Shifting Cultivation And Environmental Change

Author : Malcolm F. Cairns
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 1405 pages
File Size : 48,6 Mb
Release : 2015-01-09
Category : Nature
ISBN : 9781317750185

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Shifting Cultivation and Environmental Change by Malcolm F. Cairns Pdf

Shifting cultivation is one of the oldest forms of subsistence agriculture and is still practised by millions of poor people in the tropics. Typically it involves clearing land (often forest) for the growing of crops for a few years, and then moving on to new sites, leaving the earlier ground fallow to regain its soil fertility. This book brings together the best of science and farmer experimentation, vividly illustrating the enormous diversity of shifting cultivation systems as well as the power of human ingenuity. Some critics have tended to disparage shifting cultivation (sometimes called 'swidden cultivation' or 'slash-and-burn agriculture') as unsustainable due to its supposed role in deforestation and land degradation. However, the book shows that such indigenous practices, as they have evolved over time, can be highly adaptive to land and ecology. In contrast, 'scientific' agricultural solutions imposed from outside can be far more damaging to the environment and local communities. The book focuses on successful agricultural strategies of upland farmers, particularly in south and south-east Asia, and presents over 50 contributions by scholars from around the world and from various disciplines, including agricultural economics, ecology and anthropology. It is a sequel to the much praised "Voices from the Forest: Integrating Indigenous Knowledge into Sustainable Upland Farming" (RFF Press, 2007), but all chapters are completely new and there is a greater emphasis on the contemporary challenges of climate change and biodiversity conservation.

Author : Malcolm F. Cairns
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 1057 pages
File Size : 47,6 Mb
Release : 2015-01-09
Category : Nature
ISBN : 9781317750192

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Shifting Cultivation and Environmental Change by Malcolm F. Cairns Pdf

Shifting cultivation is one of the oldest forms of subsistence agriculture and is still practised by millions of poor people in the tropics. Typically it involves clearing land (often forest) for the growing of crops for a few years, and then moving on to new sites, leaving the earlier ground fallow to regain its soil fertility. This book brings together the best of science and farmer experimentation, vividly illustrating the enormous diversity of shifting cultivation systems as well as the power of human ingenuity. Some critics have tended to disparage shifting cultivation (sometimes called 'swidden cultivation' or 'slash-and-burn agriculture') as unsustainable due to its supposed role in deforestation and land degradation. However, the book shows that such indigenous practices, as they have evolved over time, can be highly adaptive to land and ecology. In contrast, 'scientific' agricultural solutions imposed from outside can be far more damaging to the environment and local communities. The book focuses on successful agricultural strategies of upland farmers, particularly in south and south-east Asia, and presents over 50 contributions by scholars from around the world and from various disciplines, including agricultural economics, ecology and anthropology. It is a sequel to the much praised "Voices from the Forest: Integrating Indigenous Knowledge into Sustainable Upland Farming" (RFF Press, 2007), but all chapters are completely new and there is a greater emphasis on the contemporary challenges of climate change and biodiversity conservation.

Author : Malcolm Cairns
Publisher : CABI
Page : 1115 pages
File Size : 53,8 Mb
Release : 2017-11-13
Category : Technology & Engineering
ISBN : 9781786391797

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Shifting Cultivation Policies by Malcolm Cairns Pdf

Shifting cultivation supports around 200 million people in the Asia-Pacific region alone. It is often regarded as a primitive and inefficient form of agriculture that destroys forests, causes soil erosion and robs lowland areas of water. These misconceptions and their policy implications need to be challenged. Swidden farming could support carbon sequestration and conservation of land, biodiversity and cultural heritage. This comprehensive analysis of past and present policy highlights successes and failures and emphasizes the importance of getting it right for the future. This book is enhanced with supplementary resources. The addendum chapters can be found at: www.cabi.org/openresources/91797

Author : Malcolm Cairns
Publisher : CABI
Page : 1115 pages
File Size : 47,6 Mb
Release : 2017-11-13
Category : Technology & Engineering
ISBN : 9781786391797

