Regional Sustainability最新文献

{"title":"What’s in a name for timber? Trade documentation and conservation prioritization in four tropical timber species imported to the United States","authors":"Mandira POKHAREL,&nbsp;René Henri GERMAIN,&nbsp;John Eric WAGNER,&nbsp;Susan Elizabeth ANAGNOST,&nbsp;William Bradford SMITH","doi":"10.1016/j.regsus.2025.100258","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.regsus.2025.100258","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The tropical timber trade faces significant sustainability challenges, including deforestation, illegal logging, and inadequate traceability. Inaccurate species identification further complicates these issues, leading to unreliable trade statistics and enforcement challenges. The Lacey Act Amendment (LAA) of 2008 mandated declaring scientific names for timber shipments entering the United States. Therefore, this study assessed the implementation of the LAA using data obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request to the United States Department of Agriculture-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service for 4 tropical timber species including <em>Keruing</em>, <em>Meranti</em>, <em>Acajou d</em>’<em>Afrique</em>, and <em>Mahogany</em> from Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil, Philippines, Cameroon, Ghana, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, and Bolivia, with high rates of illegal logging. This study showed that the United States imported 49 species of <em>Keruing</em> species group, 126 species of <em>Meranti</em> species group, 6 species of <em>Acajou d</em>’<em>Afrique</em> species group, and 2 species of <em>Mahogany</em> species group during 2017–2023. Despite mandatory declarations, approximately 14.60% of timber import records lacked species-specific names. Conservation assessments identified 37 species of <em>Keruing</em> species group and 68 species of <em>Meranti</em> species group listed as threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) but absent from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Moreover, the principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that the first principal component was primarily driven by import value and import volume, reflecting the overall trade prominence, while the second principal component captured temporal pattern through import year. Further, this study developed a Trade-Adjusted Conservation Priority Index (TACPI) that integrated conservation status with trade prominence to prioritize species at risk. Species with high TACPI scores, such as <em>Dipterocarpus coriaceus</em> and <em>Shorea balangeran</em>, were identified as urgently needing regulatory focus. To strengthen sustainable trade and conservation, it is recommended to enforce the LAA more strictly, expand timber identification technologies, and mandate key supplier countries, who are the CITES’ signatories, to list high-risk species in the CITES appendices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34395,"journal":{"name":"Regional Sustainability","volume":"6 5","pages":"Article 100258"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145492940","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Conservation agriculture for sustainable food system: Current insights and emerging perspectives","authors":"Subhashisa PRAHARAJ ,&nbsp;Bharat LAL ,&nbsp;Himansu Sekhar GOUDA ,&nbsp;Amit Kumar PANDEY ,&nbsp;Shivasankar ACHARYA ,&nbsp;Arunima KUMARI","doi":"10.1016/j.regsus.2025.100264","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.regsus.2025.100264","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Global challenges, including resource inefficiency, rising food demand, sustainability concerns, and climate change, necessitate more efficient and resilient agricultural systems. Conservation agriculture (CA), which is based on the principles of the minimum mechanical soil disturbance, permanent soil organic cover, and species diversification, provides a promising solution. This study examined the principles and mechanisms of CA, assessed its benefits and constraints, and identified key research gaps. This study focused on CA outcomes related to soil health, biodiversity, productivity, and ecosystem services, considering factors such as climate, soil type, and management practices. CA has demonstrated the potential to improve soil health, enhance biodiversity, and boost productivity across diverse regions. However, its effectiveness has been found to vary across studies, emphasizing the need for a more critical understanding of its benefits and limitations. Moreover, variations in outcomes are evident due to differences in experimental methodologies, environmental conditions, and socioeconomic factors. For the widespread adoption of CA practices, it is necessary to make personalized adjustments to it, integrating the corresponding technologies, thereby meeting the needs of farmers. Interdisciplinary research is crucial to refining CA practices and addressing existing knowledge gaps. This study is practiced to enhance the understanding of the potential of CA to promote a sustainable global food production system.