Multi-Scale analysis of the impacts of soil and water conservation practices and landscape on grain yield and return on investment in the sub-humid ethiopian highlands.

Ethiopia's sub-humid highlands face a critical challenge in balancing agricultural productivity with land degradation. This study explores the effectiveness of soil and water conservation practices (SWCPs) in addressing this challenge. We investigated the interaction effects of types of SWCPs, landscape positions, and location on Teff (Eragrostis teff) and wheat (Triticum aestivum) yield. In addition, we assessed the economic viability of SWCPs using cost-benefit analysis with farmer-funded and cost-sharing scenarios. The results indicated that yield was significantly affected by the interactions between factors like SWCP type and landscape position. Soil bunds consistently increased crop yield across diverse locations and landscapes, indicating superior erosion control benefits. Lower landscape positions on foot slopes benefited most from SWCP implementation. Teff yield increased by 188 % and wheat yield by 181 % under soil bunds. The cost-benefit analysis confirmed the financial viability of SWCPs, particularly for Teff (NPV = 4499.35 USD, IRR = 50 %, and BCR = 1.51) and wheat (NPV = 544.35 USD, IRR = 16 %, and BCR = 1.06) grown on lower landscapes with farmer-funded investment scenarios. Positive return on investment was observed in both scenarios, with cost-sharing offering greater economic benefits for farmers. These findings highlight the importance of an integrated approach to SWC implementation for achieving multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by enhancing food security, improving farmer incomes, and promoting sustainable and productive landscape management practices. Future research should explore the long-term sustainability of SWCPs, their adaptation across diverse agroecological zones and landscapes, the incorporation of various crops, the broader socioeconomic impacts, and the development of effective extension programs for wider adoption by farmers.

The role of agroforestry systems for addressing climate change livelihood vulnerability of farmers of Northwestern Ethiopia.

Farmers in Ethiopia have been vulnerable to climate change in recent decades. In the face of this change, farmers have managed agroforestry systems to maintain their livelihoods. However, studies exploring the role of agroforestry in reducing household vulnerability are lacking in Northwestern Ethiopia. The objectives of the study were to (i) investigate households' livelihoods vulnerability to climate change in Northwestern Ethiopia; (iii) assess the role of agroforestry in mitigating the negative impacts of climate change on farmers livelihoods. Key informant interviews, in-depth interviews, household surveys (387), and focus group discussions were used to collect the data. Descriptive statistics, principal component analysis, the X2-test, and the t-test were run to analyze the data. The findings revealed that households are vulnerable to rising temperatures, rainfall variability, frost, disease and pests, erosion, hailstorms, price hikes, wildlife damage to crops, and health stress. Agroforestry non-practitioners had a higher livelihood vulnerability index (LVI) (0.42 ± 0.081) than practitioners (0.46 ± 0.079). The Livelihood Vulnerability-Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change Index (LVI-IPCC) showed that AF non-practitioners had a higher exposure (0.58), sensitivity (0.54) index, and a lower adaptive capacity index (0.44) than the exposure (0.34), sensitivity (0.38), and adaptive capacity index (0.51) of practitioners. Plant diversity, income level and diversity, livelihood activities, social network, and food security status of farmers were improved by agroforestry. Farmers were therefore less susceptible to adverse climate shocks. Thus, the AF system could be part of future adaptation and resilience programs that provide dependable tools to minimize households' vulnerability to climate shocks. However, management guidelines, such as understanding local ecosystems, setting clear objectives, choosing suitable species, planning for diversity, considering the market, and regular maintenance and monitoring, are needed for agroforestry to improve its contribution.

Uncovering the reasons behind the failure of pastoralists in adopting climate change adaptation strategies.

