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Purpose: The survivorship of firms under extreme weather poses an essential question about the local economy's health. Over 90% of agricultural banks are categorized as community banks, which are important financial institutions promoting local growth. While previous studies suggest that climate change and weather shocks adversely impact community banks' resiliency, studies on whether these institutions engage in risk-reducing management strategies have been limited. In this study, the authors examine strategic choices of local community banks when facing flood events which include (1) safety net increase, (2) portfolio diversification, and (3) branch opening. These strategic choices are the coping mechanisms banks can take to survive while affecting the local competitive lending market. Design/methodology/approach: The authors use panel-fixed effect regressions based on the storm data from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)'s National Weather Service (NWS) and the call reports from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). The authors focus on community banks' account variable characteristics and the number of offices to examine whether community banks take an active role in managing flood risk. Findings: Results suggest that community banks do employ the selected strategic choices to a certain degree, as it is found that there is an increase in the core capital that absorbs shocks and portfolio diversification. However, the magnitudes of these activities are rather small and not large enough to fully mitigate the climate risk. Also, the authors do not find any evidence of branch expansion associated with local floods. Originality/value: This study contributes to the literature by examining different strategic choices of community banks in the face of natural uncertainty. Even though concerns of climate risk have been raised in the regulatory setting, a lack of guidance or assessment tools could contribute to the passive action of these community banks, even though climate risks can have a significant economic impact. Thus, the evidence documented from this study calls for further guidelines and the importance of highlighting climate risks on community banks so that they can actively engage in risk-reducing strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This teaching case addresses the digitization of the local social currency Palmas, issued since the beginning of the years 2000 as a paper currency by Banco Palmas, to a new hybrid model of mobile payments and mobile money, named E-Dinheiro. This is a social development and financial inclusion venture in Brazil, having already great national and international recognition. By telling the history of the community bank and some of its initiatives, this case intends to demonstrate the innovation process in a social fintech, addressing issues such as governance, platform management, information technology, business models and strategy. However, as its business model spreads to other community banks, new challenges emerge to ensure the growth and longevity of the project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to analyze the emergence and trajectory of the Palmas Project, its social currency, results and limitations. Using a qualitative approach, we sought to present the specificities of the Palmas Community Bank and its local implications. The results indicate the importance of the Palmas Bank and its social currency as a mechanism of local empowerment and an impulse to generate work and income for the most vulnerable populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of local and regional seed banks as well as the subsequent evaluation of their quality are one of the alternatives that can prevent or minimize the loss of the biodiversity of creole seeds. The objective of this study was to evaluate the physical characteristics of Creole corn seeds stored in the Regional Seed Bank of the Caiana Community in Soledade, Paraiba. In the Laboratory of Storage and Processing of Agricultural Products of the Federal University of Campina Grande, seeds were submitted to physical analysis: water content, thousand seeds weight, seed mass, apparent density, real density, porosity, seed volume, color L*, a*, b*, Chroma C*and darkening index. The Jaboatão maize variety had a higher water content, a thousand seeds weight, grain mass, bulk density and grain volume and the Adelaide variety greater porosity and luminosity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yoko Kitazawa examines the solidarity economies in Japan as a needed alternative to the failures of both government and neo-liberal capitalism. She describes the activities of different groups that are undertaking solidarity, with a focus on female farming entrepreneurs, consumers and non-profit organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]