Back to news
5 Aug 2016 | Shifting cultivation

Taungya System Workshop in Chin, Myanmar

2 mins Read

70% Complete

Taungya, or shifting cultivation system, is a major food and income production system for the majority of farmers in Chin State of Myanmar. A peer learning workshop, Good Practices in Taungya system, was organised in Hakha, capital of Chin, 16-17 June, 2016 by Chokhlei Organisation for Rural and Agriculture Development (CORAD),Group of Research and Exchange of Technologies (GRET) and ICIMOD. The workshop was part of ICIMOD’s AdaptHimal programme funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

Twenty six representatives from local communities, government and non-government organisations participated. The participants exchanged know-how on managing transformations in Taungya system in Chin through group work and plenary sessions. They shared the challenges and opportunities for increasing food production and income. Issues related to declining soil fertility and crop production, land tenure and constraints in converting to permanent production systems like terraced fields and orchards were also discussed. Officials from the Forest Department and Land Record Department shed light on community forest programmes and orchard registration processes, respectively.

Farmers’ group work presentations on Taungya system Photo: Sanjeev Bhuchar/ICIMOD

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A case study on situational analysis of transformation in shifting cultivation from Chuncung village was presented and it highlighted the degree of transformation in shifting cultivation, constraints and opportunities regarding transformations, and capacity building needs and potential interventions points. Participatory tools and methods used for situation analyses were also presented.

Betty Ram Nawn shared good practices promoted by North Eastern Community Resource Management Project (NERCORMP) for transforming the lives of the poor and marginalised tribal families in the North Eastern Region of India. Sustainable agriculture practices supported by GRET, CORAD and CARD (Community Association for Rural Development) in Chin state, on issues such as organic fertilisers, slash and mulch, charcoal acid for soil fertilisation and pest control, reforestation, farmer field schools and gender equality, were also shared and discussed.

Participants also learnt about CORAD’s new project on Agricultural Diversification and Economic Integration in Northern Chin State funded by Livelihood and Food Security Trust Fund (LIFT) covering about 130 villages of 5 townships in Chin. The project will demonstrate agro-ecological techniques on shifting fields as well.

On-farm demonstrations of good soil, water and crop management practices for Taungya system, programme support for good practices in Taungya systems, economic evaluation of different production systems in Northern Chin and continuation of peer learning on good practices in Taungya system were some of the suggestions from the participants.

Stay current

Stay up to date on what’s happening around the HKH with our most recent publications and find out how you can help by subscribing to our mailing list.

Sign Up

Related content

Continue exploring this topic

3 Apr 2017 Himalica
Bandarban Destination Management Plan Validation Workshop

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs (MoCHTA) jointly ...

16 Mar 2015 Atmosphere Initiative
ICIMOD strengthens collaboration with national science academy

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain ...

10 Jan 2017 News
Partnerships for Transformative Change

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), in association with the Partnership Brokers Association (PBA), is ...

30 Jan 2017 Gender in Koshi
The road ahead for Nepal’s water management

In the Lohajar VDC of Saptari district, in Nepal’s floodplains, Gopal Khatiwada plays a key role in developing and implementing ...

15 May 2017 SANDEE
Solar drier to reduce human dependency on forest resources in Mizoram, India

As a measure to promote value addition in agricultural practices on farmlands, the project has supported local communities in the ...

29 Sep 2015 News
Farmers adopting Technology

This article about Climate Smart Villages was first written by Madhusudhan Guragain in Nepali. It appeared in Nagarik Daily on ...

15 Jan 2020 KDKH
Disasters beyond boundaries: Experts agree on regional cooperation to build resilience in the Koshi basin

Water-induced hazards are common in the Koshi basin, and disasters can cross boundaries, as we saw with the late July ...

6 Apr 2022 News
ICIMOD and Nepal Mountaineering Association embark on a partnership for mountains

Kathmandu, 5 April: A memorandum of understanding was signed between the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development and Nepal Mountaineering ...