Climate change has caused pastoralists to face serious challenges all around the world. To reduce climate change vulnerability, adaptation strategies need to be adopted by pastoralists. In this regard, the present research was done to seek the reasons for the failure of the northeastern pastoralists of Iran in adopting climate change adaptation strategies. The study is descriptive, which conducted by a field survey. The target population included 249 pastoralists from 7 pastoral units, of whom 148 people were selected as sample size using the stratified random sampling technique. The survey instrument was a researcher-made questionnaire. The content validity and face validity of the questionnaire were checked by the experts. Convergent validity was also confirmed based on the average variance extracted (AVE). Cronbach's α coefficient and composite reliability (CR) were used to evaluate the internal consistency of the questionnaire. The results showed that social and, regulatory and insurance components were the most critical internal and external weaknesses of the pastoralists' failure in adopting climate change adaptation strategies, respectively. Structural equation modeling showed that external weaknesses had positive and significant effects on internal weaknesses of the pastoralists' failure in adopting climate change adaptation strategies.

Moringa-based homestead to achieve Sustainable Development Goals: A case study from Jaintiapur of Sylhet, Bangladesh.

A study was conducted in Sylhet at Jaintiapur Upazila to determine the prospects of Moringa-based homestead concerning Sustainable Development Goals. A household survey was conducted following a simple random sampling of 135 farmers and following a semi-structured questionnaire and interview schedule with 100 farmers (40 identified Moringa-based adopters and 60 non-adopters). The final questionnaire was prepared after pilot testing, which contained data on common species diversity, and the perception of farmers regarding SDGs indicators of "no poverty, zero hunger, good health, and well-being, gender equality, affordable and clean energy, decent work and economic growth". The extent of agreement was recorded following the points Likert scale high (3) to no change (0), and the SDG index (SDGI) value was calculated. The 10 key informant interviews were conducted with non-adopters to get insights into their perception regarding Moringa-based homesteads. The findings revealed that the status of plant species diversity such as betel nut (100 %), mango (100 %), bean (99 %), and arjun (90 %) was higher in comparison to non-adopters where the status of the respective species was 92 %, 99 %, 89 %, and 73 % respectively. The perception assessment revealed that 100 % of adopters and 90 % of non-adopters believed that Moringa-based homesteads had the potential to increase access to food, nutrition, and medicinal resources. While the majority of 70 % of adopters, and 90.5 % non-adopters disagreed that it had the potential to ensure government access and non-government credit resources. Among the Moringa-based homestead adopters, the gross income derived from Moringa sales was 2828.57 ± 1481.45, where 55 % of homesteads were identified to have Moringa plants between 3 and 5, and homesteads solely supplied fuel materials for 40 % of households. Gender participation was quite evident for homestead farming activities, where female participation was higher in planting, weeding, irrigation, and fencing. Homesteads provided both on-farming and off-farming income opportunities where major responses were found for poultry farming (96 %), vegetable farming (95 %), and day labor (97 %). Farmers were found to practice climate-smart practices of homestead agroforestry (100 %), rainwater harvesting (99 %), weeding (98 %), and management of debris (95 %) in their respective homesteads. The results disclosed that Moringa-based homestead in Sylhet can be a potential option for attaining SDGs indicators of escalation of household income (SDGI = 90), access to food, nutrition, and medicinal resources (SDGI = 103.6), facilitation of natural treatment of diseases (SDGI = 104.6), de-escalation of gender discrepancy in terms of production activities (SDGI = 103.64), own source of fuel (SDGI = 58.44), both off-farm and on-farm income opportunity (SDGI = 100.52), ecosystem health maintenance by resilient practices (SDGI = 104.6). Farmers ranked food security capacity as a major motivational factor, while the low economic return was a major demotivational factor. The escalation of Moringa-based homesteads needs to be prioritized while facilitating credit, and institutional support to extend encouragement to non-adopters for wider integration of Moringa-based homesteads, and appropriate utilization of the existing resources for greater profitability.

The Unequal Economic and Livelihood Impacts of COVID-19 Lockdowns: Qualitative Evidence from Uganda.

