The Latin American rural context and livestock production sector have been subject to transformations associated to technological, organizational, demographic changes, among others, which conditioned agricultural and food situations to satisfy the demands of large cities and the agricultural industry. This brought about fatal consequences with the excessive use of chemical fertilizers and machinery. In the case of Cuba, the agricultural sector also experienced considerable transformations, linked to the scientific and technical advances, which were interrupted from the economic, agricultural and food crisis suffered by the country at the end of the 20th century, this demanded the use of new formulas and approaches, for problem analysis, change projection and implementation of policies and decisions, which promote higher participation of actors. With this work the state of the art about social participation and strategic management is approached, which is useful for acknowledging the complexities of ongoing changes; an account is also made of the importance of the required transformations, from the evolution of the livestock production sector and the perspective of territorial-local development for the country, where the Integral Municipal Development Program is profiled as a viable alternative supported by the Implementation of the Participatory Strategic Planning with action plans.

Required to revalue the traditional peasant agriculture to generate strategies that respond to the crisis and uncertainties posed by rural areas: food insecurity, deterioration of the social network, environmental degradation of the commons landscape: water, soil, biodiversity; Juvenile depopulation, etc. Owever, the worlds of rural life from industrial agriculture has been evaluated only from the production criteria, is required then expand the view from the paradigm of multifunctional agriculture-MFA-and deepen research that addresses not only aspects of production but also the protection of common goods, strengthening the social network and revaluation of local knowledge which has led to important developments for emergencies playback of local cultures. This paper presents some reflections developed in the National University of Colombia in other multiple functions of agriculture: cultural function, environmental function, social function. From the intercultural network of rural studies has been underway in four regions of Colombia, and cultural contexts, ecosystems different, and through researchers from the graduate program in rural development and internships undergraduate students in agricultural sciences, animal production, human sciences, seeks to respond to real problems of rural areas.

This is an exposition about the historical evolution of the agricultural technology transfer in Colombia and its methodological and political-administrative implications that have led to certain stagnation in their processes by the official bodies. Also it is a review of the production guilds participation; it demonstrates an appreciation of the problematic factors influencing the active participation of academy. Finally it shows some advancements in rural extension and research which understanding and scaling could contribute substantially to enhance and accelerate the sustainable agricultural innovations that the country requires.

This piece of research addresses the importance of social practices carried out by actors in the emergence and integration of local and community mobilization processes, which are increasingly observed in different regions and states of our country. It focuses the relationship between social practices and community mobilization processes in order to understand the relevance and incidence of different social actors in the change processes and social transformation undergone by rural societies in the Mexican scenario. The reflection on mobilization processes, its relationship with social practices and change processes in the rural world have emerged from a particular experience about community mobilization in the town of Santa Catarina del Monte, in Texcoco, State of Mexico.

The following article presents the results of the implementation of the proposal of institutional intervention of the Commission on human rights of the Federal District in the organizational process of the eternal light of moon group: the program of public promotion of human rights, and its subsequent version, the Territorial promotion for the exercise of the human rights programme. The actions proposed by both programmes and their implementation, as well as the response given by the group to this were addressed in this interest. This was carried out through the characterization and analysis of both proposals; the recovery of the different perceptions to close of its implementation, and the record of the development of it in the designated organizational experience. Identified a discontinuous and interrupted implementation of both programs, product of an incomplete methodological design and an excessive load of work of the operating team. Facing such a situation the Group response was get rid of generated dependency ratio of reciprocal form and, gradually, take into their own hands the direction and control of their own organizational process, in a contradictory but important process of construction of social subjects.

This study was performed under the Voluntarily Conservation Areas (VCA) “Cerro de las Flores” and “La Serranía”, located in Oaxaca and Chiapas, respectively. Agricultural practices, lifestyles, strategies and expectations of the social actors of the communities are elements necessary to reflect on the social viability of VCA. The contributions of the new rurality are taken up in the context of the civilizing and environmental crisis, making evident the search for actions for new links between rural and urban. We conclude with the strengths and weaknesses, as well as new courses that villagers will face once they obtain the VCA certification by the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP).