Chena - also known as shifting, or slash-and-burn cultivation - is one of the oldest land-use systems in the tropics. In Sri Lanka, chena cultivation has been an integral part of the landscape and culture of indigenous groups for centuries (De Silva, 1981; Mahawamsa, undated; MFE, 1990). Chena cultivation remains today as an unnoticed but important form of land use that has evolved to suit the socioeconomic, cultural and ecological needs of the island's diverse communities and landscapes. The past popularity of the land-use system in Sri Lanka is illustrated by the use of the word chena in place-names: 549 in the Sinhala langiuage (for example, Ginigathhena, Gonahena, Henegama, Kotahena, Henemulla and Welihena) and 83 in Tamil (for example, Chenkatpaday, Chenakudirippu and Chenaiputimalay) (Gelbert, 1988).
Publication year
2015
Authors
Gunasa, H.P.M.; Pushpakumara, D.K.N.G.
Language
English
Keywords
agroforestry, livelihoods
Geographic
Sri Lanka
