Apr 20th, 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Title
Hmong Agriculture and Conservation in Northern Thailand
Faculty Mentor
Information
The purpose of this research was to understand the agricultural innovations of Hmong farmers in Northern Thailand, and how these innovations were brought about as a result of national development programs and international movements regarding opium eradication and environmental conservation. The history of the Hmong, along with their humanenvironmental interactions, have shaped their perceptions about conservation and facilitated an intense involvement in conservation efforts. The methodology used was a survey of the relevant ethnographic work and other published materials on the history of the Hmong, their economic interactions as well as their traditional agriculture known as swidden cultivation. We looked at some of the specific conservation efforts in which they have been involved, within Northern Thailand, and concluded that local people do in fact play an important role in global conservation movements while still maintaining their cultural identity.