Influence of demographic, socio-economic and cultural factors on sustainable land use

Land degradation is not always inevitable even within an unfavourable socio-economic context. This paper illustrates the varied effects of demographic and socio-economic conditions on the land use by a review of the situation in the mountainous areas of mainland Southeast Asia. The problems of land degradation in the Montane Mainland of Southeast Asia (MMSEA), which extends from south-western China, through Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and a small part of Cambodia, have received wide publicity since the 1980s. Evidence presented here are drawn from case studies and field research carried out in all of the six countries by local researchers and in regional collaborative activities. Although land degradation is common under adverse conditions of population increase, land tenure uncertainty, increasing pressure of market forces and unfavourable government policies, it does not always happen as a matter of course. In all the countries, regardless of political regimes or diverse ethnic cultures, local farmers and communities have been able to develop coping strategies to increase productivity in a sustainable manner. From the analysis of case studies we propose a hypothesis that three key elements play a significant role in sustainable land use management, (i) the presence of appropriate and cost effective technology, (ii) social organization for communal resource management, especially as a moderating influence against market forces and (iii) the ability of local people to participate in making crucial decisions related to land management.