Will the Exodus of Young People Bring an End to Swidden Farming as a Major Forest Use in SE Asia?

Abstract

Swidden agriculture has been practiced historically by communities in SE Asia, but as the population grows and other land uses expand, the areas available to swidden farmers are decreasing. Government environmental policies discriminate against swidden farming. Opportunities for off-farm employment are increasing, and this is attracting young people to abandon swidden farming. We explored the link between access to land and migration in three forest landscapes in Indonesia, Lao, and Vietnam. We analyzed the impacts of the push factors within the swidden systems and the pull factors from non-agricultural activities on young people’s decisions to migrate or continue in swidden agriculture. We found that stable cash incomes from non-farm jobs were a major driver of young people’s out-migration. Other factors included the desire to have broader experience, better education, as well as peer influences. We also found that land was becoming less accessible to young swidden farmers, but this was not a major reason to migrate as suggested by many studies. Government and private sector investments in plantations, mining, or infrastructure are reducing land availability. Government restrictions on land clearing also reduce areas available for swidden farming.