Indigenous food systems ensure ecological and socio-economic sustainability but remain marginalized in science and policy. We argue that better documentation, deeper understanding, and political recognition of indigenous knowledge can help transform food systems.

A 3D model communicates more effectively than a 2D model, hence the applications of 3D city models are rapidly gaining significance in urban studies. However, presently, there is a dearth of free of cost, high-resolution 3D city models available for use. This paper offers potential solutions to this problem by providing a globally replicable methodology to generate low-cost 3D city models from open source 2D building data in conjunction with open satellite-based elevation datasets. Two geographically and morphologically different case studies were used to develop and test this methodology: the Chinese city of Shanghai and the city of Nottingham in the UK. The method is based principally on OpenStreetMap (OSM) and Advanced Land Observing Satellite World 3D digital surface model (AW3D DSM) data and use GMTED 2010 DTM data for undulating terrain. Further enhancement of the resultant 3D model, though not compulsory, uses higher resolution elevation models that are not always open source, but if available can be used (i.e., airborne LiDAR generated DTM). Further we test and develop methods to improve the accuracy of the generated 3D models, employing a small subset of high resolution data that are not open source but can be purchased with a minimal budgets. Given these scenarios of data availability are globally applicable and time-efficient for 3D building generation (where 2D building footprints are available), our proposed methodology has the potential to accelerate the production of 3D city models, and thus to facilitate their dependent applications (e.g., disaster management) wherever commercial 3D city models are unavailable.

This study investigates the major environmental and socio-economic impacts of an increase in the area of rubber plantations and the changing patterns of drivers of land use changes. Using a combination of geospatial techniques and socio-economic methods, we mainly analyzed the rate of increase in area under rubber plantations, the major impacts of land use changes, and the changing drivers of land use changes. Our results show that the area under rubber plantations has increased significantly within the study area, with the area under rubber plantations increasing from 30 to 74% of the total area within five decades. Impact assessment of land use changes based on household surveys showed significant improvement in the socio-economic conditions of the farmers, however, at the expense of severe environmental degradation. Our results also indicate that while areas under rubber plantations continue to increase, the drivers of land use changes have changed over time. Furthermore, it has been observed that in the past, many interventions prioritized social and economic development and placed less emphasis on the ecological stability of the region. Perceptions of farmers revealed that the effects of ecological fragility already affected the economic robustness of the whole area. Therefore, we conclude that government interventions to support additional rubber cultivation should also focus on ecosystem stabilization in order to minimize the risk of an ecological catastrophe that would significantly affect the economic prosperity of the region.

This study investigates the major environmental and socio-economic impacts of an increase in the area of rubber plantations and the changing patterns of drivers of land use changes by combining geospatial technologies and socio-economic methods. Using a combination of geospatial techniques and socio-economic methods, we mainly analysed the rate of increase in area under rubber plantations, major impacts of land use changes and the changing drivers of land use changes. Our results shows that the area under rubber plantations has increased significantly within the study area, with the area under rubber plantations increasing from 30–74% of the total area within five decades. Impact assessment of land-use changes based on household surveys showed significant improvement in socio-economic conditions of the farmers however at the expense of severe environmental degradation. Our results also indicate that while areas under rubber plantations continue to increase, the drivers of land use changes have changed over time. Furthermore, it has been observed that in the past many interventions prioritized social and economic development and placed less emphasis on the ecological stability of the region. Perceptions of farmers revealed that the effects of ecological fragility already affected the economic robustness of the whole area. Therefore, we conclude that government interventions to support additional rubber cultivation should also focus on ecosystem stabilization in order to minimize the risk of an ecological catastrophe that would significantly affect the economic prosperity of the region.