Rural development

Rural development plays a critical role in the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in ending poverty (SDG 1), achieving zero hunger (SDG 2), ensuring clean water and sanitation (SDG 6), and developing sustainable communities (SDG 11).

Rural areas host a significant proportion of the global population and are central to agriculture and food security. Addressing rural development is key to SDG 2, which aims to eliminate hunger and ensure access to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food all year round. This is achieved by promoting sustainable agricultural practices, increasing productivity and incomes for small-scale farmers, and improving land and labor conditions.

Further, rural development is tied to SDG 1, as poverty is predominantly a rural issue, with three-quarters of the world's poor living in rural areas. Strategies to alleviate rural poverty include improving access to basic services, infrastructure, and social protection systems, and supporting resilient agricultural practices that enhance food security and increase household income.

Access to clean water and sanitation (SDG 6) is another area where rural development plays a crucial role. Many rural communities lack access to safe and affordable drinking water and adequate sanitation facilities. Investments in rural water and sanitation infrastructure are not only essential for health and wellbeing but also contribute to poverty reduction by reducing healthcare costs and increasing productivity.

Finally, SDG 11 seeks to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. While the focus is often on urban areas, it also includes rural settlements. It's important to promote sustainable rural development, ensuring access to basic services, improving connectivity and mobility, and preserving the cultural and natural heritage.

Moreover, rural development cuts across other SDGs, including SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). By addressing the unique challenges faced by rural areas, we can make significant strides towards a more sustainable and equitable world.

To achieve rural development, we need to embrace integrated approaches that consider social, economic, and environmental dimensions. Fostering rural-urban linkages, promoting cooperative efforts, investing in infrastructure, and providing rural areas with access to markets, technology, and education are among the strategies that can contribute to sustainable rural development.

Elsevier,

Trends in Ecology and Evolution, Volume 38, September 2023

Conservation scientists often aim to modify animal behaviour for management. However, there are ethical/welfare issues associated with this. The authors provide a decision support tool to assess the ethical considerations of modifiy animal behaviour against alternative options
This model aims to lower the microbial risk of agricultural water which could have important impacts on reducing foodbirne illness.
Elsevier,

Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, Volume 119, June 2023

This study evaluates the relationship between the road network and deforestation and other negative impacts on indigenous people in Brazil.
The article highlights the development schemes implemented by the Malaysian government to eradicate poverty.
Elsevier,

Trends in Plant Science, Volume 28, May 2023

This opinion highlights how tapping into natural biodiversity, while incorporating information about local environmental and climatic conditions, enables crop production in marginal soils.
This study analyses spatial distribution of water reservoirs in the Sota catchment with regards to livestock density, population density, rainfall distribution and geological structure of the Sota catchment, and assessed the state of these reservoirs.
Indigenous agricultural knowledge is observed as an important national human capital to improve crop productivity and enhance sustainable agricultural development.
Orphan crops are crops hold little significance at the global scale but play vital role in the food and nutrition security in the developing world.
Elsevier,

Urban Governance, Volume 1, Issue 2, December 2021, Pages 81-88

 

Cities are at the forefront of the global challenges of climate change. Compared to other urban problems, the complexity and uncertainty of climate change presents new governance challenges.
Addressing poverty as a core aim of the intervention approach galvanized strong multisectoral buy-in across these projects, as poverty is a common challenge among the populations targeted by all rural institutions. Regular information sharing through workshops and other meetings provided opportunities for cross-sector interactions which resulted in mutual learning and an appreciation for multisectoral engagement.

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