How did traditional farming practices of the Hmong and Mien peoples change in Yunnan?

In Yunnan, the traditional farming practices of the Hmong (referred to as Miao in China) and Mien (referred to as Yao in China) peoples have undergone a significant transition. Historically, these groups were hill dwellers who relied on shifting cultivation—a slash-and-burn method of clearing land for crops such as rice and corn.12

Over time, this traditional system of clearing and rotating fields has been replaced by more sedentary, permanent farming practices. This shift away from shifting agriculture was driven by the need for more stable land use and, in many regions, was influenced by government programs that sought to move these populations away from traditional migratory farming and the historical production of the opium poppy, which was once integrated into their agricultural cycles.132