JPAD continues to contribute to academic discussion within the diverse fields of development studies and governance. In this issue, we are delighted to present a wide range of papers that capture different thematic areas including education, agricultural policy, local governance and leadership, and rural livelihood systems. 

The first paper, which was written by Lian, Rola, Atienza, Perez, Maquito, and Paunlagui, highlights the impacts of the new rural land reform policy in Henan Province, China. The authors navigate the intricacies and complex dynamics of implementing this new policy using Lewin’s Change Theory. It is followed by a paper that offers insights on the competencies of the Engineering Research and Development for Technology (ERDT) Scholars of UPLB. The paper of Micor, Quimbo, Perez, and Ortega-Dela Cruz reiterates how the knowledge and skills of the UPLB ERDT scholars correspond to the needs or demands of relevant public and private organizations.

In the third paper, Carada, Pardo, and Lapitan analyzed the different strategies implemented by two cities in the Philippines in responding to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, the authors emphasize how adaptive leadership has assisted the local government units in managing the different concerns of the pandemic. The next paper offers insights in shaping a sustainable mining industry. Decena explored the use of CLINN-GEM in a mining community in Compostela Valley, Philippines.  Although the use of this technology has resulted in positive outcomes, the author recommends for its optimization, and subsequently, advocate changes in national policies to further support the small mining industry in the Philippines. 

The last paper tackles the access to extension services and food security concerns among the women-headed households in the Ayeyarwady region of Myanmar. Thu, Baconguis, David, Paunlagui, and Sta. Cruz conclude that these households remain to have a weak access to the necessary extension services. The authors further added recommendations on how these households could respond to their concerns about food insecurity. 

We invite our readers, both researchers and practitioners, to offer their critical insights and feedback on the different papers in this issue. This will further result in creating more opportunities for the improvement of both development theory and practice in relation to the development and policy concerns discussed in this issue.