No abstract

PRODER is a Spanish rural development programme based on the European Union's LEADER programme approach and financed by EU funds. In this paper, the authors analyse the level of involvement of the social participants and assess how such programmes can contribute to the development of new local dynamics and capabilities. The results highlight the difficulties in gaining effective involvement from people. Even in areas where significant social networks exist, the lack of a culture of participation among social and governmental organizations has hindered programme development and success. Recommendations to improve the LEADER approach are provided.

Humans have traditionally sought provisioning services from rural areas, but society is becoming increasingly aware of other services that rural areas provide to human beings, agroecosystem services. At the same time, however, certain dysservices can be identified. The analysis of agroecosystem services and dysservices is a key point to consider in decision-making processes and provides a tool for acting on sustainability. Notwithstanding, few approaches to the dairy sector exist with this focus, and they often do not incorporate the vision of the actors from the entire value chain. The aim of the present paper is to identify agroecosystem services and dysservices deriving from the dairy farming in Galicia (Spain), as perceived by actors linked to this sector. The methodology followed a bottom-up approach (Focus Group) and identified 19 agroecosystem services (S) and 9 dysservices (D) grouped into four main categories: provisioning (6S/0D), environmental quality (5S/5D), rural vitality (6S/2D), and cultural heritage and quality of life (2S/1D). The results show strong awareness of services and dysservices, in particular as regards rural vitality (mainly related to employment and income generation) and environmental services (dyservices linked to intensive systems). We have, however, detected a significant gap in awareness of certain classical environmental services (carbon sequestration of pastures). Finally, one of the innovative findings is the identification of rural vitality services and dysservices, including the social role that farming plays in consolidating the population in rural areas, and in preserving local traditions and culture.

This study aims to comparatively analyse cases involving Galician common lands (MVMC) in Spain and the Extractive Reserves (RESEX) in Brazil, from the new perspective of community resilience in sustainable rural development. We studied the role of the state in legal transformations regarding land use and management to understand changes in access to and use of common resources, as well as to describe how relationships are established among user groups. The results are based on the analysis of 55 semistructured interviews with people from seven communities with common lands in Spain and information gathered through Rapid Rural Appraisal (RRA) techniques and interviews at the Riozinho da Liberdade Extractive Reserve in Acre (Brazil). Field work for the study was done in May 2013, April to June 2014 and February 2015. The research uncovers the frailties and strengths of the main management patterns in each reality. The two cases are marked by strong state intervention to regulate conditions of use and the implementation of management models in these areas. In both, the perceived economic importance of natural resources as a source of revenue was also a common point, though tenure of these resources became effective in different ways. The importance of ensuring access to land as a way of maintaining the freedom and autonomy of the user group was also prominent in both cases and should be seen as a crucial factor for economic and social development. Finally, the normative and practical arrangements found in MVMCs and RESEX areas present a good strategy for rural development based on relationships among user groups and shared land management organization patterns.

La pandemia por Covid-19 impactó de manera diferente en la vida cotidiana del profesorado de educación superior. A través de una encuesta realizada a 140 profesores y profesoras de diferentes universidades en México, se observa que el trabajo docente irrumpió en sus casas de manera abrupta y sin antecedentes, lo que implicó modificaciones importantes en el arreglo de los tiempos y espacios para cumplir con las labores académicas, domésticas y de cuidado. Las mujeres reportaron mayores complicaciones para conciliar sus actividades cotidianas, en comparación con los hombres, lo cual les creó más conflictos y consecuencias negativas en su salud psicoemocional y física.