CHAPTER 1
IMPERATA AND PEOPLE

1.1 Why rehabilitate Imperata grasslands ?

The most convincing reason to rehabilitate Imperata grassland is to make the land more economically productive. However, existing Imperata grasslands are not "wastelands." There are usually land claims and existing land uses by local people, like grazing and shifting agriculture. These uses are important to the people who depend on them, even if they don't generate much cash income. Rehabilitation of Imperata grasslands will be attractive to local people only if they believe the new land use increases their production or income. Governments can support local farmers through policies and programs that reduce risks, reduce costs, and increase the profitability of agroforestry and assisted natural regeneration. Such policies and programs combine Imperata grassland rehabilitation with poverty alleviation.

Imperata grassland rehabilitation depends on fire control. Fire control depends upon local people. Too often, Imperata grassland rehabilitation projects are planned by outsiders without asking "Why?" from the perspective of the local people. If people do not agree with a project's goals, fire will probably not be controlled and the rehabilitation will fail.

Environmental reasons alone seldom justify the conversion of grasslands. Imperata can be a better watershed cover than land uses that disturb the soil. If Imperata is not grazed or plowed, its thick mat of rhizomes near the soil surface minimizes erosion. Reforestation is very expensive to carry out over large areas; it must be justified economically as well as environmentally.