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Shifting Cultivation Policies by Malcolm Cairns Pdf

Shifting cultivation supports around 200 million people in the Asia-Pacific region alone. It is often regarded as a primitive and inefficient form of agriculture that destroys forests, causes soil erosion and robs lowland areas of water. These misconceptions and their policy implications need to be challenged. Swidden farming could support carbon sequestration and conservation of land, biodiversity and cultural heritage. This comprehensive analysis of past and present policy highlights successes and failures and emphasizes the importance of getting it right for the future. This book is enhanced with supplementary resources. The addendum chapters can be found at: www.cabi.org/openresources/91797

Author : Lori Ann Thrupp,Susanne Hecht,John O. Browder
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 60 pages
File Size : 48,8 Mb
Release : 1997
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : STANFORD:36105121767029

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The Diversity and Dynamics of Shifting Cultivation by Lori Ann Thrupp,Susanne Hecht,John O. Browder Pdf

Author : A. M. Mannion
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 432 pages
File Size : 45,8 Mb
Release : 1995-12-05
Category : Science
ISBN : UOM:39015034879703

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Agriculture and Environmental Change by A. M. Mannion Pdf

This textbook defines the complex nature of agriculture in the context of environmental constraints and social stimuli. Attention is paid to plant and animal domestication, and to the subsequent spread of agricultural systems worldwide

Author : Vishwambhar Prasad Sati
Publisher : Springer Nature
Page : 149 pages
File Size : 49,6 Mb
Release : 2019-12-11
Category : Science
ISBN : 9783030366025

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Economic and Ecological Implications of Shifting Cultivation in Mizoram, India by Vishwambhar Prasad Sati Pdf

This book presents the first empirically tested, comprehensive study on shifting cultivation in Mizoram. Shifting cultivation is a unique and centuries-old practice carried out by the people of Mizoram in Northeast India. Today, it is a non-economic activity as it does not produce sufficient crops, and as a result, the area under shifting cultivation is decreasing. Such cultivation leads to the burning and degradation of vast areas of forestland and therefore has adverse impacts on the floral and faunal resources. This book is a valuable resource for government workers, policymakers, academics, farmers and those who are directly or indirectly associated with practical farming, or with framing and implementing policies. It is equally important to master’s and Ph.D. students of geography, resource management, development, and environmental studies who are involved in research and development.

Author : National Research Council,Board on Science and Technology for International Development,Board on Agriculture,Committee on Sustainable Agriculture and the Environment in the Humid Tropics
Publisher : National Academies Press
Page : 721 pages
File Size : 55,9 Mb
Release : 1993-02-01
Category : Technology & Engineering
ISBN : 9780309047494

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Sustainable Agriculture and the Environment in the Humid Tropics by National Research Council,Board on Science and Technology for International Development,Board on Agriculture,Committee on Sustainable Agriculture and the Environment in the Humid Tropics Pdf

Rainforests are rapidly being cleared in the humid tropics to keep pace with food demands, economic needs, and population growth. Without proper management, these forests and other natural resources will be seriously depleted within the next 50 years. Sustainable Agriculture and the Environment in the Humid Tropics provides critically needed direction for developing strategies that both mitigate land degradation, deforestation, and biological resource losses and help the economic status of tropical countries through promotion of sustainable agricultural practices. The book includes: A practical discussion of 12 major land use options for boosting food production and enhancing local economies while protecting the natural resource base. Recommendations for developing technologies needed for sustainable agriculture. A strategy for changing policies that discourage conserving and managing natural resources and biodiversity. Detailed reports on agriculture and deforestation in seven tropical countries.

