Abstract: Over the last decades, there has been a growing interest in the role of social protection as an instrument of inclusive growth. Much of the scholarship on the expansion of social protection has centred on the rationale for and design of policy instruments (Devereux, 2016; Ferguson, 2015; Hanlon et al., 2010; Seekings, 2008). Far less attention has been paid to how these systems should be financed. However, as the case of South Africa illustrates, without identifying new sources of financing for social assistance in particular, policy responses will inevitably be determined by the fiscal space available rather than the other way around (Hujo and McClanahan, 2009). This is particularly concerning for low- and lower-middle-income countries, where tax to Gross Domestic Product ratios are comparatively low and welfare budgets rarely surpass 4% of GDP (ILO, 2024). Ultimately, if social protection is to play a transformative role, countries must develop strategies to finance universal and adequate social protection coverage (Adesina, 2020; Mkandawire, 2011). Drawing on recent research conducted by the Southern Centre for Inequality Studies, this forum discussion reflects on innovative financing approaches in the shadow of the digital age.

Read their full article here: https://doi.org/10.1177/14680181261421808

Abstract: Based on in-depth field research in northern Kenya over three years, this article makes the case for a new approach to building resilience in the pastoral drylands. Past approaches based on project-style interventions have not worked, but a ‘resilience from below’ approach offers an alternative, we argue. The article elaborates the contrasts between these approaches, highlighting how ‘resilience’ must be framed as emergent, relational and processual rather than simply as an externally-defined, planned response; how ‘crises’ and ‘disasters’ should be seen less as singular events but part of a normal unfolding of uncertain conditions; how local knowledges and institutions are central to building resilience based on trust, rather than a reliance on planned projects; and how resilience building is always differentiated according to axes of gender and generation, yet often emerges through collective responses rooted in local moral economies and social solidarities. In the context of less external support for standard resilience projects, this in turn suggests new roles for external intervention focused on facilitating local actors, networks, and social relations. This has important implications for development in the drylands.

Read the full article here: https://doi.org/10.1080/00220388.2026.2628671

Abstract: Although it has been agreed that agroecology can be understood as a movement, science and/or practice, this classification is insufficient in sociological terms. We sought to identify the political and ideological content of what is claimed to be the “social dimension of agroecology” by comparing the political discourses of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and La Via Campesina. Using Social Ecology and sociological materialism as analytical-interpretative tools, we identified that the fundamental distinction between the “types” of agroecology can be found in categories of class differentiation, ideology, social organization and the relationship between society and nature. We concluded that today agroecological knowledge can take on both a hegemonic-dominant-central form and a subaltern-peripheral-insurgent form. At the same time as they exclude each other, both mutually reinforce each other, in a dialectical relationship between authority and freedom.

Read the full article in Portuguese here: https://doi.org/10.36920/esa33-1_05

Abstract: This research explores the climate vulnerability of migrant farmworkers within the climate-sensitive commercial agriculture of the Mediterranean Basin, through a case study of Turkey. In Turkey a vast majority of the farmworkers belong to Kurdish and Arab ethnic groups, including internally displaced people (IDPs) and Syrians. Utilising a critical political economy approach to vulnerability and synthesising a decade of qualitative data, we examine farmworkers’ experience of climate change. The findings demonstrate that climate vulnerability operates across three interconnected levels: (1) direct exposure to climate extremes, (2) indirect socio-economic impacts on livelihoods, social and political vulnerabilities, and (3) systemic effects arising from the interaction of multiple climate events across multiple locations of labour. To this end, we introduce the concept of agri-labour mobility systems. These operate through an ad hoc system of routes shaped by labour demands at specific points in production cycles and the minimum income thresholds required to offset the costs of migration. This framework allows us to analyse vulnerability beyond hazard-based frameworks by incorporating the political economy of farm labour and emphasising intersecting social, economic, political, and climate-related vulnerabilities. Finally, we assert that experiences with climate change for mobile livelihoods can only be understood by looking at the migration routes, multiple commodities and locations and the continuity of the experiences with the climate irregularities.

Read the full article here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2026.107329

Abstract: The pervasive use of digital technologies in agriculture has drawn substantial critical attention, predominantly focusing on how industrial agriculture leverages digital tools and services to exert control and maximize profits across food systems. In contrast, the dynamic engagement of family farmers with digital technologies remains underexplored. This study addresses said gap by examining the Arvoredo app, developed by the Landless Workers’ Movement (MST) in Brazil. The app facilitates documentation, monitoring, and evaluation of grassroots environmental governance activities, including tree planting, agroforestry practices, tree nursery construction, and seed collection efforts among MST members. Drawing on field visits, interviews with MST leaders involved in the app’s creation and promotion, and a focus group with app users, this research explores how Arvoredo has become a pivotal community tool for environmental governance. We identify potential benefits, such as grassroots data production, enhanced environmental monitoring, and increased visibility of MST’s engagement with environmental crises. However, we also highlight critical concerns, including limited internet access, digital literacy barriers, and sustaining active member engagement. MST’s experience with Arvoredo demonstrates how small-scale family farmers utilize digital technologies in ways that contrast the dominance of industrial agriculture. The app provides critical insights into the intersections of agriculture, land use, digital infrastructure, and environmental governance, offering a nuanced understanding of the transformative potential of grassroots technological innovation.

