At the start of the rainy season, some upland areas in Thailand and Vietnam offer a depressing sight of bare red-colored hill slopes, deep erosion gullies and the occasional charred tree trunk. Maize monocropping on sloping lands is the main direct culprit. The practice is destructive, yet profitable for farmers, at least in the short-run. The practice is stimulated by a high demand for maize from the rapidly growing livestock sector in other parts of the country, which is in turn related to rising urban incomes and associated changes in food habits. Hill slopes are difficult to cultivate, let … [Read more...]