The paper explores household perspectives on slash-and-bum agriculture
by first presenting a stylized conceptual model of household decision
-making processes for the rural developing world, stressing: (a) house
hold food and livelihood security objectives and time horizon; (b) joi
nt and separate assessment of three types of resources available to th
e household natural, human, and financial; and (c) the environmental c
onsequences of household livelihood resource use strategies. Consideri
ng the model in the context of the humid tropical forest agroecologica
l zone where slash-and-bum agriculture is common, the paper then explo
res some conditioning factors to household decision-making that are pr
evalent throughout the zone, and their likely consequences on resource
use patterns and environmental impact. Before examining some intra-zo
ne differences, entry points for policy intervention, and broader poli
cy and research guidelines necessary to promote both improvement in bo
th human welfare and natural resource management are discussed.