learning and the convergence of expectations among all stakeholders when trying to
develop pro-poor and pro-environmental value chains.
In Chap. 10, Marohn et al. compare seven alternative modeling approaches
based on their ability to represent the complexity of biophysical systems and
farm decision-making processes, which seems particularly important with regard
to mountainous systems, as these are typically diverse in terms of resource and
socio-economic conditions. They focus on an innovative software coupling
approach that combines a process-based biophysical model of plant growth, soil
and water dynamics, with an agent-based model of farm household decisionmaking, finding that such an approach is suitable for studying; for example, how
farm households in the uplands of Vietnam respond to a long-term decline in soil
fertility by adjusting fertilizer use and/or adopting soil conservation methods.
In Chap. 11, Schad et al. describe the dynamics of change taking place among
the agricultural knowledge and information systems used in the uplands of Vietnam
since the start of economic liberalization at the end of the 1980s. They observe that
extension approaches have become much more diverse in terms of the methods
used as well as their objectives, yet the traditional focus on technology transfer to
farmers has been maintained. The authors describe the concept of the Ethnic Farmer
Research and Extension Network (EFREN), which is a network approach aimed at
creating closer and more equal relationships between the developers and users of
agricultural knowledge and innovations. They show that this approach is more
responsive to the diverse needs of farmers than the traditional top-down extension
methods commonly used.
Zeller et al., in Chap. 12, describe how the increased integration of upland
agriculture into input and output markets has had an impact on poverty, agricultural
productivity and economic risk. They conclude that the process of agricultural
commercialization has contributed to higher incomes in the uplands of Thailand
and Vietnam, but that policy makers must play a more crucial role in helping to
reduce the negative impacts of these developments on the environment and ensure
that poor people are able to benefit from the process as well.
Although this book is quite comprehensive in terms of the issues it discusses,
some readers will find that certain important issues are not given adequate attention.
First, as the focus of the book is on agriculture and agricultural development, forest
issues and natural ecosystem biodiversity receive little attention, though they are
essential for the sustainability of mountainous areas. Second, the book builds on
field research carried out in the highlands of Thailand and Vietnam, areas selected
for their representation of contrasting institutional and market access situations in
mainland Southeast Asia, but does not cover the whole range of issues present in
these areas and; therefore, is not able to make generalizations regarding the whole
of the region. Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia are much poorer than Thailand and
Vietnam, and their mountainous agriculture has not intensified to the same extent as
in these two countries. Third, while Southeast Asia is extremely diverse with
respect to culture and languages, ethnicity and society, the book pays only scant
attention to these topics, because our research did not have an anthropological
component. Fourth, the innovation processes discussed in the book, focusing on
1 From Challenges to Sustainable Solutions for Upland Agriculture. . .
7
develop pro-poor and pro-environmental value chains.
In Chap. 10, Marohn et al. compare seven alternative modeling approaches
based on their ability to represent the complexity of biophysical systems and
farm decision-making processes, which seems particularly important with regard
to mountainous systems, as these are typically diverse in terms of resource and
socio-economic conditions. They focus on an innovative software coupling
approach that combines a process-based biophysical model of plant growth, soil
and water dynamics, with an agent-based model of farm household decisionmaking, finding that such an approach is suitable for studying; for example, how
farm households in the uplands of Vietnam respond to a long-term decline in soil
fertility by adjusting fertilizer use and/or adopting soil conservation methods.
In Chap. 11, Schad et al. describe the dynamics of change taking place among
the agricultural knowledge and information systems used in the uplands of Vietnam
since the start of economic liberalization at the end of the 1980s. They observe that
extension approaches have become much more diverse in terms of the methods
used as well as their objectives, yet the traditional focus on technology transfer to
farmers has been maintained. The authors describe the concept of the Ethnic Farmer
Research and Extension Network (EFREN), which is a network approach aimed at
creating closer and more equal relationships between the developers and users of
agricultural knowledge and innovations. They show that this approach is more
responsive to the diverse needs of farmers than the traditional top-down extension
methods commonly used.
Zeller et al., in Chap. 12, describe how the increased integration of upland
agriculture into input and output markets has had an impact on poverty, agricultural
productivity and economic risk. They conclude that the process of agricultural
commercialization has contributed to higher incomes in the uplands of Thailand
and Vietnam, but that policy makers must play a more crucial role in helping to
reduce the negative impacts of these developments on the environment and ensure
that poor people are able to benefit from the process as well.
Although this book is quite comprehensive in terms of the issues it discusses,
some readers will find that certain important issues are not given adequate attention.
First, as the focus of the book is on agriculture and agricultural development, forest
issues and natural ecosystem biodiversity receive little attention, though they are
essential for the sustainability of mountainous areas. Second, the book builds on
field research carried out in the highlands of Thailand and Vietnam, areas selected
for their representation of contrasting institutional and market access situations in
mainland Southeast Asia, but does not cover the whole range of issues present in
these areas and; therefore, is not able to make generalizations regarding the whole
of the region. Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia are much poorer than Thailand and
Vietnam, and their mountainous agriculture has not intensified to the same extent as
in these two countries. Third, while Southeast Asia is extremely diverse with
respect to culture and languages, ethnicity and society, the book pays only scant
attention to these topics, because our research did not have an anthropological
component. Fourth, the innovation processes discussed in the book, focusing on
1 From Challenges to Sustainable Solutions for Upland Agriculture. . .
7