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Publication Details

Book
BK0070-04
TitleNavigating the border: An analysis of the China-Myanmar
AuthorHorst Weyerhaeuser, Fredrich Kahrl and Su Yufang
Year2004
PublisherForest Trends
City of PublicationWashington, D.C., USA
EditionChina and forest trade in the Asia-Pacific region: Implications for forest and livelihoods
Number of Pages43
Call NumberBK0070-04
KeywordsChina, Myanmar, Forestry, Agroforestry, Timber trade
Short Web Description:
In SW-China we are conducting research together with local universities, forestry department and small and medium sized local saw mills and furniture producers. At the same time we are looking at the timber trade between China and Myanmar to find out what the present and future demand for timber will be. Preliminary results lead us - and the forestry department who is carrying out large scale tree planting under the Sloping Land Conversion Project - to the conclusion that farmers are given the wrong trees! On the other side, farmers do know much more about markets and demands, but have no access to germplasm and given the old fashioned way of "extension" are ordered to plant the wrong trees. Knowing they will not be able to get a decent income from them, they don't care or them (seedlings handed out by the forestry dept. are in very bad conditions anyway) and survival rate is very low. We are trying to connect both farmers and foresters much more to local entrepreneurs and markets and carry out on farm research with different species (also local nurseries). We started with a couple of farmers using different fruit and timber trees inter-cropped with medicinal plants and now whole villages expressing strong interest to participate - and local foresters begin to realize that their role in extension has to change from providing "tree cover" at all costs to providing tree cover and income for farmers. India and China are trying to tackle this issue in various ways and hopefully the small holder timber workshop will provide a great opportunity for exchange.
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