Governance faces complex challenges such as rapid urbanization, increasing socioeconomic inequality, the effects of climate change, and the need for sustainable economic development. These challenges require the active participation of local and regional stakeholders and marginalized groups often excluded from decision-making processes. To improve social inclusion in territorial governance, adopting more participatory and transparent approaches is vital, ensuring that all voices are heard in planning and implementation at the local and regional levels (Kapucu et al., 2024).Public governance is the process by which social actors establish common objectives and coordinate actions to achieve them. This approach stresses that the action of governing is more relevant than the government itself, emphasizing the importance of involving multiple actors in decision-making (Eckersley et al., 2024). Inclusive governance is presented as a key model for meeting the needs of diverse communities, characterized by its ability to integrate governments, civil organizations, and local communities in decisions that affect their lives.The shift towards new governance is due to social diversity, complexity, and dynamism. These elements require public action that resorts to new modes of governance, such as self-government and co-governance. In this context, fostering an open public administration that allows for effective and equitable participation is essential, thus guaranteeing representative and effective public policies and authentic and lasting social justice (Campomori & Casula, 2022). This paper aims to provide an opinion regarding the analysis of how inclusive governance can transform social and political dynamics in diverse communities, highlighting its role in empowering marginalized groups and promoting social justice.

This article explores the level of Women’s Empowerment (W’E) from six empowerment domains: decision-making, autonomy, access and control of resources, community participation, and participation in business management, within the context of the corn-tortilla value chain. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data through the survey method and participant observation. The sample consisted of 136 women producers from two municipalities, 67 from Santa María Xadani in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec and 69 from San Antonio de la Cal in the Central Valleys of Oaxaca, Mexico. The results highlight that women exercise five of the six explored domains of empowerment, two with high levels and three with medium levels of empowerment. The women’s income from selling their corn tortillas is used to buy food, raw materials, and health services. Much of their time is spent on corn tortilla production and marketing, and household activities. Finally, this study makes implications for public policy to contribute with the generation of strategies that raise the levels of W’E in agrifood systems in rural contexts. JEL Codes: I31, J16, P42, Q01, R11 Received: 13/01/2023. Accepted: 24/05/2023. Published: 26/06/2023.

This study aimed to characterize students from the Instituto Tecnológico del Valle de Etla (ITVE), located in Oaxaca, Mexico, within the virtual learning environment (VLE) and to identify the main technological challenges affecting their learning experience. The research adopted a descriptive quantitative approach, using a self-administered questionnaire applied to a sample of 71 students enrolled in distance education programs. The instrument made it possible to analyze variables such as online instructional design, teaching experience, and information technologies. The results evidenced four distinct student profiles identified as follows: demanding, digitally competent, dependent on didactic material, and with technological barriers. These profiles reflect disparities in connectivity conditions, digital competencies, and expectations toward instructional design. The evidence generated by this research contributes to the formulation of more inclusive and resilient educational policies, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), which promotes inclusive, equitable, and quality education for all.

Objetivo: determinar la participación de las productoras e identificar sus desafíos y oportunidades en la cadena de valor del totopo en Santa María Xadani y clayuda en San Antonio de la Cal, Oaxaca, bajo el enfoque de género. Metodología: se utilizó un método mixto. Se aplicó un cuestionario a 136 productoras con la técnica cara a cara y la observación participante. Los datos se analizaron con el análisis de conglomerados jerárquicos, K-medias y el cálculo de costos, ingresos y ganancias. Resultados: los hallazgos revelan oportunidades como apoyos gubernamentales y adición de valor. Los desafíos de provisión, mercado, socioculturales, de acceso a información y financiamiento influyen en las ganancias de los segmentos y estancan sus actividades a negocios de subsistencia. Limitaciones: restricciones en el trabajo de campo por la pandemia de Covid-19. Se configuraron las preguntas a la lengua zapoteca. Conclusiones: se limita el emprendimiento y se desplaza a las mujeres de los eslabones más rentables en la cadena de valor del totopo y clayuda. La participación de las mujeres en los sistemas agroalimentarios contribuye al desarrollo rural, la inclusión, la equidad y la sostenibilidad.

Rivers worldwide are increasingly affected by pollution from untreated wastewater, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff, and solid waste. In Mexico, the Atoyac and Salado rivers in Oaxaca present critical cases of environmental degradation. This study provides a comprehensive assessment of their current condition by integrating a review of scientific studies reported in the literature with updated field measurements conducted at representative sampling points. The results reveal severe deterioration in water quality, with key physicochemical parameters—such as total dissolved solids, chemical oxygen demand, total nitrogen, and fats and oils—consistently exceeding the permissible limits established in the standard NOM-001-SEMARNAT-2021. For instance, chemical oxygen demand reached values as high as 2112 mg/L, approximately 10 times higher than the regulatory limit (210 mg/L), highlighting the severity of organic pollution in these rivers. These findings indicate a high load of organic and inorganic pollutants associated with anthropogenic activities, including urbanization, industrial discharges, and inadequate wastewater management. In contrast, pH and temperature values remain within acceptable ranges. Most heavy metals and cyanides were found below regulatory limits, suggesting no immediate risk from these contaminants. However, continuous monitoring of these heavy metals and cyanides is necessary, as they could represent a public health problem in the future. Overall, this study underscores the urgent need for integrated and multidisciplinary strategies to restore and sustainably manage these river systems, considering both environmental and socio-environmental dimensions.

Food security and resilient agri-food systems are usually linked to large-scale production, advanced technology, and uniform supply chains. Yet, these methods often miss the important role of artisanal agri-food systems in daily food supply, supporting rural communities, and building resilience based on local roots. This article suggests that the strength of artisanal systems mainly comes from how territorial identity, governance, and market recognition work together. Using the case of the artisanal quesillo agri-food system in Oaxaca, Mexico, this article analyzes the main structural tensions shaping its transformation, including the tensions between artisanal practices and the modernization of food safety, environmental sustainability and economic profitability, production scale and institutional visibility, and the preservation of heritage and market competitiveness. Based on recent interdisciplinary literature and secondary evidence, the analysis shows that family production, intergenerational knowledge, and localized resource management are not residual traits, but rather key territorial assets for socioeconomic and institutional resilience. The article concludes that the resilience of artisanal agri-food systems is built upon their structural tensions, and that maximizing their benefits requires polycentric governance approaches that bring together local actors, institutions, and markets to translate territorial identity into economic and social value.