Land and water resources management for upland farms in Southeast Asia: some lessons learned
Current policies on upland agriculture need reviewing in light of recent research that shows that slash-and-burn farming systems are not only more sustainable than other systems but could also play a better role in sustaining downstream hydropower and river delta rice-bowls. Partnerships between upland farmers and hydropower developers could help protect future hydropower generation from high erosion rates and reservoir siltation. Adaptation to climate change will require a strong focus on stabilizing slopes prone to landslides and more effective management of riparian zones. Large-scale commercial biofuel production systems have higher rates of erosion than traditional cropping systems and require strong soil conservation measures.