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34395,"journal":{"name":"Regional Sustainability","volume":"6 5","pages":"Article 100264"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145493013","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Insights into material use and economic decoupling in China’s infrastructure for sustainable development","authors":"Hongwei GUO ,&nbsp;Ji HAN","doi":"10.1016/j.regsus.2025.100262","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.regsus.2025.100262","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Quantifying material use in infrastructure development and analyzing its relationship with economic growth is essential for enhancing resource efficiency and steering regional resource management toward sustainable development. This study systematically assessed infrastructure related material use in 30 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities in China during 1978–2022. The result indicated that material stock has experienced significant growth, increasing from 16.91×10⁹ t in 1978 to 103.60×10⁹ t in 2022, with an average annual growth rate of 4.20%. However, from 1978 to 2015, material input followed a strong upward trend but saturated after 2015. At the national level, material input peaked in 2015, after which it began to decline. The central region reached its peak earlier in 2013, while the eastern and western regions peaked in 2015. Using a decoupling analysis framework, this study revealed that nationally, the elasticity value between material stock and gross domestic product (GDP) remained near or above 1.0, reflecting continued reliance on stock accumulation. Regionally, the elasticity value between material stock and GDP has increased in the central and western regions during 1978–2022, whereas elasticity value between material stock and GDP in the eastern region showed a slower growth rate but still struggled to achieve absolute decoupling. Moreover, the elasticity value between material input and GDP has declined at the national level, presenting a relative decoupling, with some regions already achieving absolute decoupling. The eastern region was closer to absolute decoupling, while the central and western regions, though still intensive in material input, exhibited faster declines in elasticity. Accelerating the transition from linear to circular economy is an essential step for China to achieve absolute decoupling and long-term sustainability. Finally, this research recommends promoting the adoption of renewable energy, driving industrial upgrading, implementing compact urban design, and extending the lifespan of infrastructure to reduce material dependency and achieve sustainable infrastructure transformation at the national level.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34395,"journal":{"name":"Regional Sustainability","volume":"6 5","pages":"Article 100262"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145492943","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrating farmers’ perceptions and empirical climate data to assess agricultural productivity and food security in coastal Bangladesh","authors":"Md Tauhid Ur RAHMAN ,&nbsp;Adnan KHAIRULLAH","doi":"10.1016/j.regsus.2025.100259","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.regsus.2025.100259","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Coastal Bangladesh is highly vulnerable to various impacts of climate change, including rising temperatures, unpredictable precipitation, cyclones, droughts, and saltwater intrusion. These factors collectively threaten agricultural productivity and food security. This study examines the relationship between farmers’ perceptions and observable climatic trends, with a focus on the sustainability of food systems and the promotion of adaptable farming techniques in Bagerhat District, Bangladesh. A mixed-methods strategy was employed, incorporating household surveys (a total of 110 purposively selected farmers), focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and climatic data analysis. The Mann-Kendall test, Sen’s slope estimator, precipitation concentration index (PCI), and standardized rainfall anomaly index (SRAI) were employed to analyze climate trends from 1991 to 2020. The findings showed that more than 70.00% of respondents indicated that summers were becoming warmer, over 50.00% reported that winters were becoming colder, and 63.00% stated that yearly precipitation was decreasing. Farmers reported an increase in flood occurrences and a decline in the predictability of precipitation. Between 2011 and 2019, the output of most rice varieties decreased, with the exception of high-yielding Aman rice and hybrid Boro rice. The results also showed that 60.00% of respondents reported experiencing salinity intrusion, and 57.00% attributed significant yield losses to salinity. Planting salt-tolerant rice varieties (such as BRRI Dhan 67 and Binadhan-10), practicing homestead vegetable cultivation, and moderately integrating shrimp aquaculture were also common adaptive measures. To improve long-term food security in coastal Bangladesh, we suggest growing more salt-tolerant crop varieties, promoting vertical and homestead gardening, enhancing seed systems that are resilient to climate change, and educating farmers on the use of climate-smart farming methods. This study highlights the importance of aligning farmers’ perceptions with observed climatic data to design effective adaptation strategies. The findings of this study can guide policy-makers and development practitioners in strengthening climate-resilient agriculture and ensuring long-term food security in coastal Bangladesh.