Does Forest Scarcity Affect the Collection and Use of Firewood by Rural Communities? A Case Study in the Atlantic Forest of Northeastern Brazil

Abstract Background We aimed to verify whether the taste and chemical composition influence the selection of plants in each medicinal category, whether within a socio-ecological system or between different socio-ecological systems. To this end, we use the theoretical bases of the Utilitarian Redundancy Model and the Utilitarian Equivalence Model. We studied the local medical systems of four rural communities in northeastern Brazil, used as models to test our assumptions. Methods The data on medicinal plants and local therapeutic function were obtained from semi-structured interviews associated with the free-listing method, allowing to generate indexes of similarity of therapeutic use between the plants cited in each region. During the interviews, each informer was also asked to report the tastes of the plants cited. Subsequently, we classified each plant in each region according to the most cited taste. The data about the chemical composition of each plant were obtained from a systematic review, using Web of Knowledge and Scopus databases. Results Pairs of plants with similar tastes are 1.46 times more likely to have the same therapeutic function within a local medical system (redundancy), but not between medical systems (equivalence). We also find that chemical compounds are not primarily responsible for utilitarian redundancy and equivalence. However, there was a tendency for alkaloids to be doubly present with greater expressiveness in pairs of equivalent plants. Conclusions The results indicate that each social group can create its means of using the organoleptic characteristics as clues to select new species as medicinal. Furthermore, this study corroborates the main prediction of the Utilitarian Equivalence Model, that people in different environments choose plants with traits in common for the same functions.

Download Full-text

Mobile Money - A Catalyst for Financial Inclusion in Developing Economies: A Case Study of Zimbabwe using FinScope Survey Data

GIS Business ◽

10.26643/gis.v12i4.3431 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 12 (4) ◽

pp. 45-56

Author(s):

Kingstone Mutsonziwa ◽

Obert K. Maposa

Keyword(s):

Rural Communities ◽

Developing Economies ◽

Adult Population ◽

Financial System ◽

Financial Inclusion ◽

Viable Option ◽

Mobile Money ◽

Bank Branches ◽

Financial Transactions

Mobile money in Zimbabwe has extensively extended the frontiers of financial inclusion to reach millions who were earlier excluded within a relatively short space of time. The growing use of mobile phones in transferring money and making payments has significantly altered the countrys financial inclusion landscape as millions who had been hitherto excluded can now perform financial transactions in a relatively cheap, reliable and secure way. The FinScope results found out that 45% of the adult population use mobile money services. Of those using mobile money, 65% mentioned that is convenient, while 36% mentioned that it is cheap. Mobile money is accessible. These drivers are in the backdrop of few or no bank branches in rural communities as well as time and cost of accessing the bank branches. In Zimbabwe, mobile money is mostly used as a vehicle for remittances. While some people are enjoying mobile money services, it is important to mention that there are still people who are excluded from the formal financial system. The reasons why people do not use mobile money are mainly related to poverty issues. Mobile money remains a viable option to push the landscape of financial inclusion in Zimbabwe and other emerging markets where the formal financial system might not be strong.

Download Full-text

TERRITÓRIO EM DISPUTA NO LITORAL CEARENSE: A RESISTÊNCIA/INOVAÇÃO DO TURISMO COMUNITÁRIO DIANTE DAS AÇÕES E CONTRADIÇÕES DO ESTADO

GEOgraphia ◽

10.22409/geographia2018.2042.a13836 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 20 (42) ◽

pp. 101

Author(s):

Lenilton Francisco de Assis

Keyword(s):

