Community Engagement and Renewable Energy Transitions in Agricultural Landscapes: A Comparative Analysis of Global North and South

Abstract

This article aims to analyze community engagement processes in renewable energy transitions within agricultural landscapes from a socioeconomic perspective, with particular attention to the Global South. An integrative literature review was conducted following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, enabling a structured synthesis of empirical and theoretical evidence related to renewable energy, governance, and rural development. The review was carried out between June and September 2025 and included studies published between 2007 and 2025 from Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Australia. A comprehensive search was conducted in Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, PubMed, SpringerLink, and Google Scholar using Boolean operators and controlled descriptors. A total of 238 studies were identified, 68 were fully reviewed, and 20 met the eligibility criteria for final synthesis. Data were coded according to region, energy source, engagement strategies, governance models, and socioeconomic outcomes. Most studies originated from Europe (37%) and North America (26%), with comparatively fewer studies from Asia (12%), South America (9%), and Africa (5%). Solar and wind energy were the most studied technologies. Four major thematic clusters emerged: community engagement and social acceptance (38%), governance and participatory models (30%), socioeconomic impacts (22%), and integrated socio-technical approaches (10%). The findings indicate clear asymmetries in research production between the Global North and South. While Northern studies often emphasize structured governance frameworks and technological innovation, Southern contexts highlight local participation, community ownership, and social equity challenges. However, important limitations persist, including language bias, geographical concentration of studies in developed regions, and the predominance of short-term research designs. These gaps highlight the urgent need to expand research agendas, strengthen participatory approaches, and promote equitable renewable energy transitions.