Socio-Economic Perspectives on Shifting Cultivation Landscapes in Northern Laos

Heinimann, Andreas; Hett, Cornelia; Hurni, Kaspar; Messerli, Peter; Epprecht, Michael; Jørgensen, Lars; Breu, Thomas

doi:10.1007/s10745-013-9564-1

Cited by 45 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…However, in the last decade, villagers in general in many parts of the world have started to change their farming methods from shifting to permanent cultivation (Hariyadi and Ticktin 2012;Heinimann et al 2013;Mertz 2009). In Expansion of traditional land-use and deforestation: a case study of an adat forest in the… 497 response to better access to urban areas and changing prices, many farmers have started to cultivate permanent rubber or oil palm crops mixed with upland rice.…”

Section: Research Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Following the introduction of Forestry Law No. 41/1999, concerning the change in status from adat forest to state forest, adat communities living in these forests, who have done so for generations, have been accused of encroaching (Hartanto et al 2008). In many parts of Indonesia, adat communities have been blamed for deforestation and forest destruction (Cahyadi 2014;IWGIA 2011;Wijaya 2014).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Expansion of traditional land-use and deforestation: a case study of an adat forest in the Kandilo Subwatershed, East Kalimantan, Indonesia

et al. 2017

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Deforestation issues are more problematic when indigenous (adat) communities, living within a forest, have lived there for many generations. These adat communities, who employ traditional land-use, are frequently accused of encroaching on the forest. To understand existing and future trends in the spatial patterns of the expansion of traditional land-use and deforestation, we conducted a case study in the Kandilo Subwatershed using mixed methods with image interpretation, spatial modelling and sociocultural surveys to examine the interrelationships between physical conditions, community characteristics and traditional land-use expansion. We investigated community characteristics through household interviews, communication with key informants, and discussions with focus groups. By using an area production model, we were able to analyze the effect of improved farming systems, policy intervention and law enforcement on traditional land-use expansion and deforestation. Based on our examination of a 20-year period of traditional land-use activities in adat forests, the evidence indicated that the steeper the slope of the land and the farther the distance from the village, the lower the rate of deforestation. Our study found that customary law, regulating traditional land-use, played an important role in controlling deforestation and land degradation. We conclude that the integration of land allocation, improved farming practices and enforcement of customary law are effective measures to improve traditional land productivity while avoiding deforestation and land degradation.

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Section: Research Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

Expansion of traditional land-use and deforestation: a case study of an adat forest in the Kandilo Subwatershed, East Kalimantan, Indonesia

et al. 2017

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“…Human effort to tap forest resources for life necessities ends up destroying the natural ecosystem influencing forest carbon stock [27]. Research findings showed that forest contributes about 22%…”

Section: Livelihood Economic Activitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Livelihood Economic Activities Causing Deforestation in Northern Ghana: Evidence of Sissala West District

Fagariba¹,

Song²,

Soule³

2018

OJE

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Policymakers and international organizations are making the conscious effort to address climate change through afforestation and sustainable ecosystem management. Economic activities including agriculture, mining, and infrastructure improvement to meet basic human needs continuously degrade the natural and forest resources. The rate of deforestation in Ghana is alarming due to over-reliance on forest resources by forest-dependent communities. Perceived causes of deforestation differ from individuals and groups perspective. This depends on factors including environmental knowledge, education level, market demand and socio-economic activities. Simple random sampling and key informant interview with the aid of semi-structured questionnaire was used to elicit information from the indigenes of Sissala West District to determine their perceptions of causes of deforestation. The study indicated that poverty, high illiteracy, population growth and lack of alternative source of livelihood were the indirect causes which trigger livelihood economic activities such as farming, charcoal burning, wood logging and hunting leading to degradation of the ecosystem. It was also realized that majority of the indigenes are uneducated and this contributes to their unawareness of rate of deforestation. Recommendations suggested to address challenges were enforcement of bye-laws and stringent government environmental policies to deter people from degrading the forest. Education, agroforestry, afforestation, and provision of alternative livelihood were also good interventions suggested.

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“…In spite of such a situation of deforestation and its drivers, shifting cultivation has been dominant land use system in the northern Lao PDR, securing the livelihoods of the large percentage of the rural population living in mountainous area (Heinimann et al, 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adapted REDD plus Based on Local People’s Capabilities: A Case Study from Luang Prabang Province, Lao PDR

Iwadare¹,

Hiratsuka²

2017

OJF

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The reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD plus) has been proposed as a key tool for reducing greenhouse gases (GHG) from deforestation and forest degradation in land use sector. The development of a REDD plus that considers national, sub-national, and/or local circumstances in relation to a target area requires an analysis of site-specific deforestation drivers and land use characteristics. This study aimed to analyze the capability of forest-dependent people to find the way for reducing pressures on forest resources, i.e. reducing shifting cultivation and identified their patterns of land and forest use, as this knowledge is essential for developing a REDD plus for land and forest management for an area. The study target area was Luang Prabang Province in the northern part of the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR). We conducted questionnaire-based surveys and participatory workshops to identify the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation as well as current local capabilities. Our findings, which focused on the characteristics of ethnic groups (Khmu and Hmong) and the agricultural techniques used by villagers, revealed significant differences between upland rice farmers without paddy fields and farmers with paddy fields who cultivated upland rice in terms of their capabilities to maintain livelihoods. The results of a discriminant function analysis indicated that 66.7% of the initially categorized respondents were correctly classified for the variable Khmu or Hmong and 82.1% classified for the variable upland rice farmers with paddy or upland rice farmers without paddy. The results indicated a lower capability to transition to alternative livelihoods among farmers relying on upland cultivation (i.e. shifting cultivation) than among farmers who cultivate paddy. Moreover, the study revealed the importance of applying a capability approach when planning REDD plus in Lao PDR that account for differential capabilities attributed to ethnicity or other vulnerable group statuses.

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Socio-Economic Perspectives on Shifting Cultivation Landscapes in Northern Laos

Cited by 45 publications

References 32 publications

Expansion of traditional land-use and deforestation: a case study of an adat forest in the Kandilo Subwatershed, East Kalimantan, Indonesia

Expansion of traditional land-use and deforestation: a case study of an adat forest in the Kandilo Subwatershed, East Kalimantan, Indonesia

Livelihood Economic Activities Causing Deforestation in Northern Ghana: Evidence of Sissala West District

Adapted REDD plus Based on Local People’s Capabilities: A Case Study from Luang Prabang Province, Lao PDR

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