Historie znad Mekongu - Vu Images

Laos, Luang Prabang, June 29, 2009 Slash-and-burn farming, a traditional practice in question. Lao Sung communities traditionally practice an itinerant slash and burn farming method. The Laotian government has decided to encourage the reconversion of this population and its gathering in the plains. The uprooted mountain people need to learn different agricultural techniques and to adapt to a new environment. Slash and burn farming is a millenary practice on all continents, where the soil to be cultivated is cleared and the residue is burned during the dry season. This practice allows fertilization of the soil, but it becomes hazardous to the preservation of soil and forests when the population's density increases and the fallow period decreases. Slash and burn farming is thus accused of contributing to deforestation, erosion and global warming. However, studies conducted by the IRD and the Lao Institute for Agriculture and Forest Research (NAFRI) temper these accusations; in fact it seems burning helps fight the greenhouse effect by increasing carbon stocking in the ground, provided that the intervals between cultivation and fallow periods are respected. Laos, Luang Prabang, 29 juin 2009 La culture sur br?lis, une pratique traditionnelle remise en question. Les communautes Lao Sung ou Lao des Sommets pratiquaient traditionnellement une culture itinerante sur br?lis. Le gouvernement lao a entrepris de favoriser la reconversion de ces populations et de les regrouper dans les plaines. Deracines, ces montagnards doivent apprendre d'autres pratiques agricoles et s'adapter r un environnement nouveau. Utilisee depuis des millenaires sur tous les continents, la culture sur br?lis consiste r defricher les sols r cultiver puis br?ler les residus en periode scche. Si cette pratique permet de fertiliser les sols, elle devient problematique pour la preservation des sols et des forets lorsque la densite de population augmente et le temps de jachcre dim