A Framework for Understanding On-farm Environmental Degradation and Constraints to the Adoption of Soil Conservation Measures: Case Studies from Highland Tanzania and Thailand

Abstract

Summary. -This article presents a simple but valuable framework that helps to generate a clear understanding of the social causes of environmental degradation and factors that affect land user decision-making in soil conservation. It is grounded in structuration theory and resonates with recent ideas encompassed by the ''sustainable livelihoods'' approach. The framework is illustrated with reference to two case studies in mountainous areas where officials have, for some time, expressed a considerable degree of concern about degradation. The first is from the Uluguru Mountains of central-eastern Tanzania and the second is from the Chiang Dao District of the Northern Highlands of Thailand. The framework helps to reveal the diverse factors contributing to a lack of investment in conservation measures in these two places, in a comprehensive but nondeterministic and culturally-specific way.

Gender and conservation agriculture: constraints and opportunities in the Philippines

“…Access to land could be a constraint for both men and women. According to some of the literature, resource-constrained farmers, particularly those with little access to land and inputs, are less likely to adopt CA practices (Jones 2002;Knowler and Bradshaw 2007;). In addition, women not having access to land tenure and not being full-time farmers might pose constraints, since researchers could interpret this to mean that women's involvement is not needed in CA projects.…”

“…Farmers' concern about capital under conventional agriculture may still exist under CA if increases in capital are not observed by both men and women. According to Jones (2002), ''…if capital is limiting then any conservation [agriculture] measure…is unlikely to be acceptable'' (p. 1609).…”

“…When only husbands are invited to attend agricultural workshops, women are deprived of useful information. According to Jones (2002), the less knowledge farmers have of conservation techniques, practices, and purposes, the less likely they will support or adopt it. We submit that if women do not participate directly in these events, it is less likely that they will understand the importance of land management, sustainability, and CAPS, and that this influences household attitudes.…”

“…The CA literature tells us that farmers acknowledging that soils and landscapes are degrading presents one of the main opportunities for CA (Jones 2002;Hobbs 2007;Knowler and Bradshaw 2007;). We found that farmers see soil erosion and degradation on their farms and feel they should act to reverse long-term damage.…”

“…Thus, methods that do not require them to purchase fertilizer could be very appealing. Their current use of fertilizers also suggests that farmers in this area are not completely resourceconstrained, which is an opportunity for CA adoption (Jones 2002;Knowler and Bradshaw 2007;). …”