Framing landscape approaches in the context of the Lao Uplands

Transcription

1 Framing landscape approaches in the context of the Lao Uplands Patterns of agricultural commercialization, intensification and diversification Lao Uplands Conference, 13 March 2018, Luang Prabang

2 Outline Changing upland agriculture Changing landscapes changing livelihoods Transformative landscape approaches

3 Changes in upland agriculture EFICAS sites What are the drivers of livelihood change in the uplands of Lao PDR? 10 years action-research in northern Lao PDR 30 livelihood and land use indicators Agricultural changes Natural changes Physical changes Financial changes Human changes Social changes Case studies (#44 sites) 6 months investigation including household surveys and focus groups discussions, Land use mapping through participatory approaches and analysis of time series of remote sensing data, Scenario exploration with local stakeholders: gaming simulations Secondary data (#25 sites) Return to labor Land rent Forest dependence Market integration Diversity of agricultural productions Diversification of income sources Technological level Natural resources available Land quality Land use patterns Forest cover Forest transition Accessibility Services and infrastructures Indebtness Credit system Living savings Poverty Income disparity Population density Dependency ratio Health Education Migrations Community labor Conflicts Evolution of tenure rules and security Rule enforcement Gender equity Ethnic groups

4 Understanding land use trajectories Upland intensification Upland crops (maize) Swidden agriculture Remote areas Forest cover Segregation agric forest Soil erosion Economic inequalities Accessible areas Vegetable Lowland intensification Tree plantations Castella J.C., Lestrelin G., Buchheit P. (2012) The agrarian transition in the northern uplands of Lao PDR: A meta analysis of changes in landscapes and livelihoods. In: 3rd International Conference on Conservation Agriculture in Southeast Asia. Hanoi, pp

5 Changing landscapes changing livelihoods Forest Swidden Ecosystem services Low carbon practices Maintain agrobiodiversity Resilience to external shocks Agric. Poverty, limited assets, but Multifunctional landscapes Traditional coping mechanisms alternative food sources in forests, livestock, social solidarity mutual help Forest Carbon sequestration Water regulation Soil conservation Biodiversity Decreasing NTFP safety net Ecosystem services Increased population Agriculture Indebtness Vulnerability to - climatic events - economic shocks Restricted access to nat.resources Increased land use intensity Socioeconomic differentiation Better off, better education, but Degraded, less diverse environment New coping mechanisms crop specialization chemical input use hired labor individualistic behaviors indebtedness Castella J.C., Lestrelin G., Hett C., Bourgoin J., Fitriana Y.R., Heinimann A., Pfund J.L. (2013) Effects of landscape segregation on livelihood vulnerability: Moving from extensive shifting cultivation to rotational agriculture and natural forests in northern Laos. Human Ecology 41(1)

6 Debunking myths about shifting cultivation rice based shifting cultivation is responsible for deforestation Shifting cultivation not possible without forest no pioneer SC left Population increase or policy imposed reduction of fallow Introduction of cash crops (maize, rubber etc.) is responsible shifting cultivators will remain poor Shifting cultivators are systematically found in the poorest villages Capital accumulation is possible only in case surplus labor force Those who accumulate capital are not shifting cultivators anymore shifting cultivation is a cultural thing Shifting cultivators are those who have no other option to meet rice needs People move in search of paddies, ready to shift to other practices Don t want their children to become shifting cultivators No need to force the eradication of shifting cultivation the practice will disappear anyway in most accessible landscapes, Better to invest resources in buffering negative consequences of rapid market integration on people livelihood and the environment

7 Rice sufficiency vs commercial crops Rice sufficiency: upland rice vs lowland rice Return on labour (LAK/day) Return on land (MLAK/ha) minimum daily wage Job's tear Maize Paddy rice Upland rice Job's tear Maize Paddy rice Upland rice 1ha paddy (3t) equivalent 5ha maize (5t) 3 years rotation 10ha upland rice (1,5t) 5 years rot.

8 Rice sufficiency vs commercial crops Upland rice production / person Food crops vs cash crops Paddy rice production / person 1 0,75 0,5 0,25 F2 (16,46 %) 0 0,25 0,5 0,75 1 Forest area Upland rice prod Poor Medium Maize prod Pig HH members Labor force Farm inc off farm inc Assets Big livestock Fish pond Rich Paddy prod 1 0,75 0,5 0,25 0 0,25 0,5 0,75 1 F1 (27,69 %) The capacity of farming households to cover their rice consumption from paddy rice determines upland rice areas, Rice sufficiency is considered by many remote households as a prerequisite to diversification towards other activities

9 Patterns of agricultural commercialization, intensification and diversification Kham district, Xieng Khouang Kham bassin Dense and open forests have been converted to maize, at the exception of a few spots of forest regrowth Decreasing forest Decreasing paddy Paddy fields have expanded significantly following conversion of upland crop areas, fallows and forests Increasing forest Increasing paddy

10 Patterns of agricultural commercialization, intensification and diversification adoption expansion intensification diversification risk behavior alternative LU land degradation maize abandonment Farmers are well aware of the negative impacts of unsustainable cropping practices on land degradation and economic resilience, Whenever possible, they reinvest resources from short term strategies into long term goals: terracing paddies and children education Ornetsmüller C, Castella JC, Verburg PH (2018). A multi scale gaming approach to understand farmer s decision making in the boom of maize cultivation in Laos. Ecology & Society (accepted)

11 Transformative landscape approaches Participatory land use planning: gaming simulations to explore land use scenarios trade offs

12 Vegetable Maize vigna association Forest restoration

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14 Transformative landscape approaches Cover crops Improved fallow Control of roaming animals Improved pasture Improved crop-livestock interactions Increased agrobiodiversity

15 Take home messages Green growth requires managing trade offs: Boosting economic development Preserving natural resources Buffering risks for vulnerable populations Synergies can be achieved through landscape approaches: Participatory land use planning > next presentation Effective enforcement of local regulations on land management Sustainable intensification of agriculture through agroecology

16 Take home messages Sustainable intensification through agroecology Engaging the whole village community > landscape level management of agricultural innovations Local ownership > empowering village communities A continuous learning process > extension agents as communication facilitators, not expert prescriber

17 Thank you for your attention! For more information: laos.net