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34395,"journal":{"name":"Regional Sustainability","volume":"6 5","pages":"Article 100259"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145492876","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Social-ecological indicators and framework for assessing the sustainability of shrimp farming in coastal Bangladesh","authors":"Kazi Atiah TAIYEBI,&nbsp;Natalie Ann Cooper WELDEN,&nbsp;Md Sarwar HOSSAIN","doi":"10.1016/j.regsus.2025.100260","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.regsus.2025.100260","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Shrimp farming is a major global aquaculture activity; however, its social and ecological impacts raise sustainability concerns. While previous research has focused on isolated social or environmental aspects of sustainability in shrimp farming, integrated assessments of these factors using a social-ecological systems (SES) approach are rare. A framework for assessing the sustainability of shrimp farming—comprising a set of social and ecological indicators—is developed and conceptualized in this study for the first time, using an integrated, interdisciplinary, and empirical SES approach. We first identified key social and ecological indicators and developed a conceptual framework based on SES approach, then surveyed 90 shrimp farms across 3 coastal regions (including Satkhira, Bagerhat, and Cox’s Bazar districts) in Bangladesh. Nearly all farmers in Satkhira (97%) and all in Bagerhat (100%) expressed dissatisfaction with the decreasing pattern of shrimp production and profitability over the last decade. In contrast, nearly all respondents in Cox’s Bazar (97%) reported satisfaction with increasing shrimp production. Except in Cox’s Bazar, equity in labor payment remained a concern for the social sustainability of the shrimp farming system. The changing pattern of shrimp production and profitability, which does not ensure equity, poses a threat to the sustainability of shrimp farming. Most of the surveyed farmers recognized the mutual benefits of mangrove forests and shrimp farming (97% in Satkhira and 77% in Cox’s Bazar), which suggests potential for the development of policy on integrated mangrove-shrimp farming with community-based management. This research could help assess the sustainability of the shrimp farming system and contribute to achieving Sustainable Development Goals 2 (zero hunger) and 8 (decent work and economic growth). By examining existing practices and developing a novel framework, this study highlights informed decision-making and guides methodological discussion on assessing the sustainability of shrimp farming using the SES approach in coastal regions and different aquaculture systems worldwide.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34395,"journal":{"name":"Regional Sustainability","volume":"6 5","pages":"Article 100260"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145492941","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Examining the effects of climatic and non-climatic factors on sectoral growth: Evidence from different country income groups","authors":"Piyali KUMAR","doi":"10.1016/j.regsus.2025.100261","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.regsus.2025.100261","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Climate change may have detrimental effects on different sectoral growth in global economy and according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the impacts of climate change will be more vigorous in the coming years. The climatic and non-climatic driving forces behind the economic sectoral performances involve short- and long-run interconnections among variables. This study attempts to investigate the effect of climatic factors (temperature and precipitation) along with non-climatic factors, including foreign direct investment (FDI), human capital index (HCI), natural capital (NC), and information and communication technology (ICT) on three major sectors of the economy (agricultural sector, industrial sector, and service sector) through non-linear model framework by employing cross-sectionally augmented autoregressive distributed lag (CS-ARDL) estimation technique. It considers a panel of 56 selected countries from different income groups, including high-income countries, upper-middle-income countries, lower-middle-income countries, and low-income countries, covering the period 1985–2022. The confirmation of slope heterogeneity, cross-sectional dependence, stationarity, and cointegration among variables lends support to the robustness of results. The augmented mean group (AMG) robustness test was applied to check robustness and the results were found mostly consistent with estimation method. The results revealed that upper-middle-income countries are more vulnerable to extreme temperatures compared to high-income countries. The results also confirmed an inverted U-shaped relationship between each sector’s output and precipitation in upper-middle-income countries. In contrast, for upper-middle-income, lower-middle-income, and low-income countries, this relation exists in industrial sector only in long run. This indicates that precipitation is initially beneficial for production activities. However, beyond a certain threshold of precipitation, this trend reverses, i.e., the output of the economic sectors tends to decline. Furthermore, there is no supporting evidence that confirms a short-run non-linear relation between precipitation and agricultural yields. In upper-middle-income countries, the results confirmed that FDI is a driving factor behind both agricultural sector and service sector in long run while short-run results indicated a negative association but insignificant. This study also showed that in long run, an increase in HCI contributes to improving the output of the three sectors for high-income countries. The empirical findings provide valuable insights for policy-makers and governments to formulate coherent adaptation and mitigation strategies, thereby accelerating the transition of sectoral productivity from low to high levels in the sample countries.