Resource information
ABSTRACTED FROM IIED WEBSITE INTRODUCTION: One of the outputs of a research project considering shifting cultivation in Thailand, Lao PDR and Vietnam. It considers the dynamics of shifting cultivation and alternative land use systems in the context of highland development in Thailand, gathered in order to provide up-to-date information to policymakers. The study includes examination of national policies relating to highland areas and the impacts of such policies on local communities and land use patterns. Detailed descriptions of what appeared to be more successful villages, in terms of sustainable land use, are included. The report concludes that there is now very little 'traditional' shifting cultivation practised in Thailand, and shows how communities are responding to new pressures affecting land use in the highlands.