Impact of Shifting Agriculture on the Sustainability of Anthroscapes in Sarawak, Malaysia

Anthroscapes are continually evolving and are a common feature in developing nations in south-east Asia. Shifting cultivation, a main contributor to the modification of anthroscapes, is viewed as a system that progressively deforests without attempts to regenerate the forests. Traditional methods used in shifting cultivation tend to be sustainable. National decision-makers are confronted with the question of whether or not fragile systems and highland soils can successfully be used for agriculture in a sustainable manner. The resilience of the ecosystem as well as the anthroscapes to these drastic degrading forces is almost zero. To track sustainability, there must be a program of assessment and monitoring of the health of the anthroscape in addition to resource conditions and performance. Poor management strategies would lead to an irreversible destruction of the anthroscapes, given the very low resilience. Anthroscape management strategies have to be continually monitored to ensure sustainability of the various land units.