Lockdowns were a key policy response to the COVID-19 pandemic. While they were viewed as a necessary intervention, concerns were raised about their potential for harmful economic and livelihood impacts. However, few studies have addressed the unequal economic and livelihood impacts of lockdowns. Our article reports findings from a qualitative study conducted in Uganda on economic and livelihood impacts of COVID-19 lockdowns in urban and rural settings. This study used 14 focus group discussions, 40 household, and 31 key informant interviews in both urban (Kampala district) and rural (Wakiso district) areas in central Uganda. Data analysis was conducted thematically with NVivo 2020 (QSR International). The findings emphasize the unequal impacts of the COVID-19 lockdowns across a range of dimensions: informal sector activities, formal employment, fluctuating prices alongside scarcity and surpluses, food insecurity, and government interventions. Wealthier households in urban areas were least affected, with urban households reliant on informal sector activities experiencing the most significant impacts. Our findings also suggest that longer-term development strategies, such as increased food self-sufficiency and informal sector interventions can support future pandemic preparedness and response. To address these impacts, policymakers should provide targeted support, alongside protecting key productive sectors, and supply chains.

Social sustainability in Bangladesh marine fisheries management: A case from Hatiya fishing community.

Social sustainability in fisheries focuses on retaining or improving societal welfare in the fishery system without threatening its long-term financial benefits and socio-cultural welfare. However, often social sustainability issues are ignored while implementing any fisheries management actions rather than only focusing on economic and environmental sustainability issues. This study assesses the social sustainability in Bangladesh marine fisheries management gaining insights from the coastal and marine fisheries-dependent communities of Hatiya Upazila in 2021-2022 using a mixed method approach especially focusing on the social issues during the marine fishing ban. Results have shown positive effects on fish production but negative implications on the socio-economic circumstances of the reliant households after the implementation of the marine fishing ban. During the ban, the ability of around 33 % of fisher households to have 3 meals a day has drastically reduced to 2 or 1 meal per day. Households' average fish intake has reduced from 7 kg to 4 kg per week during the ban. Similarly, there have been detrimental effects on family relationships, healthcare access and children's education during the ban. Moreover, pregnant women and children have suffered greatly from protein deficiencies as fishers could not buy protein-rich foods for their families during the ban. Due to the shortage of alternate income-generating activities (AIGAs), almost 71 % of fishers became indebted during the ban. To assist the fishers during the ban, the government has implemented several measures, such as offering incentives (40 kg of rice per registered fisherman per month) and/or AIGA but those are too scant to recompense for the loss that is incurred due to the fishing ban. Finally, this study provides some way forward to bring social sustainability that is affected due to the marine fishing ban as well as to partly meet the targets of Sustainable Development Goals 1, 2, 14 and 15.

Assessing coastal population capacity in Tsunami-prone areas: A grid-based approach.

Tambakrejo Beach in Blitar Regency is classified as an area that is very vulnerable to tsunami catastrophes. Many researchers have conducted studies on regions impacted by the tsunami. However, more studies into the link between the outcomes of social and spatial studies still need to be carried out because these are two different perspectives with different parameters and variables. The novel approach in this research involves delineating tsunami-affected areas and assessing population capacity in coastal regions. The hazard maps and livelihood asset variables using grid cells of a specific size have been used to identify risk levels. The grid cells used are 50 m2 × 50 m² so that they are expected to represent the minor units on the face of the earth, such as buildings, assets, property or land parcels, for capacity assessments or measuring the level of threat to disasters and are no longer based on regional administrative boundaries. Contribution: The research results show that using grid cells to analyse areas affected by the tsunami can provide excellent and informative results. Research findings at the research location regarding community preparedness in facing tsunamis show that communities at risk of being affected by the tsunami need to increase their capacity because the majority of communities in coastal areas, especially in the Sidorejo sub-village, have been identified as having low capacity according to several livelihood asset parameters such as financial capital in income. By increasing individual capacity, it is hoped that society will be able to avoid the threat of tsunami waves better.

