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The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors affecting food security for rural Sudanese households and to estimate price and income elasticities for Sudanese households based on their food security status. The results show that households living in northern and western rural regions are less likely to be food secure as compared to households living in eastern rural regions. Also, rural households are more likely to be food secure in the fall and winter seasons as compared to summer season. The results of price and income elasticities for secure and insecure households were almost similar. Income elasticities for both secure and insecure households show that cereals, milk & eggs, vegetables, staples, tea and coffee are necessities for rural households.

This paper proposes a new typology to analyze trends among family and nonfamily farms in the Brazilian Amazon between 2006 and 2015. We highlight two opposite trends: a decreasing number of family farmers linked to commercial production; an increasing number of family farmers dedicated to subsistence agriculture. We discuss two main factors that help to explain these trends. First, the official legislation limits the total income obtained outside the farm to be eligible for public policies targeted at family farms. Second, family farms that are still strongly labor-intensive have faced severe difficulties in a competitive and dynamic agricultural sector that emerged in Brazilian Amazon.

Agricultural activity in the rural sector has been studied mainly in terms of technical questions regarding cultivation; however, the organizational aspects that generate added value, such as knowledge, have rarely been addressed. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between knowledge management and innovation in rural agricultural organizations in northwestern Mexico. A questionnaire with composed of 36 items and a thorough interview was applied to seven leading organizations of the Yaqui Valley (YV). The results reveal a positive and significant relationship between knowledge management and innovation.

espanolLa inactividad laboral, especialmente referida a la poblacion femenina de sectores rurales, es un concepto artificialmente homogeneo dentro del cual conviven habitualidad y transitoriedad. Este articulo analiza la inactividad en mujeres rurales y sus itinerarios decisionales, la invisibilizacion de su papel contributivo y la norma cultural que la influyen. Siendo el cuidado familiar un principal motivo de abstencion, se reporta una fuerte presencia de mujeres potencialmente activas, lo que da cuenta de la transitoriedad y relevancia que tiene el contexto cultural en el campo decisional de la mujer, reforzado por el capital educativo, la pareja y la edad. portuguesA inatividade laboral, especialmente referida a populacao feminina dos setores rurais, e um conceito artificialmente homogeneo dentro do qual coexistem habitualidade e transitoriedade. Este artigo analisa a inatividade em mulheres rurais e seus itinerarios decisionais, a invisibilizacao do seu papel contributivo e a norma cultural que a influenciam. Sendo o cuidado familiar uma das principais razoes de abstencao, constata-se forte presencia de mulheres potencialmente ativas, o que da conta da transitoriedade e relevância que o contexto cultural tem no campo decisional da mulher, reforcado pelo capital educativo, o casal e idade. EnglishLabor inactivity, especially among women belonging to rural populations, is an artificially homogeneous concept in which habitualness and transience coexist. This paper analyzes the inactivity in the rural women and their decision-making routes, how their contributing role is render invisible, and the cultural norm influencing this issue. While taking care of the family is one of the main reasons refraining them from working, a strong presence of potentially active women is reported. This fact accounts for the transience and relevance of the cultural context in the woman’s decision-making sphere, reinforced by her educative capital, her partner and her age.

RESUMEN: Este trabajo examina la seguridad alimentaria de dos territorios rurales de Antioquia: Andes y Santa Fe de Antioquia. Para tal fin, se adoptó el concepto de sistema alimentario y el enfoque conceptual y metodológico del Análisis de Redes Sociales (ARS). Resultados: en Andes existen altos niveles de conflictividad, menores niveles de cooperación y coordinación, altos niveles de intermediación y centralización; en Santa Fe de Antioquia hay mayores relaciones de cooperación y coordinación, y las relaciones de poder están concentradas en pocos actores. Como conclusiones, la metodología de redes posibilitó elaborar un análisis relacional entre actores desde un punto de vista cualitativo y cuantitativo; asimismo, el sistema alimentario sirvió como marco estructural en que se inscriben estas relaciones. ABSTRACT: This paper examines food security in two rural areas of Antioquia: Andes and Santa Fe de Antioquia. To this end, the concept of food system and the conceptual and methodological approach of social network analysis (SNA) were adopted. Results: In Andes there are high levels of conflict, lower levels of cooperation and coordination, high levels of intermediation and centralization; in Santa Fe de Antioquia there are more cooperation and coordination relations, and power is concentrated in few actors. In conclusion, the networks’ methodology made possible the development of a relational analysis between actors from a qualitative and a quantitative point of view. Additionally, the food system worked as a structural framework in which these relationships are embedded.

Recent literature analyses the role of territorial specificities, as the core of territorial rural developmentstrategies based on differentiation. Unfortunately, the proliferation of quality assurance schemes is provokinga “labyrinth of labels” which diffuses the local efforts for capitalizing rural specificities. A second-generationof labels is currently being developed to simplify the territorial differentiation message. A number ofterritories in Southern Europe are basing their rural development strategies joining the so-called EuropeanTerritorial Quality Mark (ETQM) Project. This paper proposes an original methodology, designed anddeveloped by authors, for the evaluation of some of these second-generation labels. This methodology hasbeen validated in 15 rural territories as the pioneers of the ETQM in Spain.