Asian Agri-History

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

Shifting Cultivation:A Cautionary Note


Affiliations
1 University of Melbourne 3010, Australia
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


Shifting cultivation is a long established agricultural practice that continues to be practiced, although area is reducing each decade. Nevertheless, it remains important for farming communities who sustain themselves from such food production systems, and as a viable means of integrating some modern technologies. Where populations are not rising substantially and no alternative agricultural systems have been proven, these systems continue to offer a degree of security from further urban immigration, as well as for watershed and forest management and as carbon sinks. As shifting cultivation is practiced in highland regions, and the majority of such cultivators and highlands are in the Asian region, the subject remains of historical and current importance to Asia. This paper argues that respect for the cultivators, their system and the environment should act as a caution to those engaged in development that might impact on shifting cultivation.

Keywords

Environment, Farming Systems, Shifting Cultivation, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Sustainability.
User
Subscription Login to verify subscription
Notifications
Font Size

  • Angkasith P, Warrit B. Highland Arabica Coffee Production. Mingmoeng Publishing, Chiang Mai; 1999.

  • Dubois J. Secondary forests as a land use resource in frontier zones of Amazonia. In: Anderson A, editor. Alternatives to Deforestation. New York: Columbia University Press; 1990.

  • Falvey JL. Cattle and sheep in Northern Thailand. ThaiAustralia Highland Agricultural Project. Chiang Mai; 1980. PMid:7451125

  • Falvey L. Musing on Agri-History. Asian Journal of Agri-History. 2013; 17(2):183–91.

  • Falvey L. Sustainable development in the Thai highlands: The experience of the Thai-Australian Development project. First International Highland Conference. Jan; Chiang Mai: Chiang Mai University; 2015.

  • FAO. Shifting cultivation. Unasylva. 1957; 11:9–11.

  • FAO, UNDP, UNEP. Collaborative programme on reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries. Rome; 2008.

  • Genesis 4: The Bible; 1–15.

  • Griffiths T. Seeing REDD? Forests, climate change mitigation and the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities. Update for the 14th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations' Framework Commission on Climate Change. Poznan: Poland; 2008.

  • Huddleston B, Ataman E, D’ostiani L. Towards a GIS-based analysis of mountain environments and populations, environment and natural resources. Working Paper No. 10. Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations. Rome; 2003.

  • Kerkhoff E, Sharma E. Debating shifting cultivation in the Eastern Himalayas: Farmers’ innovations as lessons for policy. International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development. Kathmandu; 2006.

  • Mertz O, Heinimann A, Rerkasem K, Thiha, Dressler W, Pham VC, Vu KC, Schmidt-Vogt D, Colfer CJP, Epprecht M, Paddoch C. Who Counts? Demography of Swidden Cultivators in Southeast Asia. Human Ecology. 2009a; 37:218–89. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10745-009-9249-y

  • Michaud J. Zomia and beyond. Journal of Global History. 2010; 5(2):187–214. https://doi.org/10.1017/S174002281000005

  • Scott J. The art of not being governed: An anarchist history of upland Southeast Asia. New Haven: Yale University Press; 2009.

  • Spencer JE. Shifting cultivation in Southeastern Asia. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1966.

  • Tapp N. Thailand government policy towards the hilldwelling minority peoples in the North of Thailand, 1959-1976. Master’s Thesis. London: School of African and Oriental Studies; 1979.

  • van Schendel, W. Geographies of knowing, Geographies of ignorance. Environment and Planning, Society and Space. 2002; 20:647–68. https://doi.org/10.1068/d16s

  • Visitpanich T, Falvey JL. Nutrition of Highland Swine. Thai Journal of Agricultural Science. 1981; 14:123–8.

  • von Braun J. Agricultural development in the highlands. International Food Policy Research Institute Presentation; Jul 24, Lhasa, Tibet: China; 2005.


Abstract Views: 215

PDF Views: 5




  • Shifting Cultivation:A Cautionary Note

Abstract Views: 215  |  PDF Views: 5

Authors

Lindsay Falvey
University of Melbourne 3010, Australia

Abstract


Shifting cultivation is a long established agricultural practice that continues to be practiced, although area is reducing each decade. Nevertheless, it remains important for farming communities who sustain themselves from such food production systems, and as a viable means of integrating some modern technologies. Where populations are not rising substantially and no alternative agricultural systems have been proven, these systems continue to offer a degree of security from further urban immigration, as well as for watershed and forest management and as carbon sinks. As shifting cultivation is practiced in highland regions, and the majority of such cultivators and highlands are in the Asian region, the subject remains of historical and current importance to Asia. This paper argues that respect for the cultivators, their system and the environment should act as a caution to those engaged in development that might impact on shifting cultivation.

Keywords


Environment, Farming Systems, Shifting Cultivation, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Sustainability.

References