A fresh look at shifting cultivation: fallow length an uncertain indicator of productivity

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cg.coverage.countryIndonesia
cg.coverage.countryMalaysia
cg.coverage.iso3166-alpha2ID
cg.coverage.iso3166-alpha2MY
cg.coverage.regionSouth-eastern Asia
cg.coverage.subregionKalimantan
cg.identifier.urlhttps://www.cifor-icraf.org/knowledge/publication/2346en
cg.issn0308-521Xen
cg.journalAgricultural Systemsen
cg.subject.ciforFOREST GOVERNANCE AND COMMUNITY FORESTRYen
dc.contributor.authorMertz, O.en
dc.contributor.authorWadley, R.L.en
dc.contributor.authorNielsen, U.en
dc.contributor.authorBruun, T.B.en
dc.contributor.authorColfer, C.J.P.en
dc.contributor.authorNeergaard, Andreas deen
dc.contributor.authorJepsen, M.R.en
dc.contributor.authorMartinussen, T.en
dc.contributor.authorQiang Zhaoen
dc.contributor.authorNoweg, G.T.en
dc.contributor.authorMagid, J.en
dc.date.accessioned2012-06-04T09:12:42Zen
dc.date.available2012-06-04T09:12:42Zen
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/19752
dc.titleA fresh look at shifting cultivation: fallow length an uncertain indicator of productivityen
dcterms.abstractShifting cultivation is practiced by millions of farmers in the tropics and has been accused of causing deforestation and keeping farmers in poverty. The assumed positive relationship between fallow length and crop yields has long shaped such negative opinions on the sustainability and environmental impact of the system, as population growth is believed inevitably to lead to its collapse. Empirical evidence for this assumption is scarce, however, and a better understanding of system dynamics is needed before discarding shifting cultivation as unsustainable. With cases from Malaysia and Indonesia, we show that fallow length is a weak predictor of crop yields, though interactions with fertilizer inputs may increase its importance. Other factors such as drought, flooding, and pests are more important determinants of yields. The implication is that when using natural fallow as the only means of nutrient supply, there is no need to cut old fallow vegetation. Moreover, there is no evidence of system collapse, even at short fallow periods. We conclude that shifting cultivation should be accepted as a rational land use system and that earlier calls for bringing a "Green Revolution" to shifting cultivators are still relevant to achieve intensive and sustainable productionen
dcterms.bibliographicCitationMertz, O., Wadley, R.L., Nielsen, U., Bruun, T.B., Colfer, C. J. P., de Neergaard, A., Jepsen, M.R., Martinussen, T., Qiang Zhao, Noweg, G.T., Magid, J. 2008. A fresh look at shifting cultivation: fallow length an uncertain indicator of productivity . Agricultural Systems 96 (1-3) :75û84. ISSN: 0308-521X.en
dcterms.issued2008
dcterms.languageen
dcterms.subjectfallowen
dcterms.subjectriceen
dcterms.subjectproductionen
dcterms.subjectupland riceen
dcterms.subjectshifting cultivationen
dcterms.subjectland useen
dcterms.typeJournal Article

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