scholarly journals Ecosystem Services in the Water-Energy-Food Nexus

Author(s):  
Maksud Bekchanov ◽  
Claudia Ringler ◽  
Marc Mueller

AbstractGiven their substantial societal benefits, such as supporting economic activities and providing better livelihoods in rural areas, ecosystem services should gain higher importance in water-food-energy nexus debates. Yet, not all values from ecosystems are quantifiable, data is often not adequate and methods of measuring these values are not sound. This situation challenges researchers and water managers to improve research tools and give adequate attention to ecosystem services by implementing interdisciplinary approaches and integrated management of ecosystems and their services.

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1673
Author(s):  
Adolfo F. L. Baratta ◽  
Laura Calcagnini ◽  
Abdoulaye Deyoko ◽  
Fabrizio Finucci ◽  
Antonio Magarò ◽  
...  

This paper presents the results of a three-year research project aimed at addressing the issue of water shortage and retention/collection in drought-affected rural areas of Sub-Saharan Africa. The project consisted in the design, construction, and the upgrade of existing barrages near Kita, the regional capital of Kayes in Mali. The effort was led by the Department of Architecture of Roma Tre University in partnership with the Onlus Gente d’Africa (who handled the on-the-ground logistics), the Department of Architecture of the University of Florence and the École Supérieure d’Ingénierie, d’Architecture et d’Urbanisme of Bamako, Mali. The practical realization of the project was made possible by Romagna Acque Società delle Fonti Ltd., a water utility supplying drinking water in the Emilia-Romagna region (Italy) that provided the financing as well as the operational contribution of AES Architettura Emergenza Sviluppo, a nonprofit association operating in the depressed areas of the world. The completion of the research project resulted in the replenishment of reservoirs and renewed presence of water in the subsoil of the surrounding areas. Several economic activities such as fishing and rice cultivation have spawned from the availability of water. The monitoring of these results is still ongoing; however, it is already possible to assess some critical issues highlighted, especially with the progress of the COVID-19 pandemic in the research areas.


2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (6) ◽  
pp. 903-918
Author(s):  
Anna Krakowiak-Bal ◽  
Urszula Ziemianczyk ◽  
Andrzej Wozniak

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to verify the development of economic activities in rural areas in terms of their public infrastructural equipment. Design/methodology/approach As a case study, the Polish rural areas were selected. A two-stage survey was conducted in 2015. The first stage involved entrepreneurs from rural areas. The second stage of survey was data collection for rural areas regarding economic activity and infrastructural equipment. In total, 121 objects (communes) were selected. The multicriteria analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method was used for the analysis. Findings The results demonstrate that for each kind of business, communication accessibility is the most important criterion. By contrast, environmental awareness and concern for the environment is the least important element for pursuit of the economic activity in rural areas. Research limitations/implications Limitations are connected mainly with the applied AHP method. The number of the comparable elements at the same hierarchy level is limited due to practical purposes. In addition, an assumption of full comparability of elements (criteria and alternatives) in the hierarchy model can be discussed. Furthermore, data quality and availability limit the scope of the empirical work. This study is a major simplification of reality modeling, but it gives practical benefits by simplifying the decision support procedure. Practical implications The findings of this paper contribute to the advancing theory of local development, with public infrastructure being one of its basic elements (factor of production). This paper explores the importance of physical infrastructure for different economic activities, and thus offers theoretical insights in two areas. First, this paper indicates the uneven weight of each infrastructure element for the various business sectors. Second, based on the collected data, this study also contributes to the literature, by using the AHP method to explore the relationships between infrastructural equipment and economic activity in rural areas. As the practical implication for local and regional development policies, this study indicates, that the most important criterion for each kind of economic activity is communication accessibility. This kind of public investment should be undertaken primarily to support entrepreneurship, especially in rural areas. Originality/value The uniqueness of the method lies in assumption about the uneven weights of infrastructure elements and therefore their impact on the process of ranking the objects (rural areas). The weight of individual infrastructure elements will vary depending on the kind of economic activity; therefore, the way of ordering will also be different for each economic activity.


2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 123-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jana Jarábková ◽  
Ľubica Majstríková ◽  
Tomáš Kozolka

Abstract Rural tourism is one of the opportunities, which can positively influence productivity and incomes in rural areas. European Union set the rural development as part of its priorities. This development has been conducted through several measures aimed at education, cooperation, municipality development, ecological agriculture, diversification of economic activities, etc. Rural tourism is a result of diversification of economic activities towards non-agricultural activities. The paper focuses on analysing financial tools of support used for rural tourism development. Development projects realized in the Nitra Self-governing Region (NSR) during programming period 2007 - 2013 (plus 2 years) are evaluated. These projects have been financed through different grant schemes created by the European Union (realised by Ministries, Local Action Groups, Agricultural Paying Agency) and also by the Nitra Self-governing Region. The paper also illustrates the localisation of approved projects and their purpose.


