environmental services. Zeller et al. (in Chap. 12) showed that pro-poor programs,
as implemented in Vietnam, need to be targeted more effectively, as wealthier
households at present receive more support than poorer households. Market-based
mechanisms might therefore be an interesting way to complement such programs,
as rewards can be linked directly to the provision of ecosystem services by the poor
(Ahlheim and Neef 2006; Neef et al. in Chap. 9).
1.5 Finding Solutions Through the Creation of Knowledge
and by Developing and Adapting Innovations
The research carried out so far by the Uplands Program can be roughly divided into
research aimed at developing and testing innovations, and research aimed at
creating knowledge about land use systems, though combinations of the two have
occurred such as research into the local adaptation of technologies, and into the
knowledge and innovation partnerships developed between researchers and
stakeholders. However, we will use this division in the following section in order
to give an overview of the contributions the Program has made to date.
1.5.1 Innovation Development
Researchers at the Uplands Program have developed, tested and adapted various
innovations, as illustrated in Table 1.5, those intended to promote more sustainable
land use in mountainous areas. In Thailand, much of the effort has been focused on
fruit tree production, as fruit trees are economically important in northern Thailand,
and growing trees on mountain slopes is environmentally more sustainable than
growing annual crops, as trees are more effective at preventing erosion, regulating
the flow of rainwater and maintaining biodiversity (cf. Bruijnzeel 2004).
Litchi has been the focus of a number of case studies aimed at testing improved
management tools such as water saving irrigation methods (Spreer et al. 2007;
Pinmanee et al. 2011), biological pest control (Schulte et al. 2007), vegetation
studies (Euler et al. 2006), plant hormonal processes (Hegele et al. 2010), fruit
drying (Precoppe et al. 2011; Janjai et al. 2011) and post-harvest methods (Reichel
et al. in press). Other case study crops have included longan and mango, with the
research on longan focusing on the identification of those plant hormones that
induce flowering (e.g., Bangerth et al. 2010; Tiyayon et al. 2011), and the research
on mango focusing on irrigation methods in Thailand (e.g., Spreer et al. 2009) and
fruit set in Vietnam (Ro ¨mer et al. 2011).
In Vietnam, fruit production in mountainous areas is much less common because
poor road connections to urban markets lower its profitability; therefore, livestock
production tends to be more important and is carried out for home consumption
18
P. Schreinemachers et al.
as implemented in Vietnam, need to be targeted more effectively, as wealthier
households at present receive more support than poorer households. Market-based
mechanisms might therefore be an interesting way to complement such programs,
as rewards can be linked directly to the provision of ecosystem services by the poor
(Ahlheim and Neef 2006; Neef et al. in Chap. 9).
1.5 Finding Solutions Through the Creation of Knowledge
and by Developing and Adapting Innovations
The research carried out so far by the Uplands Program can be roughly divided into
research aimed at developing and testing innovations, and research aimed at
creating knowledge about land use systems, though combinations of the two have
occurred such as research into the local adaptation of technologies, and into the
knowledge and innovation partnerships developed between researchers and
stakeholders. However, we will use this division in the following section in order
to give an overview of the contributions the Program has made to date.
1.5.1 Innovation Development
Researchers at the Uplands Program have developed, tested and adapted various
innovations, as illustrated in Table 1.5, those intended to promote more sustainable
land use in mountainous areas. In Thailand, much of the effort has been focused on
fruit tree production, as fruit trees are economically important in northern Thailand,
and growing trees on mountain slopes is environmentally more sustainable than
growing annual crops, as trees are more effective at preventing erosion, regulating
the flow of rainwater and maintaining biodiversity (cf. Bruijnzeel 2004).
Litchi has been the focus of a number of case studies aimed at testing improved
management tools such as water saving irrigation methods (Spreer et al. 2007;
Pinmanee et al. 2011), biological pest control (Schulte et al. 2007), vegetation
studies (Euler et al. 2006), plant hormonal processes (Hegele et al. 2010), fruit
drying (Precoppe et al. 2011; Janjai et al. 2011) and post-harvest methods (Reichel
et al. in press). Other case study crops have included longan and mango, with the
research on longan focusing on the identification of those plant hormones that
induce flowering (e.g., Bangerth et al. 2010; Tiyayon et al. 2011), and the research
on mango focusing on irrigation methods in Thailand (e.g., Spreer et al. 2009) and
fruit set in Vietnam (Ro ¨mer et al. 2011).
In Vietnam, fruit production in mountainous areas is much less common because
poor road connections to urban markets lower its profitability; therefore, livestock
production tends to be more important and is carried out for home consumption
18
P. Schreinemachers et al.