In the first lecture note, a conceptual figure referred to the potential role of ‘policy’ in modifying farmers’ decision making, by affecting their access to resources, the constraints which affect their choice of land use systems and also the profitability of these systems (Figure 1). The figure suggests that some farmer choices can lead to unsustainable practices that degrade the resource base, whilst others can lead to increased and sustained production. The main issue in this lecture note is to clarify how ‘policy’ can influence the decisions made by farmers, and how research on the ways policies ‘work’ can help to adjust and improve these policies. The latter point is very important, as land use change is dynamic, and thus a ‘moving target’.
Publication year
2001
Authors
Sirait M T; Williams E S; Kusworo A; Budidarsono S; Tomich T P; Suyanto B L; Fay C C; Thomas D E; van Noordwijk, M.
Language
English
Keywords
forests, land use, policies, resource management, shifting cultivation, tropics, upland areas