The impact of COVID-19 on livelihood assets: a case study of high-value crop farmers in North-West Bangladesh.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a catastrophic impact on public health, extending to the food system and people's livelihoods worldwide, including Bangladesh. This study aimed to ascertain the COVID-19 pandemic impacts on livelihood assets in the North-Western areas (Rajshahi and Rangpur) of Bangladesh. Primary data were collected from 320 farmers engaged in high-value agriculture using a multistage sampling method. The data were analysed using first-order structural equation modelling. The findings reveal a significant impact (p < 0.01) of the pandemic on all livelihood assets in Bangladesh. Notably, human assets exhibited the highest impact, with a coefficient of 0.740, followed sequentially by financial (0.709), social (0.684), natural (0.600), physical (0.542), and psychological (0.537) assets. Government-imposed lockdowns and mobility restrictions were identified as the major causes of the pandemic's negative effects on livelihoods, which included lost income, rising food prices, decreased purchasing power, inadequate access to food and medical supplies, increased social insecurity, and a rise in depression, worry, and anxiety among farmers. The effects of COVID-19 and associated policy measures on the livelihoods of high-value crop farmers have reversed substantial economic and nutritional advances gained over the previous decade. This study suggests attention to the sustainable livelihoods of farmers through direct cash transfer and input incentive programs to minimize their vulnerability to a pandemic like COVID-19 or any other crisis in the future.

Beyond grassland degradation: Pathways to resilience for pastoralist households in alpine grassland ecosystems.

Sustaining the development of rural and pastoral communities' hinges on livelihood resilience. Pastoralist household resilience relies on resource availability and decision-making abilities. Despite extensive studies on pastoralist livelihoods, a significant knowledge gap remains in understanding the nuanced adaptive capacities of diverse households, particularly amid grassland degradation. Thus, this study investigates the household-based livelihood resilience of pastoralists in China's Three-River Headwater Region, offering policy recommendations for resilient livelihoods. Using stratified random sampling, 758 pastoralist household heads underwent semi-structured interviews to collect data. Five household characteristics, encompassing age, gender, energy use, well-being perception, and multi-household grazing participation, were evaluated. Looking ot the nature of data, descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests were performed in this study to draw the valid inferences. The results revealed a positive correlation (p < 0.05) between household head age and livelihood resilience, with divergent resilience across age groups. Varied energy usage yielded distinct impacts; households employing solar or mixed energy sources exhibited heightened resilience (p < 0.05). Household well-being emerged as an invariant variable concerning resilience. Furthermore, engagement in multi-household grazing (an informal institution) significantly (p < 0.05) influenced pastoralist livelihood resilience. These insights advocate targeted support for young household heads and the adoption of clean energy. Exploring the deeper strategies and mechanisms of multi-household grazing can enhance understanding and policy integration, guiding eco-friendly progress within rustic landscapes for pastoral communities.

Impacts of livelihood assets on hydropower displacees' livelihood strategies: Insights from the Tanahu hydropower project in Nepal.

Examination of livelihood assets is crucial for displaced people as it informs effective resource allocation and support. This study investigates the livelihood decisions of households displaced by Nepal's Tanahu Hydropower Project using multinomial logistic regression to evaluate how different assets affect their choices. Data were obtained using questionnaires, with a total of 185 questionnaires used for the analysis in this study. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis. This study finds that physical assets substantially influence livelihood strategies, promoting diversification and nonfarming activities. Interestingly, social assets have a negative impact, whereas natural, financial, and human assets exert no significant effect. The study highlights the community's focus on economic stability, balancing immediate financial needs with long-term goals such as children's education. However, it reveals ongoing financial struggles, with an average daily income of only 1.962 USD and many households remaining in poverty, particularly those dependent on farming. The study also reflects on the mixed perceptions toward government policies, influenced by factors such as skill gaps and family aspirations. These findings provide essential insights for targeted support and resource allocation to displaced populations.