What is Jhum Cultivation?

Jhum cultivation is the local Indian name for Shifting Cultivation or Slash-and-Burn Agriculture. It is primarily practiced by tribal communities in the hilly, forested regions of North-Eastern India (like Assam, Meghalaya, and Mizoram).

1. Slashing: The farmers cut down the trees and clear a patch of forest land.
2. Burning: They burn the fallen trees and dried vegetation. The remaining ash, which is rich in potash, is mixed into the soil to act as a natural fertilizer.
3. Farming: They scatter seeds and grow crops (like corn, millet, or rice) on this cleared land for a few years.
4. Shifting: Once the soil loses its fertility (usually after 2-3 years), the farmers abandon that patch of land and move to a fresh part of the forest to repeat the process.

While it was sustainable when populations were small, Jhum cultivation is now highly discouraged by the government.

• It causes massive deforestation.
• The burning causes severe air pollution.
• Leaving the land bare after farming leads to severe soil erosion.