Author : Niranjan Roy
Publisher : Springer Nature
Page : 185 pages
File Size : 53,7 Mb
Release : 2024-06-07
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 9783031549274

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Climate Change, Shifting Cultivation and Livelihood Vulnerabilities in India by Niranjan Roy Pdf

Author : El-Sayed Ewis Omran,Abdelazim M. Negm
Publisher : Springer Nature
Page : 646 pages
File Size : 51,6 Mb
Release : 2020-04-08
Category : Science
ISBN : 9783030416294

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Climate Change Impacts on Agriculture and Food Security in Egypt by El-Sayed Ewis Omran,Abdelazim M. Negm Pdf

This book gathers contributions discussing climate change in Egypt from an agricultural perspective. Written by leading experts, it presents state-of-the-art insights and the latest research developments in light of the most recent IPCC report. Focusing on identifying the specific phenomena that affect climate change in Egypt, the book also addresses the effects of climate change in Egypt, particularly examining the quality and quantity of water resources as well as the socio-economic impacts of climate change on agricultural activities. Furthermore, it explores alternative solutions to support agriculture and food security and raises awareness of adaptation and protection as the key to adapting to the risks posed by climate change. Covering the four fundamental pillars of climate change: food security, availability, access and stability, this book is a valuable resource for stakeholders involved in achieving the 2030 sustainable development goals in Egypt and all countries with similar climatic conditions. It is also a unique source of information and updates on climate change impacts for graduates, researchers, policy planners, and decision-makers.

Author : Carmenza Robledo,Markku Kanninen,Lucio Pedroni
Publisher : CIFOR
Page : 195 pages
File Size : 55,8 Mb
Release : 2005-01-01
Category : Climatic changes
ISBN : 9789792446043

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Tropical Forests and Adaptation to Climate Change by Carmenza Robledo,Markku Kanninen,Lucio Pedroni Pdf

Author : Gleb Raygorodetsky
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
Page : 336 pages
File Size : 52,6 Mb
Release : 2017-11-07
Category : Nature
ISBN : 9781681775968

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The Archipelago of Hope by Gleb Raygorodetsky Pdf

While our politicians argue, the truth is that climate change is already here. Nobody knows this better than Indigenous peoples who, having developed an intimate relationship with ecosystems over generations, have observed these changes for decades. For them, climate change is not an abstract concept or policy issue, but the reality of daily life.After two decades of working with indigenous communities, Gleb Raygorodetsky shows how these communities are actually islands of biological and cultural diversity in the ever-rising sea of development and urbanization. They are an “archipelago of hope” as we enter the Anthropocene, for here lies humankind’s best chance to remember our roots and how to take care of the Earth.We meet the Skolt Sami of Finland, the Nenets and Altai of Russia, the Sapara of Ecuador, the Karen of Myanmar, and the Tla-o-qui-aht of Canada. Intimate portraits of these men and women, youth and elders, emerge against the backdrop of their traditional practices on land and water. Though there are brutal realities—pollution, corruption, forced assimilation—Raygorodetsky's prose resonates with the positive, the adaptive, the spiritual—and hope.

Author : Liz Deakin,Mrigesh Kshatriya,Terry Sunderland
Publisher : CIFOR
Page : 306 pages
File Size : 45,7 Mb
Release : 2016-01-25
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 9786023870226

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Agrarian change in tropical landscapes by Liz Deakin,Mrigesh Kshatriya,Terry Sunderland Pdf

