Sustainable Land Use and Rural Development in Southeast Asia: Innovations and Policies for Mountainous Areas

This book surveys drivers, consequences and challenges of land use change in mountainous areas of Southeast Asia, shows how innovation processes can address them and how knowledge creation can help sustainably develop mountain lands and people’s livelihoods.

This book is based on the findings of a long-term (2000-2014) interdisciplinary research project of the University of Hohenheim in collaboration with several universities in Thailand and Vietnam. Titled Sustainable Land Use and Rural Development in Mountainous Areas in Southeast Asia, or the Uplands Program, the project aims to contribute through agricultural research to the conservation of natural resources and the improvement of living conditions of the rural population in the mountainous regions of Southeast Asia. Having three objectives the book first aims to give an interdisciplinary account of the drivers, consequences and challenges of ongoing changes in mountainous areas of Southeast Asia. Second, the book describes how innovation processes can contribute to addressing these challenges and third, how knowledge creation to support change in policies and institutions can assist in sustainably develop mountain areas and people’s livelihoods.

From Challenges to Sustainable Solutions for Upland Agriculture in Southeast Asia.- Beyond the Horizons - Challenges and Prospects for Soil Science and Soil Care in Southeast Asia.- Water and Matter Flows in Mountainous Watersheds of Southeast Asia: Processes and Implications for Management.- Agricultural Pesticide Use in Mountainous Areas of Thailand and Vietnam: Towards Reducing Exposure and Rationalizing Use.- Linkages between Agriculture, Poverty and Natural Resource Use in Mountainous Regions of Southeast Asia.- Mango and Longan Production in Northern Thailand: the Role of Water Saving Irrigation and Water Stress Monitoring.- Soil Conservation on Sloping Land: Technical Options and Adoption Constraints.- Improved Sustainable Aquaculture Systems for Small-scale Farmers in Northern Vietnam.- Participatory Approaches to Research and Development in the Southeast Asian Uplands: Potential and Challenges.- Integrated Modeling of Agricultural Systems in Mountainous Areas.- Rethinking Knowledge Provision for the Marginalized: Rural Networks and Novel Extension Approaches in Vietnam.- Policies for Sustainable Development: The Commercialization of Smallholder Agriculture.