Read their full article: https://doi.org/10.1177/25148486251400174

Abstract: In this article, we delve into the intricate dynamics of the contributions made by cisgender women within the family farming sector to agroecological transition processes. Our exploration commences by dissecting and critically examining the concept of the triple workday, encompassing its spheres of productivity, reproductive/care responsibilities, and community engagement. The latter entails active involvement in institutional, organizational, and territorial endeavors. We approach agroecology from its multifaceted perspective, recognizing it as a scientific discipline, a practical approach, and a social movement. This academic, socio-political, and socio-productive framework embracing diverse elements of traditional agriculture has garnered increased significance and legitimacy over the past five decades in reshaping rural landscapes and societies. The expansive nature of this paradigm enables to reevaluate socio-productive processes through a myriad of interdisciplinary lenses. Our specific focus lies in probing the intricate social relations engendered within agroecological praxis, drawing insights from feminist studies on labor dynamics. To do so, we used a qualitative methodology that combined semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and long-term monitoring of women’s work. We concluded that agroecology redefines women’s work and generates new responsibilities as well as new identities in their work.

Read their full article in Spanish here: https://revista.uader.edu.ar/index.php/tg/article/view/304

Abstract: Mangrove forests are highly productive tropical and subtropical ecosystems providing ecosystem services and supporting local livelihoods, while being influenced by contamination both from land and sea. In the tropics, high temperatures and humidity increase crop susceptibility to pests and pathogens, requiring more frequent pesticide use and raising contamination risks. Costa Rica serves as a key case study, exemplifying the challenges of pesticide management in tropical regions characterized by intensive agriculture. This study identified and quantified pesticide residues in water and sediment samples in the Térraba-Sierpe National Wetland and influence areas. To determine pesticide exposure and its effects, the native bivalve mollusc Anadara tuberculosa was selected as a bioindicator species. Results evidenced the presence of pesticides in the Térraba River waters, the northern Térraba-influenced wetland area, as well as in A. tuberculosa, with diuron, carbendazim, diazinon, and ethoprophos appearing at the highest concentrations in water. Moreover, glutathione S-transferase, cholinesterase, and ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase biomarkers showed statistically significant differences with a control site (p < 0.05). Considering the geographical distribution of these substances and their utilization in pineapple cultivation, there was a plausible association between this agricultural activity and the observed impact on the wetland aquatic environment. The study supports the potential of A. tuberculosa biomarkers, particularly glutathione S-transferase and cholinesterase activities, to investigate pesticide effects in coastal systems potentially affected by pesticide contamination, develop environmental monitoring and inform pesticide regulations.

Read their article here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X25013530

Abstract: The metabolic rift concept highlights capitalism’s disruption of socioecological metabolism, extracting soil nutrients from rural areas for urban consumption and discarding them as waste. Partly in response, La Vía Campesina promotes food sovereignty, asserting communities’ rights to govern their food systems justly and sustainably. Its six pillars foster local production and resource circulation, offering a concrete path to repair the metabolic rift. Yet, the connection between metabolic rift, food sovereignty, and critical agrarian studies remains underdeveloped. This paper strengthens that nexus, arguing that each framework enriches the other, thereby fostering political practice. Through historical analysis of industrial agriculture, including its ties to Peru’s nineteenth-century guano (bird dung) trade, and its alternatives, we show how the metabolic rift disrupts food-soil cycles globally. In turn, we argue that food sovereignty praxis offers solutions to the metabolic rift. Integrating these frameworks within critical agrarian studies improves understanding of how food systems perpetuate or counter the rift, offering insights for the ecosocialist struggle within and beyond academia.

Read their full article here: https://doi.org/10.1080/03066150.2026.2617440

Abstract: Despite the intrinsic connection between food and health, industrialised global food systems produce hunger, malnutrition, and chronic diseases. The Food Sovereignty (FS) movement offers a political-ecological alternative, centring local control and community rights; yet, health remains under-theorised in FS agendas. Drawing on literature and dialogue between the People’s Health and the FS movements around the 3rd Nyéléni Global Forum, this paper advances critical debates on the politics of food-related ill-health and structural inequalities. We examine pathways to strengthen and deepen linkages between FS, collective health approaches, and critical agrarian studies, thereby informing dialogues for equitable and sustainable systemic transformation.

Read their full text here: https://doi.org/10.1080/03066150.2026.2617438