Good Governance: A Framework for Implementing Sustainable Land Management, Applied to an Agricultural Case in Northeast-Brazil

Abstract

Land management needs to cope with persistent environmental and societal changes. This requires functional governance systems. The purpose of this research is to develop a good governance framework for the implementation of sustainable land management. Good governance theory is extensive, although its operationalization remains difficult. We derived a set of good governance attributes from the literature: (i) the functionality of the regulatory framework, (ii) the legitimacy and accountability of the actors, (iii) the fairness and transparency of the decision-making processes, and (iv) quality control and adaptiveness. These constitute a framework which, supported by guiding questions, facilitates the evaluation of governance attributes to assess sustainable land management practices. We applied the scheme to a case study in Northeast Brazil regarding sustainable land management where biological pest control is considered to be a biodiversity-related ecosystem service. Since its adoption often falls short of expectations, we scrutinized its governance system. First, experts answered our guiding questions, and second, we involved local stakeholders in the discussion of good governance attributes through the participatory approach of constellation analysis. Trust in agricultural consultants and issues of the practical application of pest control turned out to be crucial. The workshop participants requested a model farm to build more trust and experience. There was considerable demand for policy at the national planning level to formulate and monitor the content of the agricultural advisory program. Our conceptualized framework of good governance questions provides systematization for planning and steering the implementation of sustainable land management practices.

Analysis of Factors Influencing Spatial Distribution of Soil Erosion under Diverse Subwatershed Based on Geospatial Perspective: A Case Study at Citarum Watershed, West Java, Indonesia

“…Conservation initiatives can prioritize areas with the highest erosion risk, focusing on those influenced by slope, rainfall, and vegetation cover. Conservation organizations and government agencies can target these areas with reforestation projects and erosion control interventions [ 87 ].…”

A Governança No Combate À Desertificação Em Comunidades Rurais

“…A importância de uma boa estrutura de governança para o combate à desertificação também é reforçada por Yang (2019), mas alcançar uma boa governança é um processo lento e de difícil operacionalização, pois significa o controle, a prevenção e a adaptação da população às mudanças ambientais (Rodorff et al, 2019). Essas condições, por sua vez, requerem a adoção de princípios como: participação; estado de direito; transparência; responsabilidade; orientação por consenso; igualdade e inclusividade; efetividade e eficiência; e suporte à auditoria.…”

Agrarian Governance – Who, What, Why, How, Where, When, Price?

“…Increasingly, these characteristics are also applied to assess governance in the private (corporate, agribusiness, etc.) and non-governmental sectors (Dimitrov et al, 2014;Aguilera and Cuervo-Cazurra, 2009;Benz and Frey, 2005;OECD, 2015 ;Rodorff et al, 2019;Sacconi, 2012;Skerman, 2016).…”

“…The term Agrarian Governance is widely used in official documents, management practice, and in numerous academic publications around the globe and Bulgaria (Ali, 2015;Backer, 2011;Bayyurt et al, 2015;Bevir, 2012;Bloor, 2022;Boevski, 2020;Braun and Birner, 2017;Carbone, 2017;Chakrabarti, 2021;Chhotray and Stoker, 2009;Darjaven Vestnik, 2021;Dimitrov et al, 2014;Dixit, 2016;DFID, 2010 ;EC, 2019EC, , 2021Frija et al, 2021;Freidberg, 2019;Fukuyama, 2016;Ganev et al, 2020;Georgiev, 2013;German, 2018;Higgins and Lawrence, 2005;Herrfahrdth, 2006;Katsamunska, 2016 ;Kumar and Sharma, 2020;Ledger, 2016;Levi-Four, 2012;Muluneh, 2021;Morfi, 2020;OECD, 2015OECD, , 2019Planas et al, 2022;Schwindenhammer, 2018;Rodorff et al, 2019;Shand, 2018;Terziev et al, 2018;Tleubayev et al, 2021;Torres-Salcido and Sanz-Cañada, 2018;Vymětal, 2007;UN, 2015;Weiss, 2000;…”