Farming and rural systems analyses in forest margins: an application of fuzzy theory

Forest zones in the tropics are under pressure through encroachment of farming systems leading to an ecologically unbalanced development as well as creating economic and social problems. This book dealt with the multidimensionality of this process. It considers the forest area where indigenous people live, the adjacent savannah region with large-scale agriculture and ranches as well as newly settled smallholders and gives special emphasis to the linkages between them. It analysis the potential of farming systems development in the savannah region to protect from entering to the forest zones and shows the consequences of not allowing other groups than indigenous people to enter natural reserves. In addition, a fishermen analyses focuses on the use of water resources in protected forest zones (ecotones). Those analyses are much related to risk and uncertainty as well as to a large extent to qualitative information. For this reason the fuzzy theory and respective concepts have been designed and tested. The results indicate that the fuzzy concept applied is not only adequate but also improves in certain sectors our current methodological level. It adds another method of risk analysis and wideness the methodological spectrum. The fuzzy concept has also been used for measuring the impact of future development strategies. Those strategies tested are dealing with an economic development without the need to enter the rainforest zones and use resources therein.