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The floating garden agricultural system of the Inle lake (Myanmar) as an example of equilibrium between food production and biodiversity maintenance

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Abstract

Humans have adapted to difficult environmental conditions throughout history to carry out agricultural activities that ensured their food security, modifying the surrounding milieu, building terraces on steep slopes or cultivating in deserts making the most of scarce water sources. One of the most interesting agricultural solutions to cultivate in wet areas is the use of floating gardens. In Inle lake, Shan State (Myanmar) local people, mainly belonging to the Intha ethnic group, build floating islands using local materials and ingenious techniques. These floating islands are mainly used to cultivate tomatoes and other vegetables, and they represent a model of sustainable traditional agriculture in an environment rich in biodiversity. Inle Lake was designated as a RAMSAR site in 2018, as an Important Bird Area (IBA), while the Inle Wetland Wildlife Sanctuary (IWWS) was established in 1985. Moreover, Inle Lake was the first Myanmar site of the Man and Biosphere (MAB) programme by UNESCO. Agricultural activities are carried out without harming the local wildlife and the traditional practices represent a model of equilibrium between food production and high levels of biodiversity maintenance. The paper focuses on the relationship between the structure of the floating islands, traditional agricultural practices and the diversity of local wildlife, with the aim of presenting facts that could be the basis for future interventions and policies in support of this unique agricultural system.

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Funding

This research is part of the “GIAHS Building Capacity” project, funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and by the Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry (DAGRI) of the University of Florence.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Rome, Italy

    Clelia Puzzo

  2. Agricultural Heritage Systems, University of Florence, Florence, Italy

    Moe Thae Oo & Zin Wai Aung

Authors
  1. Moe Thae Oo
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  2. Zin Wai Aung
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  3. Clelia Puzzo
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Contributions

CP, MTO, ZWA: Conceptualization, CP, MTO, ZWA: methodology, MTO, ZWA: investigation, CP, MTO, ZWA: writing, CP: supervision.

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Correspondence to Clelia Puzzo.

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Communicated by Mauro Agnoletti.

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Oo, M.T., Aung, Z.W. & Puzzo, C. The floating garden agricultural system of the Inle lake (Myanmar) as an example of equilibrium between food production and biodiversity maintenance. Biodivers Conserv 31, 2435–2452 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-021-02347-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-021-02347-9

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