State Government ◽

Coastal Communities ◽

Northeastern Brazil ◽

Public Investments ◽

Living Space ◽

Tourism Geography ◽

Community Tourism ◽

Worldwide Network ◽

Low Pay

Resumo: O litoral cearense do Nordeste brasileiro já registra várias experiências exitosas de turismo comunitário. Porém, o governo do estado continua preterindo esse potencial e subsidiando a instalação de megaempreendimentos que geram poucos empregos com baixas remunerações. Assim, as comunidades litorâneas que protagonizam o turismo comunitário ficam duplamente penalizadas, pois são deixadas à margem das políticas de turismo e seus territórios viram alvos da cobiça de visitantes atraídos pelo marketing dos investimentos públicos realizados. Tomando como estudo de caso a comunidade de Tatajuba, no município de Camocim, no Ceará, este artigo analisa a luta dos povos do mar pelo território, luta essa que não se traduz apenas na defesa do espaço de vivência, mas também na formação de uma rede de territórios solidários articulados ao mundo, que resiste/inova com a proposta do turismo comunitário. Palavras-chave: Turismo. Território. Turismo comunitário. Geografia do turismo. Tatajuba. DISPUTED TERRITORY ON THE COAST OF CEARÁ: THE STRENGTH AND INNOVATION OF COMMUNITY TOURISM ON THE ACTIONS AND CONTRADICTIONS OF STATEAbstract: The cearense coast of Northeastern Brazil already registers several successful experiences of Community tourism. However, the state government is still neglecting this potential and subsidizing the installation of mega-enterprises that generate few jobs with low pay. Thus, the coastal communities who star the community tourism are doubly penalized because they are abandoned by tourism policies and their territories become targets of greed of visitors attracted by the marketing of public investments. Taking as a case study the community of Tatajuba, in Camocim (municipality, Ceará, Brazil), this article examines the struggle of the peoples of the sea through the territory. This fight not only translates on defense of the living space, but also it represents the formation of a worldwide network of solidary territories that resists and innovates with the proposal of community tourism.Keywords: Tourism. Territory. Community tourism. Tourism geography. Tatajuba. DISPUTA DE TERRITÓRIO EN LA COSTA DE CEARÁ: LA FUERZA/INNOVACIÓN DEL TURISMO COMUNITÁRIO SOBRE LAS ACCIONES Y LAS CONTRADICCIONES DEL ESTADOResumen: El turismo comunitario ya registra varias experiencias exitosas em la costa de Ceará en el noreste de Brasil. Sin embargo, el gobierno del estado continúa pasando por encima de este potencial y subvencionando la instalación de mega-empresas que generan pocos empleos con bajos salarios. Por lo tanto, las comunidades costeras que ofrecen el turismo comunitario son doblemente penalizadas porque quedan excluidas de las políticas de turismo y sus territorios se convierten en objeto de la codicia de los visitantes atraídos por la comercialización de las inversiones públicas. Tomando como caso de estudio la comunidad Tatajuba, en el municipio de Camocim, este artículo examina la lucha de los pueblos del mar por el territorio, lucha que no sólo se traduce en la defensa del espacio de vida, sino también en la formación de una red de territorios articulado con el mundo que resiste e innova con la propuesta del turismo comunitario.Palabras clave: Turismo. Territorio. Turismo comunitario. Geografia del turismo. Tatajuba.

Download Full-text

The Urban Spatial Pattern of the Pseudo-Colonial City in Southeast Asia: A Case Study of the Eastern Area of Bangkok, Thailand, during the Thai-Imperialism Period (1855-1932)

Journal of Urban History ◽

10.1177/00961442211012984 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 009614422110129

Author(s):

Nicha Tantivess ◽

David J. Edelman

Keyword(s):

Rural Communities ◽

Educational Development ◽

Transitional Zone ◽

Administrative Reform ◽

Urban Transformation ◽

Urban Spaces ◽

Eastern Area ◽

Commercial Center ◽

Administrative Center

This article discusses the urban spaces of the pseudo-colonial city via the urban transformation in the eastern area of Bangkok between 1855 and 1932. During this period, the Thai royal government was under pressure from colonialism in the Southeast Asian region. To prevent colonization of the country, the kings aimed to strengthen their economic and political powers through administrative reform, educational development, infrastructure construction, and land commodification Thus, the urban spaces in Bangkok were significantly transformed. The eastern area became a transitional zone between the administrative center of the royal government and the commercial center where foreign traders resided. Furthermore, this transitional zone continued expanding into the area of rural communities, and, consequently, the traditional settlements of the local people gradually lost population.

Download Full-text

What Are the Impacts of Social Innovation? A Synthetic Review and Case Study of Community Forestry in the Scottish Highlands

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13084359 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (8) ◽

pp. 4359

Author(s):

Carla Barlagne ◽

Mariana Melnykovych ◽

David Miller ◽

Richard J. Hewitt ◽

Laura Secco ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rural Communities ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Community Forestry ◽

Social Innovation ◽

Local Development ◽

Evidence Base ◽

Social Dimension ◽

Vulnerable Groups ◽

Study Approach

In a context of political and economic austerity, social innovation has been presented as a solution to many social challenges, old and new. It aims to support the introduction of new ideas in response to the current urgent needs and challenges of vulnerable groups and seems to offer promising solutions to the challenges faced by rural areas. Yet the evidence base of the impacts on the sustainable development of rural communities remains scarce. In this paper, we explore social innovation in the context of community forestry and provide a brief synthetic review of key themes linking the two concepts. We examine a case of social innovation in the context of community forestry and analyse its type, extent, and scale of impact in a marginalized rural area of Scotland. Using an in-depth case study approach, we apply a mixed research methodology using quantitative indicators of impact as well as qualitative data. Our results show that social innovation reinforces the social dimension of community forestry. Impacts are highlighted across domains (environmental, social, economic, and institutional/governance) but are mainly limited to local territory. We discuss the significance of those results in the context of community forestry as well as for local development. We formulate policy recommendations to foster and sustain social innovation in rural areas.

