Publication Code: N28
Assessment of Sustainable Highland Agricultural Systems
In recent years, growing national concern over environmental deterioration and diminishing natural resources, especially the prime forests in northern watersheds, has attracted substantial investments of public resources. In the early days, direct protection of forests was the major means of environmental conservation. Gradually, other policies have been adopted. Among the various options, indirect protection through the introduction of permanent highland agriculture as well as the reduction of deforestation caused by shifting cultivation (slash and burn) are considered sound alternatives. Move government agencies, previously not involved in community-development activities have become active in highland development projects to combat the narcotics trade and other national ills. Moreover, highland development activities have received external budgetary support from foreign government's and international organizations.
As the Thai economy develops, it is inevitable that external assistance will come to an end. This study summarizes the success stories of existing highland development projects and defines a common development framework for further highland development. The following three research steps pursued:
1. Determining the intensity of resource use and identifying practices related to sustainability.
2. Estimating the cost and returns of each production system, including the cost of subsidies,
3. Identifying internal and external pressures that may threaten an agricultural system's sustainability, and
4. Recommending an environmentally and economically sound model for highland community development.
November 1994