Shifting Cultivation (also called Slash and Burn Agriculture or Jhum Cultivation) is one of the oldest farming methods in the world. Farmers clear a patch of forest by cutting and burning the trees, farm on it for 2–3 years, then abandon it and move to a new patch.
Other Names: Slash and burn, Jhum, Swidden agriculture.
Practiced By: Tribal communities in forests and hills.
Major Problem: Contributes to deforestation.
Rotation Cycle: 10–20 years for land to recover.
| Region | Local Name |
|---|---|
| Northeast India (Nagaland, Assam) | Jhum |
| Andhra Pradesh/Odisha | Podu |
| Madhya Pradesh/Chhattisgarh | Bewar / Dahiya |
| Kerala | Kumri |
Advantages: Low cost, no need for chemical fertilizers, sustainable when population is low.
Disadvantages: Destroys forests, contributes to soil erosion, low productivity at scale, releases carbon (deforestation).
Shifting cultivation is a farming method where forests are cleared by cutting and burning, crops are grown for 2–3 years, and then the farmer moves to a new area as soil fertility drops.
Jhum is the local name for shifting cultivation practiced by tribal communities in Northeast India, especially in Nagaland, Mizoram, and Assam.
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