Problems and prospects for sustainable agricultural systems in the humid tropics

Charlton, Clive

doi:10.1016/0143-6228(87)90047-6

Cited by 14 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…In many tropical regions, there is an increasing pressure to intensify indigenous productive systems (Denevan et al, 1984;Charlton, 1987;Denevan, 2001) as a result of delimitation of territories and population growth (Johnson, 1983;Freire, 2003Freire, , 2007Toledo and Salick, 2006). In a political-economic context of accelerated cultural and social changes, the current challenge is how to reconcile or adapt traditional management practices while maintaining a sustainable use of these indigenous territories, which are increasingly circumscribed by the pressures of the surroundings (Le Tourneau, 2015;Jusys, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Indigenous Knowledge and Forest Succession Management in the Brazilian Amazon: Contributions to Reforestation of Degraded Areas

Schmidt

Ikpeng²,

Kayabi³

et al. 2021

Front. For. Glob. Change

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The indigenous systems of agricultural and forest management in the Amazon are characterized by a deep knowledge of ecological processes, biodiversity, and the use and management of fire. The influence of these systems on the distribution of biodiversity includes semi-domesticated and domesticated species and landscapes, which have led to extensive anthropogenic or cultural forests. However, in many places, the livelihoods of indigenous peoples are being transformed by the intensification of agriculture and social, ecological, and economic changes, putting at risk the sustainability of production systems and food security and sovereignty of these peoples. In the last years, in the Xingu Indigenous Territory (XIT), the food production systems and the form of occupation of territories have changed, affecting the recovery of secondary forests, which now demand a too long period. The increase in the number and frequency of fires has aggravated this situation, due to a drier climate that has become predominant in the region. Changes in climate are attributed to deforestation in the neighboring municipalities, especially in the headwaters of the Xingu river basin. This study was conducted among the Kawaiwete (Tupi-Guarani) and the Ikpeng (Carib-Arara) peoples in the XIT, in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. The main objective was to develop alternative techniques of forest management based on indigenous and scientific knowledge more adapted to the new livelihood contexts, aiming to favor forest regeneration in areas dominated by shifting cultivation. We sought to answer the following questions: (I) How do forests regenerate during the fallow period? (II) How can local management improve forest regeneration? (III) Are there indicator species for secondary succession, soil recovery, and vulnerability to fires? (IV) Is the increase in the number of fires affecting the sustainability of the shifting cultivation systems? Our results show that some local practices based on indigenous knowledge have the potential to facilitate natural regeneration, such as choosing forest areas that have been recovered for agricultural use, limiting the number of cultivation cycles, protecting and selecting of individual trees during cultivation period, and attracting seed dispersers. Assisted natural regeneration strategies grounded on indigenous knowledge are promising ways to restore degraded lands of the XIT.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Indigenous Knowledge and Forest Succession Management in the Brazilian Amazon: Contributions to Reforestation of Degraded Areas

Schmidt

Ikpeng²,

Kayabi³

et al. 2021

Front. For. Glob. Change

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“…In the typical smallscale plot, both slashing and burning is often incomplete, which helps to protect the soil, especially during the early stages of crop growth, ensures a steady release of nutrients as partially burnt woody material decays, and permits rapid regrowth from stumps and suckers once the field is abandoned (Walker 1975, Charlton 1987. Under the traditional system of shifting cultivation in northern Zambia, known as chitemene, the Bemba tribe does not slash and burn a large area of forests, which is a typical feature associated with most practices of shifting cultivation.…”

Section: Shifting Cultivationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soil erosion in developing countries: A politicoeconomic explanation

Thapa

Weber

1991

Environmental Management

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/ Soil erosion is accelerating in developing countries of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. It has threatened the livelihood of millions of peasants, for agriculture is their economic mainstay. A probe into the forces causing erosion reveals that the elite's resolve to accumulate ever more wealth and to maintain, consolidate, or expand their sociopolitical power and the necessity of the poor to fulfill their requirements of food, fuelwood, and fodder are the two major factors accelerating soil erosion. Unless the vast masses of poor people are integrated into the national mainstream through the implementation of equitable and redistributive development policies, it is impossible to control the accelerating rate of soil erosion and thus to achieve the objective of sustainable development.

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“…Present targets include crops such as tomatoes, which go soft rapidly. Attention also will be paid to cassava, which deteriorates so rapidly that farmers sometimes leave it unharvested (20).…”

Section: Some Goals Ol Gene Transfer Technologymentioning

confidence: 99%