Message-ID: <vines.0pY7+h0W0na@BASA14029.usaid.gov> Date: Sat, 15 Feb 1997 10:12:56 GMT From: Christopher Lowe <mailto:clowe@USAID.GOV> Subject: Re: Wildfire To: mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU
Forwarded to: inet[mailto:devel-l@american.edu]
cc:
Comments by: Chris mailto:Lowe@BHR.OFDA@AIDW
Comments:
If I understand, then, the determining factors to assess would be
1) amount of rainfall;
2) duration of rainy period;
3) type of crop;
4) relative slope of the land.
Should soil type also be part of the equation?
-------------------------- [Original Message] -------------------------
I would like to add a couple comments concerning use of fire as an
agronomic management tool. Some of this will reinforce comments already
made.
The two primariy uses I am familiar are:
1. Your basic manual labor subsistance farmers in Africa. As mentioned in
the previous posting this is a result of a farm family with only hoes can
not incorperate maize stover. In the dry season the ground is too hard,
and once it rains this is of essence as the yield potential of maize drops
very rapidly with delayed planting. In Malawi during the three months
prior to the rains the whole country side is burned. Thus in contract to
the previous posting, it is not restricted to slash and burn areas, but
the general smallholder subsistence farming system. The burning
particuarly on the hillsides very much exposes the land to erosion forces
durieng the early rains until a good canopy can be established. For this
resason I list these systems has higly un-sustainable dispite the low
chemical input. They lead to serious degradation of the natural resourse
base.
2. The second use of fire is the range management of savannah wet - dry
grasslands. The fires is actually a stimulant to regrowth and after
buring the grass will freshen much quicker when the rains come. In this
case I am inclined to included it as a recommended management practice.
Check some basic literature on tropical forage management and you can get
a better a more detailed response.
I hope this is useful, It is good to have some on target posting that
allow us to share usefill development information with each other.
With best regards.
Dick Tinsley
----------------------
Dick Tinsley, Prof. Agricultural Systems
Agricultural and Aquatic Systems Program
Asian Institute of Technology
PO 4, Klong Luang, Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand
Phone: +66-2-524-5459
Fax: +66-2-524-6200
Email: mailto:tinsley@ait.ac.th
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
/ Christopher Lowe IS Manager //////
/ Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (v)202-647-7436 //////
/ U.S. Agency for International Development (f)202-647-5269 //////
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Any opinions expressed are mine; not my employers, nor the US government.//
// No electrons were injured in the production of this Signature line. //
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////