Geography and the Environment in Southeast Asia: Proceedings of the Geology Jubilee Symposium, The University of Hong Kong, 21-25 June 1976

18. Impact of Development on the Rural Environment

XVIII IMPACTOF DEVELOPMENT ON THE RURAL ENVIRONMENT M.B. Pescod Energy,resources and environment are intimately related in any consideration of the impact of development upon rural areas. Countries in Southeast Asía, at a tíme of accelerated development, wi1l undoubtedly be drawing on their natural resources and energy sources in rural areas at an increasing rate and serious environmental deterioration wil1 occur unless rational management practices are adopted. The region is characterized by its large population with a very high growth rate (two to three per cent annually), a high proportion under 15 years of age (more than 45 per cent) and a pred。 minantly rural distribution (ofthe order of80 per cent). Continued population increase, accelerating industria!ization and the pressing need to improve the general quality of !ife will inevitably lead to rapid growth in demand for avaílable energy, so that a typical developing country in Southcast Asia will double its total energy requirements in six to eight years. Concurrent wlth this rapidly expanding demand for energy wi1l be an increasing pressure to exploit natural resources. To support the population, agricultural crop production and processíng will have to increase. Other renewable resources will also be ín great demand and the dangers of over-exploítation are apparent, particularly in the case of timber. Non-renewable resources, such as metallic ores, wi1l be increasingly exploited and the trend wlil be towards use within the country, or at least part-processing before export. All these development efforts will require additional infrastructure and improved communications in the region. The envíronmental effects of these changes will be significant and countries must be prepared to invest in control measures which are designed to preserve those attributes which they value and are not wi1ling to sacrifice for the sake of development. There is a de!icate balance between economíc development and environmental control whích each country must work out for itself. Rural areas must not be allowed to deteriorate as a result of man's insatiable desire for development and nowhere in the world is this 258 M.B. PESCOD more important than in Southeast Asia, where most people live in rural communities . Of course, not all environmental deterioration in rural areas wi11result from the release of pollution by activities as1!ociated with energy production and resource exploitation. Some development activit1es, although not releasing pollutant residuals, may have serious ecological consequences which are not obvious. Southeast Asia is well endowed with the basic natural resources of soil, water，位r and sunlight which normally support a balanced biotlC community of complex pattern. When a natural ecosystem is disturbed by man's activities the ‘balance of nature' is changed and undesirable impacts may result. Species unique to the region may be lost in the process. In thlS way, short-term development gains will be achieved at the expense of longterm damage, which may be irreparable. Resource management is an integral part of environmental management m rural areas. Agriculture PRINCIPAL ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES 1]1.' RURAL AREAS OF SOUTHEASTASIA In the developing countries of the region, shifting cultivation is a traditional method in upland agriculture. With increasing population pressures, the cultivation cycle is becoming progressively shllrter, sotl fertility is dec1ining and consequently crop yields are being reduced. Soil erosion is also becoming a m吋or problem in upland areas as a result of the reduced cultivation cycle preventing stabl1izing vegetative growth .ieveloping during the shórt fallow period. Under these conditions runoff is more rapid because the subsoil has little capacity to absorb and store rainfall. Flooding in lowland areas is becoming more frequent and severe in many countries and the reliability of water supplies to lowland paddy fields is decreasing. Agricultural products are more frequent1y being processed or converted in the area in which they are grown, to reduce transportation costs and to provide employment m rural areas. This often gives rise to serious environmental pollution due to the release of organic wastes to streams and, sometimes , emission of pollutants to the atmosphere. Examples of agr心industries causing water pol1ution are sugar refining, tapioca-starch production, rubber processing, palm oil refining and fruit and vegetable canning. The burning of RURAL ENVIRONMENT 259 bagasse as fuel in sugar mills frequen t1y causes serious au pollut10n in rural areas during the milling season. Very often, these rural índustries release large quantities of híghly pollutíng wastes and eíther cannot...