The Rationality of Shifting Cultivation Systems: Labor Productivity Revisited
This paper reviews the theoretical and empirical literature on labor productivity in shifting cultivation systems, and relationships between labor productivity and production parameters are analyzed in two case studies of Iban communities in Sarawak, Malaysia, during two farming seasons. In addition...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Springer US
2006
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| Online Access: | http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/12272/ http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/12272/1/The%20rationality%20of%20shifting%20cultivation%20systems%20labor%20productivity%20revisited%20%28abstract%29.pdf |
| _version_ | 1848837164382552064 |
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| author | Uffe, Nielsen Ole, Mertz Gabriel Tonga, Noweg |
| author_facet | Uffe, Nielsen Ole, Mertz Gabriel Tonga, Noweg |
| author_sort | Uffe, Nielsen |
| building | UNIMAS Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | This paper reviews the theoretical and empirical literature on labor productivity in shifting cultivation systems, and relationships between labor productivity and production parameters are analyzed in two case studies of Iban communities in Sarawak, Malaysia, during two farming seasons. In addition, the labor productivity in shifting cultivation compared to off-farm wage labor opportunities is explored. Establishing firm relationships between labor productivity and production parameters, such as fallow length, fertilizer use, and herbicide use was not possible. We are thus unable to verify or reject the thesis that more labor is required for managing fields after short fallow compared to long fallow periods. We do demonstrate that shifting cultivation of hill rice can compete economically with common off-farm employment opportunities, and conclude that farmers’ decisions to maintain their practices is based as much on economic rationales as on tradition. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-15T06:35:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | unimas-12272 |
| institution | Universiti Malaysia Sarawak |
| institution_category | Local University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-15T06:35:18Z |
| publishDate | 2006 |
| publisher | Springer US |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | unimas-122722016-06-09T01:52:08Z http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/12272/ The Rationality of Shifting Cultivation Systems: Labor Productivity Revisited Uffe, Nielsen Ole, Mertz Gabriel Tonga, Noweg S Agriculture (General) This paper reviews the theoretical and empirical literature on labor productivity in shifting cultivation systems, and relationships between labor productivity and production parameters are analyzed in two case studies of Iban communities in Sarawak, Malaysia, during two farming seasons. In addition, the labor productivity in shifting cultivation compared to off-farm wage labor opportunities is explored. Establishing firm relationships between labor productivity and production parameters, such as fallow length, fertilizer use, and herbicide use was not possible. We are thus unable to verify or reject the thesis that more labor is required for managing fields after short fallow compared to long fallow periods. We do demonstrate that shifting cultivation of hill rice can compete economically with common off-farm employment opportunities, and conclude that farmers’ decisions to maintain their practices is based as much on economic rationales as on tradition. Springer US 2006 Article PeerReviewed text en http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/12272/1/The%20rationality%20of%20shifting%20cultivation%20systems%20labor%20productivity%20revisited%20%28abstract%29.pdf Uffe, Nielsen and Ole, Mertz and Gabriel Tonga, Noweg (2006) The Rationality of Shifting Cultivation Systems: Labor Productivity Revisited. Human Ecology, 34 (2). pp. 201-218. ISSN 1572-9915 http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10745-006-9014-4 10.1007/s10745-006-9014-4 |
| spellingShingle | S Agriculture (General) Uffe, Nielsen Ole, Mertz Gabriel Tonga, Noweg The Rationality of Shifting Cultivation Systems: Labor Productivity Revisited |
| title | The Rationality of Shifting Cultivation Systems: Labor Productivity Revisited |
| title_full | The Rationality of Shifting Cultivation Systems: Labor Productivity Revisited |
| title_fullStr | The Rationality of Shifting Cultivation Systems: Labor Productivity Revisited |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Rationality of Shifting Cultivation Systems: Labor Productivity Revisited |
| title_short | The Rationality of Shifting Cultivation Systems: Labor Productivity Revisited |
| title_sort | rationality of shifting cultivation systems: labor productivity revisited |
| topic | S Agriculture (General) |
| url | http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/12272/ http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/12272/ http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/12272/ http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/12272/1/The%20rationality%20of%20shifting%20cultivation%20systems%20labor%20productivity%20revisited%20%28abstract%29.pdf |