Exploring the Socio-Economic Situation of Plantation Villagers: A Case Study in Myanmar Bago Yoma |
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Authors: | Tin Min Maung Miho Yamamoto |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Symbiotic Science of Environment and Natural Resources, United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 3-5-8 Saiwai-cho, Fuchu-shi, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan |
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Abstract: | Since the early 1980s, Myanmar Forest Department has been recruiting shifting cultivators, establishing plantation villages
and applying the taungya method in establishing teak plantations. From the beginning, there has been an argument about whether
the program is creating ‘forest protective groups’ or ‘forest destructive groups’. A key determinant to that question from
the research viewpoint is the socio-economic situation; knowing the present situation of the plantation villagers can help
to understand their forest management practices. Interview surveys were carried out in three villages in Bago Yoma, the main
region of the special teak plantation program, to examine the current economic benefits to plantation villagers. Questions
were designed mainly to explore the incentives for people participation and the socio-economic situations of the plantation
villagers. Principal component analysis was used to group landholder types. It was found that local people are willing to
participate in the initial establishment of plantations. However, all the incentives relating to plantation projects are temporary,
with no long-term consideration for taungya farmers, which jeopardizes the plan to create forest protective groups. It is
concluded that the time has come for the Myanmar Forest Department to change its main aim of earning foreign exchange from
establishment of teak plantations through the taungya method to redressing deforestation through people participation based
on rural socio-economic development.
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Keywords: | Shifting cultivators Taungya teak plantation People participation Principal components analysis |
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