) to limit global warming to 1,5 °C, as hard-to-abate emissions fail to reach target reductions. Many academics, policy makers, private actors and civil society organisations argue that rewarding carbon farming could be a key approach to increasing CDR despite the uncertainty around the potential of carbon farming to contribute to net-zero efforts. The experiences and lived realities of farmers have largely been overlooked in the scientific and policy debates around carbon farming. Nevertheless, the EU is heavily investing in the development of carbon certificates for land managers through policies such as the Carbon Removal and Carbon Farming regulation (CRCF). This study provides a bottom-up perspective to carbon farming, by learning from farmers who have already implemented the ground-level changes sought by policy-makers. We collected data on the practices of 21 front-runners across Europe who are already involved in carbon farming initiatives. We find that carbon farming practices are deeply entangled in complexes across space and time, which leads to unique trade-offs and choices borne by the farmer. We also find that front-runner farmers are in a constant state of adapting practices to fit the context of their farm through experimentation. This leads to alternative entry points worthy of further exploration related to how carbon farming <em>practicing,</em> rather than individual practices, could be incentivised and supported.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17002,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rural Studies","volume":"120 ","pages":"Article 103850"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144867472","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Does refrigerator ownership improve household food security for rural residents? Evidence from longitudinal survey data in China","authors":"Luchen Huang ,&nbsp;Yanjun Ren","doi":"10.1016/j.jrurstud.2025.103841","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jrurstud.2025.103841","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Although a substantial body of research has explored methods to enhance household food security, the role of food storage conditions has received limited attention, despite significant technological advancements in recent decades, particularly in developing countries. Using panel data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey, this study investigates the causal effect of refrigerator ownership on household food security and explores the underlying channels. Household food security is measured through dietary diversity and dietary balance indicators. The results show that refrigerator ownership significantly enhances household food security, with particularly pronounced effects among households where the primary food decision-maker is female or has a lower education level, as well as among higher-income households and those located in southern regions. Regarding the underlying channels, refrigerator ownership facilitates the purchase and consumption of perishable foods, reduces their waste, and contributes to a shift in food consumption structure. In addition, we also find that refrigerator ownership is associated with improved nutrient intake. Further analysis of the “<em>Home Appliances Going to the Countryside</em>” policy supports its effectiveness in promoting food storage capacity. In light of these findings, sustained efforts to expand refrigerator access and promote appropriate use are critical, particularly in developing countries where such technologies remain underutilized.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17002,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rural Studies","volume":"120 ","pages":"Article 103841"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144867470","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Gender (in)equity and the adoption of farm machinery: Opportunities and trade-offs in Bangladesh livestock systems","authors":"Michael Euler ,&nbsp;Stephanie Cheesman ,&nbsp;Farah Keya ,&nbsp;Santiago López-Ridaura ,&nbsp;Mizanur Rahman ,&nbsp;Timothy J. Krupnik","doi":"10.1016/j.jrurstud.2025.103839","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jrurstud.2025.103839","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Agricultural mechanization can improve wellbeing and livelihoods in agrifood systems, but its benefits may not be evenly shared between women and men. This is a concern given the increased interest in agricultural mechanization in development programs. In this study, we analyzed data from 373 livestock producers in Bangladesh to assess the associations between adopting mechanized fodder choppers and gendered time-allocation, participation in decision-making, and control over livestock income. Accounting for observed heterogeneity between adopters and non-adopters, we find that the use of mechanized fodder choppers was associated with husbands claiming more influence over the use of livestock income. Adoption was also correlated with women’s time savings in livestock production, which they used for additional resting. While the associations in this study should not be interpreted as causal relationships, we conclude that the gendered outcomes of the adoption of mechanized fodder choppers can be complex. Development programs promoting farm machinery may need to consider ways that allow women to capture benefits while employing safeguards to prevent a potential weakening of women’s agency in livestock production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17002,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rural Studies","volume":"120 ","pages":"Article 103839"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144867471","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}