Spatium ◽  
2010 ◽  
pp. 29-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marijana Pantic ◽  
Jelena Zivanovic-Miljkovic

As one of the signs of demographic change, population aging influences various spatial categories: economic activities, social features, land-use, perspectives for future development and more. Even though the process is indicative on a national level, there are significant differences among geographically and functionally distinctive regions. Based on considerable regional differences in the development of Serbia, this paper analyses the key problems of rural areas related to the interdependences of population aging and agricultural activities. Research on aging processes, changes in agricultural activities and their features is based here on the examples of two case studies. The Indjija and Knjazevac Municipalities have been chosen to represent geographically different regions - lowland and mountainous. This study uses both quantitative and qualitative approaches in order to achieve a better understanding of the situation. Statistical data were used to illustrate processes of aging and agriculture where data from two census years indicate a trend of changes. Interviews conducted with representatives of local government, entrepreneurs and local citizens from the villages are the source of information for quantitative analysis. Population aging and agriculture are examined separately, followed by an illustration of their interdependences.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
E Petelos ◽  
M Papadakaki ◽  
C Lionis

Abstract Access to comprehensive primary care (PC) services is imperative to address the complex biopsychosocial needs of patients with mental illness and their families, while it holds the potential to safeguard mental health and enhance resilience in communities. Integration of mental health and social care services in primary care has not yet been achieved, while access to such services for the mentally ill is still hindered by patient-, provider- and system-oriented barriers. Improving service integration, quality and access requires active engagement of patients and families in the design and planning of services. Interprofessional collaboration, interdisciplinary approaches and sound deliberative processes are only the start of initiating discussions to establish the needs of local communities. Mapping care paths, involving stakeholders and engaging in practice-based research are impeded by the organisation and design of care provision, including siloed processes and semantic ambiguity in establishing common ground. Academic centres ought to act as hubs for bringing together all actors, creating living labs and addressing the needs of people in urban and rural areas. The case study from Crete will focus on the following questions: What actions are needed to improve access of people with mental health disorders to PC services and how could PC mediate effective communication with mental health services?To what extent people with mental health disorders experience violence, abuse or discriminatory behaviour in PC?To what extent PC services recognize and facilitate autonomy, self-determination and inclusion of people with mental health disorders?To what extent stakeholders and PC services engage people with mental health disorders in decision making process and local governance?To what extent educational interventions for PC practitioners could result in the reduction of discriminatory behaviour and safeguard the dignity among people with mental health disorders?


2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 103
Author(s):  
Salim Ashar

Koperasi Pesantren Or abbreviated to Kopontren BIR ALY is one means learning for Robithotul Ulum boarding school students in order to foster an entrepreneurial spirit that is reliable in order to face the future life after they graduate from the school. As well as to foster independent spirit of entrepreneurship. In addition to being a place for moral development of students piety and learning Islamic sciences, pesantren should need also diversified specialty and featured scientific or practical expertise specific to diversify. That is, each boarding schools need to make the benefits (plus) certain that distinguish schools with each other pesantren, for example by increasing excellence in science expertise such as excellence expertise in the study of hadith, or discipline specific religion, or it could be in the form of practical skills other for example language skills, agricultural skills and other practical skills. The purpose of this study was to describe the role and functions of the Cooperative Pesantren Bir Aly As a Means Economic Empowerment in Robithotul Ulum Islamic Boarding Jatirejo Mojokerto. This study took place in the village of Jatirejo kec Jatirejo mojokerto kab. Jatirejo area known as agricultural areas, as well as many emerging companies and rock miners, many pesantren stand, a region still dominated rural areas. Economic development practices in boarding schools in order to sharpen practical skills for students, still need support from other parties to support, either from the government, private sector and society in general. Comparison between Turus and Pesantren Pesantren Baitul Hamdi in this case study is not intended as an effort to show which one is better, but rather as an attempt to describe variations in economic enterprise started piloted in boarding schools. Each has advantages and disadvantages that can be used as an ingredient to learn from each other. From this research, we can conclude several steps that can be done in the development of the economy in order to empower schools. Among the local authorities and the schools need to do (1) joint identification of potential schools and regional problems. Identification is required so that it develops economic activities in accordance with the carrying capacity of the environment; (2) establishing economic commodity that fits in a religious boarding school in accordance with the needs of the market that can be used to improve the common welfare; (3) develop a joint program that is based on empowerment schools, may be useful.


2013 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 33-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Goran Rajović ◽  
Jelisavka Bulatović

The paper analyses tourism potential and rural tourism of the Municipality of Andrijevica. Existing tourism and recreation supply is not sufficiently developed and affirmed nor organized and connected both within the scope of the Municipality and with the neighbouring municipalities. One of the prerequisites for tourism development might be good transport infrastructure. However, in the territory of the Municipality of Andrijevica is not adequate. On the territory of the Municipality of Andrijevica, natural and anthropogenic values are distinguished group deployment and characteristics of complexity and complementarily. Natural values are particularly come to the fore, if we know that modern tourism trends emphasize the value of untouched nature. Marketing affirmation of the Municipality of Andrijevica is one of the most important processes that represent a momentum for its tourism development. In this sense, all kinds of tourism propaganda must be enhanced, which affirmed the value of tourism (for example the eco-pasture Štavna), which would lead to a more comprehensive tourism development that would provide a profitable economic performance. Particularly it is very important to encourage and support rapid development of economic activities in rural areas and development of human resources. Furthermore, the economic progress and independence rural settlements of the Municipality of Andrijevica must be improved in accordance with the ecological principles and sustainable development in rural development. In finding a new identity and direction of development of the rural economy, the Municipality of Andrijevica must accept new trends in Europe and the countries that have been through a period of transition, in terms of adapting and complementing so far the role of villages and rural areas within diversified supply and the introduction of tourism as one the essential activities. Such guidelines already exist in spatial and urban plans of the Municipality of Andrijevica, starting as of 2010


2012 ◽  
pp. 129-133
Author(s):  
Attila Buday-Sántha

In a national economy, the considerable part of its available territory consists of the so called rural area which is mainly used by the agricultural sector. In our days, the rural areas are characterized by the loss of their economic, administrative etc. functions. The agricultural sector is able to utilize the rural areas, though other economic activities play important role as well. To evaluate the agricultural sector in terms of the agribusiness, it is clear that the situation of the agricultural sector is not only decisive for the rural areas, but also for the whole national economy, and therefore, it is part of its balanced development.


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