Slash-and-burn in the humid tropics: alternative systems
2001
Harwood, R.R. (Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1325 (USA). Crop and Soil Sciences Dept.)
Results of the study showed the following: 1) There exists an extremely broad range of agricultural and agroforestry land-use alternatives to the current slash-and-burn systems but much work needs to be done. 2) There is a major need for scientific quantification of the many attributes of the most promising systems. 3) There is a need for national policy to discourage use of environmentally destructive systems and to encourage longer-term investment by finding solution to land tenure uncertainty. Innovative marketing approaches that open large market segments for agroforestry fruit products (such as the soft drink market) have been extremely successful but not well documented in many parts of Asia. 4) There is a need to "harness" and distribute the best farmers knowledge about integrated systems, but have little successful experience with this. 5) Finally, scientist must realize that the scientific knowledge base covering the range of options is frightfully narrow, and the scope for learning is enormous. The success stories of imaginative application of the many options give hope, but at the same time stretch our abilities, to understand and to properly apply the numerous technologies waiting for more widespread use
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