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34395,"journal":{"name":"Regional Sustainability","volume":"6 5","pages":"Article 100261"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145492942","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dual impact of digitalization on the carbon emissions of Yangtze River Delta urban agglomerations in China: A spatiotemporal perspective","authors":"Meng WEI ,&nbsp;Lifei RU ,&nbsp;Zhi CAI ,&nbsp;Minda MA","doi":"10.1016/j.regsus.2025.100263","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.regsus.2025.100263","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Digital transformation, as a recent trend in socioeconomic development, is considered as a critical pathway for urban carbon reduction because of its potential to increase productivity and energy efficiency. However, few studies have explored the relationship between urban digitalization and carbon emissions (CE). Therefore, this study systematically analyzed the spatiotemporal distribution and interaction mechanism between digitalization and CE in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) urban agglomerations of China during 2006–2020 based on a multidimensional indicator system, including digitalization industry level, digitalization application level, and urban green digitalization willingness. The findings revealed that both digitalization and CE in the YRD exhibit a significant and synchronously evolving “core-periphery” spatial pattern. Core cities generated substantial positive spillover effect on periphery cities through technology diffusion and policy demonstration, advancing both regional digitalization and the collaborative governance of CE. However, digitalization had dual impact on CE. On the one hand, it promoted the reduction of CE by enhancing energy efficiency, optimizing industrial structures, and promoting the application of green technologies. On the other hand, the expansion of digital infrastructure introduced a potential risk of increased energy consumption. Therefore, targeted policy recommendations are proposed to facilitate the coordination of environmental sustainability and digitalization in the YRD. This study provides empirical support and policy insights for advancing the coordinated development of regional digital transformation and green low-carbon initiatives.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34395,"journal":{"name":"Regional Sustainability","volume":"6 5","pages":"Article 100263"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145493012","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrating neglected and underutilized crops (NUCs) in South Asian cropping systems and diets: Challenges and prospects","authors":"Saira SHAFIQ ,&nbsp;Muhammad ZIA UL HAQ ,&nbsp;Syed Abbas RAZA NAQVI ,&nbsp;Wardha SARFARAZ ,&nbsp;Hina ALI ,&nbsp;Muhammad Majid ISLAM ,&nbsp;Gul Zaib HASSAN ,&nbsp;Muhammad NAWAZ ,&nbsp;Tasawer ABBAS","doi":"10.1016/j.regsus.2025.100242","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.regsus.2025.100242","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The present review critically examines the role of neglected and underutilized crops (NUCs) in enhancing the resilience of South Asian cropping systems and diets in the context of climate change and nutritional challenges. This analysis reveals that integrating NUCs, such as millets, sorghums, amaranth, and indigenous legumes, into existing cropping systems can significantly improve the climate resilience, dietary diversity, and ecological sustainability of the food systems. These crops exhibit superior tolerance to abiotic stress and offer higher nutritional density compared to staple cereals, such as rice and wheat. However, their adoption faces challenges, including limited research investment, fragmented value chains, etc. We further identify that complementary cropping strategies and climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices can optimize resource use while boosting smallholder farmers’ income. NUCs are pivotal for the transformation of exist cropping systems towards nutrition-sensitive and climate-resilient agricultural and food systems. Strategic integration of NUCs can simultaneously address food insecurity, biodiversity loss, and rural poverty. Yet, unlocking their potential requires coordinated efforts in genetic improvement, market development, and policy frameworks tailored to regional contexts. This synthesis provides a comprehensive roadmap for policy-makers, researchers, and farmers to leverage NUCs as “Future Smart Food”. By bridging agronomic, nutritional, and socioeconomic perspectives, this study highlights the transformative potential of NUCs in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across South Asian countries.