Rotational farming
Rotational farming is the system of food production of the Karen communities who have been co-living with the forest, based on their indigenous knowledge accumulated through the years. The short cropping cycle which then leaves room for the land to rest over a long period is in keeping with the tropical ecological cycle. The health of the produce coming from rotational farms reflects the ecological balance of the area – soil, groundcover, forest fire, moisture, water, natural diversity, climate, nutritional flows, etc. As such, certain conditions are considered in planning rotational plots, such as avoiding areas with ecological fragility, and selecting areas with abundant organic materials and nutrients. Burning vegetation is a way of releasing nutrients from the plants into the soil. In addition, not clearing out land completely helps to sustain the co-dependent ecological system. Rotational farming is, therefore, not only a Karen system of production but a replication of a smaller ecological system within a larger ecological landscape, comprising mountains, valleys, hills, watersheds, deep forests, mixed deciduous forests, pastureland, etc. which are all inter-connected.
The Karen communities in the area have always adhered to shared resource allocation systems, and thus rotational farming plots are not exclusively owned by any one family, although the community members know which plots are commonly used by which families. The land can in reality be shared amongst all community members. This common resource access system has resulted in the cultivation land in Salaiwo District not expanding over the years. The cultivation areas in all the villages are generally regarded as communal areas, with the families who have been farming them considered as holding only temporary farming rights.
Rotational farming is a practice to rotate rice cultivation plots every year. Every 8-10 years, the first cultivation plot would be returned to. The Karen communities of Thungyai Naresuan West identify rotational farming zones per family, and within the large zones, each family can use any plot for their rotational farming as they believe “no one owns the land, all the land belongs to Mother Earth”. This fundamental belief in sharing land as communal property has resulted in plots not being used for rotational farming being left fallow to allow for soil and vegetation regeneration.
“Highland rice” is the term that cover rice varieties grown in rotational farms, including both plain rice and sticky rice. These rice varieties can be planted on mountainous terrains or hilly slopes, do not require much water, and should not be inundated. Up to 38 different varieties are found, mostly local species inherited from ancestral times.
In general, commonly grown are 5-10 plain and 1-2 sticky rice varieties, depending on the preferences of each family. Each variety tastes differently and has different uses.
Rice is usually planted at the beginning of the rainy season and harvested at the beginning of the dry season (May-November). Therefore, the preparation process begins from April.
Highland rice planting process
- Survey the cultivation plot used 8-10 years ago, identified by thin vegetation, large clearings, tall bamboo trees
- Prepare the cultivation plot by slashing to clear the land
- “Burn the crop residues”, prepare fire breaks prior, and plant vegetables after the land has been cleared
- “Remove the crop residues” by cutting and picking up the remnants, and during this period prepare a shed
- “Cut grasses” during the rainy season prior to rice planting as some grasses may have grown
- “Hand plant” the rice by dropping 10-20 seeds into a hole, spacing holes 1.5 meters apart
- “Cut grasses” and clear weeds around 2-3 times during rice growth
- “Harvest rice” when matured, selecting some seeds to store for the next crop
- Leave the rice stalks to dry on stumps over 3-4 days to remove moisture
- Beat and fan the rice
- After threshing and cleaning, store the rice in a barn with good ventilation, away from the sun, rain, and pests. If there are no rice barns, store the rice in sacks kept on planks above ground to ventilate.
