Mekong river

Shifting cultivation

While most rural communities prefer to till fertile alluvial lands in river valleys, competition over land and population pressure force farmers to grow crops at hill sides. However, there are also advantages tilling land at higher altitudes, specifically in tropical areas. Advantages include that at certain altitude, the mosquitoes which are vectors of Malaria, do no longer occur. Also, when temperatures cool down at night, the crops are loosing less energy during night due to reduces metabolism, and finally the gradual surface erosion on hill sides allows plants to root in "fresh" soil after every rainy season.

While the last argument has been disputed widely because it leads to serious siltation of rivers and coral reefs, there is no doubt that also shifting cultivation (or swidden cultivation) has its place in culture and has contributed much to the dynamics of forest ecosystems when the human population was smaller and not confined by industrial scale agriculture and forestry as nowadays.

Shifting cultivation usually starts with cutting trees and a fire which clears a spot for crop production.

In the ideal case, shifting cultivation is a cycle where farmers come back to the original place after a couple of years. The picture shows a newly prepared land in the center. In the background is untouched forest, in the foreground the piece of land which has been left idle to re-growth of a secondary forest from the previous cropping cycle, and on the right the secondary growth awaiting cultivation during the next cropping cycle.

Nature protection which respects traditional culture of ethnic communities tends to replace the shifting farming systems by permanent, often tree-based agro-forestry schemes. It has by all means be prevented that the swidden fields extend to the upper ridges of the hills as their the forest cover is vital to retain ecosystem functions and services.

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Agro-Ecosystems of Yunnan, China
Ammomum plantation inside rain forest Drift sand fields Shifting cultivation Famous agricultural crops Chili (Arbol) Jalapeno Mirasol Pasilla Poblano Hibiscus Rare forest crops Hodgsonia nut Dendrobium orchid medicine Life style and health TianZi Health Food Restaurant, tea garden, and food store tropical health food Ivan Schiffer's health food concept	Shifting cultivation While most rural communities prefer to till fertile alluvial lands in river valleys, competition over land and population pressure force farmers to grow crops at hill sides. However, there are also advantages tilling land at higher altitudes, specifically in tropical areas. Advantages include that at certain altitude, the mosquitoes which are vectors of Malaria, do no longer occur. Also, when temperatures cool down at night, the crops are loosing less energy during night due to reduces metabolism, and finally the gradual surface erosion on hill sides allows plants to root in "fresh" soil after every rainy season. While the last argument has been disputed widely because it leads to serious siltation of rivers and coral reefs, there is no doubt that also shifting cultivation (or swidden cultivation) has its place in culture and has contributed much to the dynamics of forest ecosystems when the human population was smaller and not confined by industrial scale agriculture and forestry as nowadays. Shifting cultivation usually starts with cutting trees and a fire which clears a spot for crop production. In the ideal case, shifting cultivation is a cycle where farmers come back to the original place after a couple of years. The picture shows a newly prepared land in the center. In the background is untouched forest, in the foreground the piece of land which has been left idle to re-growth of a secondary forest from the previous cropping cycle, and on the right the secondary growth awaiting cultivation during the next cropping cycle. Nature protection which respects traditional culture of ethnic communities tends to replace the shifting farming systems by permanent, often tree-based agro-forestry schemes. It has by all means be prevented that the swidden fields extend to the upper ridges of the hills as their the forest cover is vital to retain ecosystem functions and services. home \| e-mail us \| ask professional expertise Biodiversity protection, sustainable crop production, and fair trade in China and Asia's Mekong Region tropical rain forest flowers, exotic rare plants and herbs, products for gardening, horticulture, landscaping, health, hobby, and on wholesale shop in our store and contribute to biodiversity protection and fair trade go to: Species list \| Exotic plants shop \| Tropical crops \| Books \| Puer tea \| Health & aroma \| Herbal medicine \| Heat treatment invest \| contract grow with us \| become a partner \| wholesale HOME CULTURE spirituality : design : water : fashion ANIMALS amphibia : reptilia : butterflies : panda : takin TRAVEL ecotourism : Xishuangbanna : Shangrila : Yunnan : Mekong KNOWLEDGE books : Buddhist flowers : consulting : science of ecology : medicine PLANTS & SEEDS bananas : ginger : herbs : orchids : trees : succulents : lianas : sacred trees ART Gabrielle's traditional motive Chinese jewelry : Wu Jialin's black and white photography ECOSYSTEMS rain forests : river banks of the Mekong : pools : sacred forests : sinter terraces : chili growing CHINESE MEDICINE AIDS/HIV : asthma : acne : herpes : hepatitis : cancer : diabetes : health tea : malaria : Puer tea : orchid tea WHOLESALE NatureProducts.Net is the Thai internet portal for biodiversity products designed to protect endangered species in cooperation with local ethnic communities a project of the TianZi BIODIVERSITY RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CENTRE Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China © 2000 - today		TIAN Zi product list and online store Your ecologically friendly crop production: proudly traceable! Imagine, the traceability of your supply chain leads your customers to the tropical jungles of the Mekong river and to the Himalayan mountains where Tibet meets Yunnan. Immerged in diverse culture and rich biodiversity, your customers can visit the places and people where your organic products start from pristine soils, clean air, and where they support the livelihood of local ethnic communities. Would this add to the sustainability and credibility of your company? Would your trademark benefit from international research publications lauding your company's involvement in saving the rain forest? If you are in the food, cosmetics, flower, herbal, and medical business, certifying your products as contributing to rain forest and biodiversity protection will be an advantage with a competitive edge. The TianZi Biodiversity Centre is working with German Universities to design land use systems, which are bound to change paradigms: we promote rare agro-biodiversity species, manage complexity, and find alternatives to destructive forms of mono culture. If all this is in line with your company's business concept - please contact us. The TianZi Team. Agriculture in Yunnan is largely designed by ethnic minority people from more than 20 distinctly different ethnic communities. Wherever possible, and mainly in the fertile lowlands, rice fields are forming the landscape. In the mountains, shifting cultivation is predominant, although it is now gradually given up and replaced by more permanent forms of agriculture. Of course, also agricultural industry has taken its toll and large mountain areas are under sever environmental stress by destructive ways of growing crops like sugar cane, corn, rubber, pine apple, and even the famous Puer tea. This page depicts some of the unique land-use forms of Yunnan. Discuss contract growing with us here: visit us and eat with us

Agriculture and Horticulture