Impact of the land allocation program on land use and land management in Xamneua District, Huaphan Province, Lao PDR | |
| Author | Phonesane Vilaymeng |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.RD-02-10 |
| Subject(s) | Land use Laos Huaphan Economic aspects Land use Laos Huaphan Social aspects |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Science |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | Shifting cultivation practices has been a severe environmental and economic problem in Laos and a matter concern of the government. In order to address this problem, the government of Laos has implemented a Land Allocation Program during 1990-1991. The major of objective of the program was to allocate land and issue land certificate to individual households as to facilitate sustainable land use and land management. Realizing the need for impact evaluation of the Land Allocation Program this study was carried out with focus on change in land use and land management in two villages of XamNeua District, Huaphan Province. Both qualitative and quantitative information were collected, through household survey, group discussion, personal interviews and observation. The finding of study revealed reduced area under shifting cultivation after allocation of land to villagers. This could happen because farmers had agreed to stop shifting cultivation after land allocation. The study also revealed that there is not much change in cropping pattern. Farmers have adopted some land management technologies like agroforestry, mulching and irrigation canals after allocation of land to them, which secured their land use right. However, due to lack of monitoring and evaluation system and extension service considered with ineffective enforcement of rules, regulations and land allocation have not provided land certificate including unclear beneficiaries and leading to rejection of land allocation by some farmers and little change of cropping pattern. Farmers are confronting with food shortage due to restriction on shifting cultivation, and low return from farming activities. The land allocation program should be emphasized provision of extension service, credit and marketing facility after land allocation to ensure farmers to adopt locationally suitable land use and land management practice and to improve their economic condition. The concerned authorities should issue land certificate to farmers. Time period is given to farmers to develop allocated land should be extended to five years. The district authority should pay more attention to resolve the conflicts in cooperation with community based organization and their capability also should be strengthened to enable them to management land use and land management plans. Moreover, farmers should also be encouraged to adopt agro-forestry and fertilizer to improve land productivity as well as to management land. Cash crops promotion should be taken into consideration in the longterm it may help farmers get more income. Besides, tree plantation should also be taken into consideration in long-term and natural forest should be conserved in order to fulfill farmers' requirements. |
| Year | 2003 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Development and Sustainability (DDS) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Rural Development, Gender and Resources (RD) |
| Chairperson(s) | Thapa, Gopal B. |
| Examination Committee(s) | Zobisch, Michael;Wickramanayake, B.W.E. |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Danish International Development Assistant (DANIDA) |
| Degree | Thesis (M. Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2002 |