On the point of view of agricultural system, this study was carried out in order
to consider of the changes in an agricultural system which is integrated agro
ecosystem (the system includes swidden, wet rice cultivation, and exploitation
of forest) of a Tay minority community in the time periods of five years in the
North-western mountainous region of Vietnam. Based on the data of two surveys
(1999 and 2004), the authors have proposed indicator groups and indicators
presenting for characteristics of each system’s component for measuring and evaluating them in term of sustainability. Then the integrated evaluation has carried out by radar graph for evaluating of the whole system. Six indicator groups selected are groups that present for Human Capital aspect; Household Assets aspect; Production Activities; Economic Activities; Environment aspect; and aspect of Cultural, Social, and Life. The results have revealed that almost of measurements of the indicator groups and indicators have presented their changes with non-negative trends after five years. And the final integrated evaluation by the radar graph has shown that the diagrams area of the year 2004 is larger than that of year 1999. With this provableness of changes the authors go to conclude that the agricultural system of Tay minority Community in the North-western mountainous region of Vietnam is sustainable while population pressure increasing of 65 persons per square kilometer.
By this way of evaluating of the system in this study the authors realized that the research results have reflected present state of the system correctly. But the selection of indicators needs to be discussed.
Above obtained results have only meaningful in the period of time of this research, in order to have more completely conclusions on sustainability of this agricultural system it needs to be evaluated regularly by every period of time later on.
21st Century COE Program
-Aiming for COE of Integrated Area Studies-