Download Full-text

The impact of wildlife-related benefits on the conservation attitudes of local people around the Selous Game Reserve, Tanzania

Environmental Conservation ◽

10.1017/s0376892999000302 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 26 (3) ◽

pp. 218-228 ◽

Cited By ~ 142

Author(s):

SARAH GILLINGHAM ◽

PHYLLIS C. LEE

Keyword(s):

Rural Communities ◽

Wildlife Management ◽

Positive Influence ◽

The State ◽

Institutional Issues ◽

Conservation Attitudes ◽

Game Reserve ◽

Management Institutions ◽

The Impact

In recent years there has been a proliferation of projects aiming to integrate human development needs with conservation objectives, and to establish mutually beneficial relationships for the management of natural resources between rural communities and the state. This paper presents data from a case study of human-wildlife interactions in villages along the northern boundary of the Selous Game Reserve in south-east Tanzania. Since 1989, this area has been the site of a project working to promote community wildlife management (CWM). Questionnaire survey data were used to examine villagers' conservation attitudes towards wildlife, the Game Reserve, and the activities of the CWM project and state wildlife management authority. Despite local support for the conservation of wildlife, many respondents were either unaware or held negative views of the activities of the wildlife management institutions. Logistic regression analyses show that while access to game meat from the CWM project has had a positive influence on perceptions of wildlife benefits and awareness of the project's activities, it has had no significant effect on local perceptions of the Game Reserve and the activities of the state wildlife management authority. The factors underlying the observed pattern of conservation attitudes were identified as the inequitable distribution of benefits from the CWM project, and the limited nature of community participation in wildlife management. The importance of institutional issues for the future progress of participatory approaches to conservation with development is emphasized.

Download Full-text

A new species of porcupine, genus Coendou (Rodentia: Erethizontidae) from the Atlantic forest of northeastern Brazil

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.3636.3.2 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 3636 (3) ◽

pp. 421 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

ANTONIO ROSSANO MENDES PONTES ◽

JOSÉ RAMON GADELHA ◽

ÉVERTON R. A. MELO ◽

FABRÍCIO BEZERRA DE SÁ ◽

ANA CAROLINA LOSS ◽

...

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Atlantic Forest ◽

Northeastern Brazil ◽

A New Species

Download Full-text

Enhancement of disaster preparedness with social capital and community capacity: A perspective from a comparative case study of rural communities in Kochi, Japan

SUISUI Hydrological Research Letters ◽

10.3178/suisui.1.5 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 1 ◽

pp. 5-10 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Junko Mimaki ◽

Rajib Shaw

Keyword(s):

Social Capital ◽

Rural Communities ◽

Disaster Preparedness ◽

Community Capacity ◽

Comparative Case Study

Download Full-text

Establishment of the Hohenbergia capitata complex (Bromeliaceae) with notes on leaf anatomy and description of a new endangered species

Phytotaxa ◽

10.11646/phytotaxa.518.3.2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 518 (3) ◽

pp. 196-208

Author(s):

BRAYAN PAIVA CAVALCANTE ◽

KLEBER RESENDE SILVA ◽

MAYARA A. PEREIRA ◽

EVERTON HILO DE SOUZA ◽

LEONARDO M. VERSIEUX ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Endangered Species ◽

Atlantic Forest ◽

Leaf Anatomy ◽

Coastal Region ◽

Main Axis ◽

Northeastern Brazil ◽

Small Fragment ◽

Apical Portion ◽

Critically Endangered Species ◽

Lanceolate Leaf

We here establish the Hohenbergia capitata complex composed of three species endemic to the Atlantic Forest, in the State of Bahia, Northeastern Brazil. When compared with other Hohenbergia species endemic to the Atlantic Forest, the complex is recognized by the small size of the plants (shorter than 1 m tall when flowering), lanceolate leaf blades, inflorescence with main axis short and congested branches, concentrated on the apical portion of the inflorescence (creating a capitulate shape), primary branches short pedunculate (short stipes), basal primary bracts sub-orbicular, large flowers (over 3 cm long) with spatulate petals with a cuspidate apex. Within this complex, we describe H. nidularioides sp. nov., a critically endangered species from the southern coastal region of Bahia, only known from a small fragment of Restinga forest in Una municipality. This species is very similar to H. capitata but differs by the nidular aspect of the inflorescence, which is only short-pedunculate and more or less hidden inside the rosette. In addition to the taxonomic treatment, we provide illustrations, the geographic distribution, taxonomic comments, and anatomical comparison of the species in the H. capitata complex.

Download Full-text