Agricultural expansion has transformed and fragmented forest habitats at alarming rates across the globe, but particularly so in tropical landscapes. The resulting land-use configurations encompass varying mosaics of tree cover, human settlements and agricultural land units. Meanwhile, global demand for agricultural commodities is at unprecedented levels. The need to feed nine billion people by 2050 in a world of changing food demands is causing increasing agricultural intensification. As such, market-orientated production systems are now increasingly replacing traditional farming practices, but at what cost? The Agrarian Change project, coordinated by the Center for International Forestry Research, explores the conservation, livelihood and food security implications of land-use and agrarian change processes at the landscape scale. This book provides detailed background information on seven multi-functional landscapes in Ethiopia, Cameroon, Indonesia, Nicaragua, Bangladesh, Zambia and Burkina Faso. The focal landscapes were selected as they exhibit various scenarios of changing forest cover, agricultural modification and integration with local and global commodity markets. A standardized research protocol will allow for future comparative analyses between these sites. Each case study chapter provides a comprehensive description of the physical and socioeconomic context of each focal landscape and a structured account of the historical and political drivers of land-use change occurring in the area. Each case study also draws on contemporary information obtained from key informant interviews, focus group discussions and preliminary data collection regarding key topics of interest including: changes in forest cover and dependency on forest products, farming practices, tenure institutions, the role and presence of conservation initiatives, and major economic activities. The follow-on empirical study is already underway in the landscapes described in this book. It examines responses to agrarian change processes at household, farm, village and landscape levels with a focus on poverty levels, food security, dietary diversity and nutrition, agricultural yields, biodiversity, migration and land tenure. This research intends to provide much needed insights into how landscape-scale land-use trajectories manifest in local communities and advance understanding of multi-functional landscapes as socioecological systems.

Author : Sumi Krishna
Publisher : Taylor & Francis
Page : 291 pages
File Size : 53,9 Mb
Release : 2020-11-29
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 9781000084436

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Agriculture and a Changing Environment in Northeastern India by Sumi Krishna Pdf

India’s northeastern region, forged by a unique geological history and peopled by several waves of migration, is extraordinarily complex. Farming systems in the hills and the riverine plains are embedded in a heterogeneous environment, comprising forests, wetlands and fields, shaped over centuries by nature and people. Today, the environment and economy are undergoing rapid transformation, affecting peoples’ lives, livelihoods and methods of food production. The essays in this volume bring a multi-disciplinary perspective to critical aspects of the process of agricultural change, examine the gender dimensions of agriculture, and explore initiatives for sustainable livelihood and ecological conservation. Part I analyses the impact of policies and people’s own aspirations on the closely-intertwined ecology and economy of the region. Part II discusses the gender dynamics of farming, forestry and biodiversity in a socio-cultural context where women are primarily responsible for food production. Part III highlights some alternative farming interventions and community-based efforts for environmental conservation, sustainable resource management and improved livelihoods. This book will be useful to scholars and students of agriculture, economics, development, environment and gender studies, and to those involved in policy analysis, natural resource management and community organisation, as also general readers interested in India’s northeastern region.

Author : Malcolm Cairns
Publisher : Taylor & Francis
Page : 853 pages
File Size : 50,9 Mb
Release : 2010-09-30
Category : Nature
ISBN : 9781136522284

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Voices from the Forest by Malcolm Cairns Pdf

This handbook of locally based agricultural practices brings together the best of science and farmer experimentation, vividly illustrating the enormous diversity of shifting cultivation systems as well as the power of human ingenuity. Environmentalists have tended to disparage shifting cultivation (sometimes called 'swidden cultivation' or 'slash-and-burn agriculture') as unsustainable due to its supposed role in deforestation and land degradation. However, a growing body of evidence indicates that such indigenous practices, as they have evolved over time, can be highly adaptive to land and ecology. In contrast, 'scientific' agricultural solutions imposed from outside can be far more damaging to the environment. Moreover, these external solutions often fail to recognize the extent to which an agricultural system supports a way of life along with a society's food needs. They do not recognize the degree to which the sustainability of a culture is intimately associated with the sustainability and continuity of its agricultural system. Unprecedented in ambition and scope, Voices from the Forest focuses on successful agricultural strategies of upland farmers. More than 100 scholars from 19 countries--including agricultural economists, ecologists, and anthropologists--collaborated in the analysis of different fallow management typologies, working in conjunction with hundreds of indigenous farmers of different cultures and a broad range of climates, crops, and soil conditions. By sharing this knowledge--and combining it with new scientific and technical advances--the authors hope to make indigenous practices and experience more widely accessible and better understood, not only by researchers and development practitioners, but by other communities of farmers around the world.