<Book Reviews>Bui Minh Dao. Trong trot Truyen thong cua cac Dan toc tai cho o Tay Nguyen[Traditional Agriculture of Indigenous EthnicGroups in the Central Highlands of Vietnam]. Hanoi:Nha Xuat ban Khoa hoc Xa hoi, 2000, 218p.

この論文は国立情報学研究所の学術雑誌公開支援事業により電子化されました

Urban Demand for Wild Foods in Northeast Thailand: A survey of edible wild species sold in the Khon Kaen municipal market

Rural people in Northeast Thailand consume a wide range of wild species. Little is known, however, about the extent to which the urban populations of the region’s rapidly growing towns and cities consume these products, and no detailed study has been made of the edible wild species that are sold in urban markets. To help fill this knowledge gap, this paper presents findings of a survey about the wild species sold in the main urban market in Khon Kaen Municipality. The survey included identification of all species of plants, fungi, and animals being sold and recording of the quantities and prices of each species. Data were obtained by interviewing vendors selling these products in the market on 18 randomly selected nights in the dry season and 12 nights in the rainy season. The diversity of wild species sold in the market is high. Eighty-one species were identified, of which 54 were plants, 6 were fungi, and 21 were animals. Species diversity was greater in the rainy season, when 65 species were on sale, than in the dry season, when 49 species were available. Plant species were much more diverse in the rainy season than in the dry season, reflecting the better growth conditions for vegetation when water is not a limiting factor. Many species were available only in a specific season. The wild species were obtained from several different habitats. Upland fields were the habitat for the largest number of species, followed by house areas, forests, and paddy fields. Gardens and aquatic ecosystems were habitats for a smaller number of species. The supply-shed for the urban market in Khon Kaen Municipality is quite a large one. Wild species sold in the market are obtained from 8 provinces in the Northeast, although rural areas of Khon Kaen Province itself are the source of the largest number of species. Collection of wild species to supply the urban market can have both negative and positive effects on rural biodiversity in Northeast Thailand. In their desire to earn cash income, villagers may over-exploit some of these species, causing wild populations to decline in numbers or even become locally extinct. On the other hand, villagers may intensify their efforts to cultivate them so as to allow more stable production, thus contributing to biodiversity conservation. This has already begun to happen in the case of some highly valued species

Methodology and Major Findings of a Comparative Research Project on Environmental Consciousness in Hong Kong (China), Japan, Thailand, and Vietnam(<Special Issue>Environmental Consciousness in Southeast and East Asia: Comparative Studies of Public Perceptions of Environmental Problems in Hong Kong(China), Japan, Thailand, and Vietnam)

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Environmental Consciousness in Vietnam(<Special Issue>Environmental Consciousness in Southeast and East Asia: Comparative Studies of Public Perceptions of Environmental Problems in Hong Kong(China), Japan, Thailand, and Vietnam)

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Use of Organic Materials to Maintain Soil Quality by Thai-Lao Rice Farmers in Northeast Thailand

Maintaining soil quality is a major problem for traditional farmers in the tropics. Many rely on organic amendments to enhance the productivity of their fields. However, indigenous knowledge about soil organic matter (SOM) and its management has received relatively little attention from researchers. This paper describes the use of organic materials to maintain soil quality by Thai-Lao farmers in a rice-growing village in Northeast Thailand. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve farmers to: 1) identify the indicators of soil fertility they employed; 2) inventory the organic materials they used; 3) determine changes in the use of amendments over time; and 4) understand their concept of SOM. They used many physical and biological indicators of soil quality. They used nine different organic materials:  rice straw and stubble, cattle, buffalo and pig manure, rice husks, sunn hemp plants as green manure, charcoal, commercial compost, homemade compost, and tree leaf litter. Recently, use of livestock manure, rice husks, charcoal, and leaf litter has declined because of supply shortages. They do not appear to have a general concept of organic matter nor is there a commonly used word for “organic” in their language. Most of the farmers would use larger quantities of organic amendments but are constrained by their scarcity and high cost. Ways to increase local supplies of organic materials must be found if the government’s efforts to encourage the adoption of organic agriculture are to be successful

Recent Changes in the Composite Swidden Farming System of a Da Bac Tay Ethnic Minority Community in Vietnam's Northern Mountain Region

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Factors influencing long term tomato seed production under contract farming

Hybrid tomato seed production under contract farming in Northeast Thailand has been declining after three decades of initial introduction. However, some growers in some villages remain as long-term growers. This study was designed to identify factors influencing their long-term production decision making process. A purposive sampling technique was used to select the study sites and key informants for in-depth semi-structured interviews. Group interviews were conducted to validate the data. The contract hybrid tomato seed production system is a centralized model. It is based on a two-way contractual relationships between the company and the individual grower. The companies specify production systems and produce quality standards at a fixed time and price. They support a complete package of inputs credit, loans and extension services to the growers. Costs of all inputs and loans are deducted from the seed payment. These costs are usually forgiven when the crop fails through no fault of the growers. The growers cannot produce hybrid tomato seeds without a contract due to the proprietary germplasm. The quality of the product and marketing are also controlled by the companies. The companies must depend on the farmers’ knowledge however, for the management and technical skills. Therefore, the companies must allow considerable flexibility and leniency in enforcing the terms of the contracts. As a result, knowledgeable and skillful growers are vital factors in sustaining long term hybrid tomato seed production. Furthermore, grower’s personal characteristics stand out as an important factor for long term production. This is why the companies are lenient and flexible with the growers to sustain their mutual benefit

<Book Reviews>Dang Nghiem Van. Ethnological and Religious Problems in Vietnam.Hanoi: Social Sciences Publishing House, 1998, 534p.

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