Deforestation and land degradation are two major consequences of the present slash-and-burn agricultural system in eastern Madagascar. The goal of this research is to develop fireless upland management practices that intensify, improve, and sustain agricultural production and that are also feasible and affordable for farmers. Using a multidisciplinary approach, I started with a historical review of the degradation processes on three levels: landscape, household, and individual plots. I identified farmers' land use strategies and their impact on land productivity using a qualitative inquiry. Indigenous knowledge on upland soils and fallows was gathered, and a fallow classification framework was established, followed by a biophysical characterization of four fallow types. This included vegetation composition, biomass production and quality, soil properties, and endo-mycorrhizal species presence. On the same four land categories and in a three crop rotation, I tested new agricultural techniques such as slash-and-mulch with/without the application of locally available guano-phosphate compared to the current slash-and-burn practices. The alternative techniques were outperfoming the slash-and-burn treatment by the second and third seasons; farmers were enthusiastic to witness these results. Recommendations on how to improve upland use in eastern Madagascar will be very practical and farmer-oriented.