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34395,"journal":{"name":"Regional Sustainability","volume":"6 4","pages":"Article 100242"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145098762","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring the influence of trade openness, energy consumption, natural resource rents, and human capital in achieving carbon neutrality","authors":"Olani Bekele SAKILU ,&nbsp;Haibo CHEN","doi":"10.1016/j.regsus.2025.100247","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.regsus.2025.100247","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Addressing the pressing challenges of climate change and global warming requires a strong commitment to reducing carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions and achieving carbon neutrality. Efficient energy use and international trade play crucial roles in promoting sustainable development and enhancing environmental quality. This study investigated the relationships of CO₂ emissions with trade openness (export and import), energy consumption (renewable energy consumption and fossil fuel consumption), natural resource rents, and human capital across 20 developing countries (Brazil, Iran, Russia, China, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Colombia, Mexico, South Africa, Costa Rica, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Pakistan, Türkiye, India, Peru, Viet Nam, Indonesia, and Philippines) from 1990 to 2022 using the augmented mean group (AMG) and common correlated effects mean group (CCEMG) methods. The findings revealed that export, renewable energy consumption, and human capital significantly reduce CO₂ emissions, while import, fossil fuel consumption, and natural resource rents increase CO₂ emissions, although the effect of natural resource rents is statistically insignificant. Causality tests indicated the bidirectional relationship of CO₂ emissions with export, import, renewable energy consumption, and fossil fuel consumption, and the unidirectional causality from human capital to CO₂ emissions. CO₂ emissions drive the greenhouse effect, thereby raising global temperature and accelerating climate change. As reducing CO₂ emissions becomes an urgent global priority, this study provides actionable insights by identifying key variables that mitigate emissions and enhance sustainability. By bridging research and policy, this study offers targeted recommendations to accelerate progress toward a low-carbon future.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34395,"journal":{"name":"Regional Sustainability","volume":"6 4","pages":"Article 100247"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145098761","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Leveraging farm heterogeneity to enhance living incomes: A gender-sensitive typology of cocoa farming systems in Côte d’Ivoire","authors":"Franziska OLLENDORF ,&nbsp;Claudia CORAL ,&nbsp;Constant Yves ADOU YAO ,&nbsp;Stefan SIEBER ,&nbsp;Katharina LÖHR","doi":"10.1016/j.regsus.2025.100245","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.regsus.2025.100245","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>About 44% of the world’s cocoa is produced in one single country, Côte d’Ivoire. Providing this important raw material, most Ivorian cocoa farmers live in severe poverty, which, despite a multitude of sector interventions, is still widespread, affecting social and environmental sustainability in cocoa production. In this context, cocoa farmers are still often treated as a homogeneous group of small-scale producers (mainly males), resulting in interventions being conceptualized as one-size-fits-all approaches and failing to deliver support schemes that take farmers’ specific conditions appropriately into account. Applying a broader typology approach that combines farm characteristics with farmers’ characteristics, this study aims to delineate Ivorian cocoa farmers and their farms into specific types in order to improve advice for targeted sustainability interventions and living income (LI) potentials. Principal component analysis and hierarchical clustering analysis of a household dataset collected in 2022 in five cocoa-growing regions of Côte d’Ivoire were chosen to identify types of male-headed farms. To assure gender sensitive analysis, a female-headed farm type was created artificially. The specific characteristics of the identified types were captured using descriptive analysis. Descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests were then applied to examine the relationships between these farm types and various outcomes. Additionally, a binary logistic model was used to estimate the probability of these links in relation to variables relevant for achieving a LI. Finally, Spearman non-parametric correlation was used to identify eventual differences in the strength of relationships between key variables per farm type. Three different types of male-headed farms are identified: type 1 (the most productive and diversified farms with larger size), type 2 (middle-sized farms with strong focus on cash crops), and type 3 (small-sized farms with a good level of diversification for self-consumption). The artificially created type 4 represents female-headed farms with the smallest size. On average, none of these farm types achieves a LI. However, type 1 shows the smallest LI gap, while type 4 is by far the worst. Our analyses reveal underlying socio-economic factors systematically disadvantaging female-headed cocoa farms, most notably limited access to land and other material assets. The key contribution of this study lies in the empirical identification of the different characteristics of farms in a given farming system, thereby identifying the need for targeted support interventions. Type-specific recommendations are made, showing pathways to provide tailored programs to farmers of different types in order to reduce their LI gaps.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34395,"journal":{"name":"Regional Sustainability","volume":"6 4","pages":"Article 100245"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145098630","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}