Preface
I. Introduction
II. Features of Shifting Cultivation
III. Perspectives for Alternatives
IV. Cropping Systems
V. Model of Perennial Crop Based Cropping Systems
VI. Conclusion
Preface
Shifting cultivation is a type of temporary farming practice in which forest areas are cleared by felling and burning the vegetation, and cultivating some selected crops such as tubers, vegetables and pulses for a small period of few years. When certain area loses its fertility, a new area is recovered and this process continues. This is a very unremunerative and destructive type of farming and calls for urgent solution in a country like India where forest area is already below the world average. This booklet describes some of the major aspects of shifting cultivation and suggest some alternatives to arrest this problem.
Dr. K.T. Chandy, Agricultural & Environmental
I. Introduction
Shifting cultivation in the history of civilization is regarded as the first step in transition from food gathering and hunting to food production. The system is known by several names such as 'Podu' and 'Jhurning' in India, 'Kalingn' in Philippines, 'Chena' in Sri Lanka, 'Lua' in Vietnam, 'Milpa' in Mexico, 'Conway', 'Troza', 'Monte' and 'Cadong' in Indonesia. This slash and burn form of agriculture is still practiced in India(North-Eastern Hill Region, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa), Amazon basin, South America, highland area of Manchuria, Korea and South-West China, Philippines, Malaysia, Burma and Sri Lanka. At present, nearly 30% of the world's exploitable soils are under shifting cultivation and responsible for meeting the food requirement of about 8% of the world's population. In India, about two million people cultivate nearly 11 m ha of land under this practice. Majority of these people live in North-Eastern Hill Region.
II. Features of Shifting Cultivation
The main features of the shifting cultivation are the following.
1. Selection of site on the hill slope
The villagers headed by the elders decide which site should be chosen for the shifting cultivation for that year. The area chosen depends on the number of families going to be involved in the cultivation. This is usually done at the beginning of the year around first part of January.
2. Clearing of the site
All the able bodied members of the village whether female or male will join together to clear the jungle by slashing all the vegetation and leave it for drying.
3. Burning of the cut vegetation
The dried up vegetation is set fire on an auspicious day preferably during the night. In this process, only men will be involved.
4. Allocation of the plot to each family
The whole cleared land is divided among the families depending on the size of the family and its need.
5. Preparation of the land for sowing
Each family will be responsible for the immediate preparation of the land for sowing the crops. Sometimes a few families join together and help each other to do the works.
6. Sowing of a mixed crop
Seeds of a number of crops such as maize, rice, jowar, bajra, ragi, pigeon pea, cassava, yam, sweet potato, ginger, cotton, tobacco, chillies, sesamum, cucurbits and other vegetables, etc. are mixed together and broadcast or dibbled at random on the field in the beginning of monsoon which is usually at the end of Mayor beginning of June.
7. Continuous interculture
After sowing of the crop, within a week time the seeds will germinate. From that time onwards at least some members of the families will be going to the plot and doing various kinds of intercultural operations such as weeding, small scale transplanting, training of creeping crops, etc.
8. Guarding the crops
Once the flowering and fruiting of the crops begin they have to be guarded day and night from the wild animals and birds. For this some members of the family will always remain in the field day and night till the harvest is over.
9. Harvesting
Since different crops are sown together and their maturity period varies. harvesting of the crops, therefore, will be at different times. Almost everyday something or other may be harvested though the yield will be very little. Harvesting is generally started from the end of August and continued till the end of October or beginning of December.
10. Very poor yield
The yield of the individual crops or the yield per hectare is very low, sometimes, as low as few kilograms per hectare. Studies have shown in North-East and Orissa that for a nine month's work the people hardly get food for three months.
11. Excessive soil erosion
As a result of the slash and burn practice, the hill slope which is under dense vegetative cover gets exposed to rain and water erosion. Even though many claim that the shifting is done without stirring the soil much but the degree of slope is such that the soil cannot be protected from the erosion.
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