Transforming social inclusion through emotional intelligence and human flourishing: the LUVORA paradigm in agriculture

Abstract

Amid increasing calls for equity in agri-food systems, the empowerment of marginalized farmers, especially women and socially excluded groups, requires not only economic interventions but also emotional and psychological transformation. This study introduces the LUVORA framework, a love-based, values-driven model grounded in Positive Psychology, as a novel approach to fostering farmer empowerment and social inclusion. LUVORA, representing Love, Uniformity, Virtue, Openness, Resilience, and Acceptance, was conceptually applied to rural farming communities in Sri Lanka and India to explore how emotional safety, empathy, and connection can catalyse sustainable change. Using a narrative review methodology, the study synthesizes over 32 peer-reviewed articles published between 2005 and 2024 from Scopus, Web of Science, and AGRIS, focusing on affective inclusion, emotional resilience in agriculture, and gender responsive interventions. Studies lacking a human-centred approach or focusing solely on technological solutions were excluded. Key findings reveal that cultivating emotional intelligence, compassion-based leadership, and relational trust significantly improve women’s participation, farmer well-being, and social cooperation in agri-food systems. By aligning human flourishing with sustainable agricultural practices, the LUVORA model promotes a more emotionally inclusive culture of empowerment. This research advocates integrating psychosocial training modules based on LUVORA into agricultural extension programs, rural women's collectives, and Agri-leadership training initiatives. In doing so, it reimagines farmer empowerment not merely as a matter of productivity, but as a profound act of love, healing, and collective upliftment.