Karen Agro-Forestry: Processes, Functions, and Implications for Socio-Economic, Demographic, and Environmental Change in Northern Thailand

Kunstadter, Peter

doi:10.2307/3673036

Cited by 9 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 1 publication

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“…Others make a living as hired labourers, frequently in the agricultural sector. Such people are tied, at least seasonally, to the land [ 79 – 82 ]. As with other agricultural populations, the implication is that there are pulse-like population dynamics, including births, migrations and population densities that revolve around changes in the agricultural calendar and differ slightly by ecotope [ 83 – 87 ].…”

Section: Human Populationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Malaria ecology along the Thailand–Myanmar border

Parker

Carrara

Pukrittayakamee

et al. 2015

Malar J

107

106

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BackgroundMalaria in Southeast Asia frequently clusters along international borders. For example, while most of Thailand is malaria free, the border region shared with Myanmar continues to have endemic malaria. This spatial pattern is the result of complex interactions between landscape, humans, mosquito vectors, and malaria parasites. An understanding of these complex ecological and socio-cultural interactions is important for designing and implementing malaria elimination efforts in the region. This article offers an ecological perspective on the malaria situation along the Thailand–Myanmar border.DiscussionThis border region is long (2000 km), mountainous, and the environment ranges from thick forests to growing urban settlements and wet-rice fields. It is also a biologically diverse region. All five species of malaria known to naturally infect humans are present. At least three mosquito vector species complexes, with widely varying behavioural characteristics, exist in the area. The region is also a hub for ethnic diversity, being home to over ten different ethnolinguistic groups, several of which have been engaged in conflict with the Myanmar government now for over half a century. Given the biological and ethnic diversity, as well as the complex socio-political context, malaria control and elimination in the region is challenging.ConclusionDespite these complexities, multipronged approaches including collaborations with multiple local organizations, quick access to diagnosis and treatment, prevention of mosquito bites, radical cure of parasites, and mass drug administration appear to be drastically decreasing Plasmodium falciparum infections. Such approaches remain crucial as the region moves toward elimination of P. falciparum and potentially Plasmodium vivax.

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Section: Human Populationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Malaria ecology along the Thailand–Myanmar border

Parker

Carrara

Pukrittayakamee

et al. 2015

Malar J

107

106

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show abstract

“…Nevertheless, the Thai government instituted policies of fortress protectionism through the 1941 Forest Act and 1989 logging ban that evicted Indigenous peoples and local communities from newly designated forest reserves and protected areas (Buergin, 2003(Buergin, , 2015. Indigenous agriculture and Karen rotational farming were banned, despite evidence of their environmental benefits (Hayami, 1997 Kunstadter, 1983;Schmidt-Vogt, 1998). An uneasy history with communism in the highlands and opium cultivation further soured the public image of Indigenous and highland ethnic populations as communist trouble-makers, drug producers and forest destroyers; the extent of these allegations have not been supported by evidence of Indigenous Karen land use (Buergin, 2015;Delang, 2005).…”

Section: A Brief History Of Indigenous-state Relationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Pagoda of the Gods: A case for Indigenous Karen sacred sites as Special Cultural Zones along Thailand’s borders

Phatthanaphraiwan

Zeitler

Fairfield

2022

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Burgeoning recognition of Indigenous traditional ecological knowledge and livelihood practices have led to ‘Special Cultural Zone’ designations for some traditionally Indigenous lands in Thailand. Simultaneously, the Thai government has designated 10 Special Economic Zones (SEZs) to bolster trade and investments along its borders without acknowledging the pre-existence of Indigenous peoples. SEZs intersect with sites of notable cultural significance, such as Kho Pho Lu (Pagoda of the Gods), a sacred site for Indigenous Karen near Mae Sot in Tak province. Detailed ethnographic and interview findings show the resilience of these sacred sites and embedded ritualistic place-making practices that persist despite a legacy of Indigenous displacement. Ethnobotanical findings of 39 sampled taxa in the sacred forest of Kho Pho Lu indicate that cultural and spiritual practices support local biodiversity conservation. Potential biocultural conservation approaches include the adoption of ‘Special Cultural Zones’ to promote Indigenous well-being and the preservation of biocultural diversity in Thailand.

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“…They have established and maintained Imperata fields by annual burning for hunting deer and grazing cattle (Consigny, 1933;Conklin, 1957;Seavoy, 1975;Dove, 1984a, b), and perhaps also to provide alternative feed for those herbivore 'pests' which would otherwise attack cultivation (Foead, 1997). For centuries they have collected and traded the grass for roofs and sometimes walls of houses, used it to pay tribute to nearby princes and incorporated it into traditional medicine and religious ritual (Rifai and Widjaja, 1979;Kunstadter, 1983Kunstadter, , 1988.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The dynamics of Imperata: historical overview and current farmer perspectives, with special reference to South Kalimantan, Indonesia

Potter

1996

Agroforest Syst

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The paper reviews modern attitudes to and uses of imperata grasslands in parts of Southeast Asia, including government and NGO efforts at reforestation. It is argued that the perspective of small farmers has usually been inadequately considered in planning the 'rehabilitation' of lmperata. A historical overview of the impact of changes in land use, population, vegetation dynamics and human adaptation on the creation, disappearance or persistence of lmperata provides a context for the present concerns and emphasizes the wide variability of the situation at the local level. Nine questions are proposed as needing consideration whenever changes are planned to a grassland-based system. They cover three main areas: 1) the origins, past and present uses of the grasslands (including the present land tenure position and variations in uses by ethnic group, socio-economic status and gender); 2) perceptions by farmers of the opportunities and constraints provided by local micro-environments, particularly vegetation types; 3) farmer suggestions for ways of improving their economic status and the potential benefits of agroforestry innovations. These questions are applied to one case study area, the Riam Kiwa valley of South Kalimantan, Indonesia.

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Karen Agro-Forestry: Processes, Functions, and Implications for Socio-Economic, Demographic, and Environmental Change in Northern Thailand

Cited by 9 publications

References 1 publication

Malaria ecology along the Thailand–Myanmar border

Malaria ecology along the Thailand–Myanmar border

The Pagoda of the Gods: A case for Indigenous Karen sacred sites as Special Cultural Zones along Thailand’s borders

The dynamics of Imperata: historical overview and current farmer perspectives, with special reference to South Kalimantan, Indonesia

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