Definition:
Shifting cultivation is a primitive method of cultivation which is usually followed in hills by tribal. People in which forest land is cleared by cutting down all the trees , shrubs , herbs and climbers near the ground level, felled materials is dry and set on fire , sowing is followed in cleared area by dibbling small holes .
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Other names: Land rotation, juming (North Eastern region) podu (A. P & Orissa)
Shifting Cultivation in India:
1. N. E hill region
2. Andhra Pradesh
3. Madhya Pradesh
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4. Orissa
5. Bihar
6. Karnataka
Features:
1. Cropping is done for few years on same Unit of land, after clearing and burning.
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2. Depletion of soil productivity causes cultivator move to other area for cultivating same crop.
3. Here crop is fixed burnt land is rotated
4. It causes soil erosion
5. Less productivity
6. Seldom use of manures and fertilizers
7. The size of plot from 1.0 to 2.5 ha per family having members 3-5
Demerits:
1. Faulty land use (social evil)
2. Primitive method of cultivation (less productivity)
3. Change in soil microbial population
4. Loss nutrient through leaching, run off and percolation
5. С: N ratio reduced
6. Causes flood in adjoining area
7. Affect the flora and fauna
Ways for improving degraded areas:
i. Efficient land use management
ii. Preventing loss of soil fertility by making contour bunds, levelling, terracing and good drainage system.
iii. Soil management by growing cover crop, strip crops, mixed crop and erosion checking crops.
iv. Adoption of production based crop management by growing HYV, weed and water management, fertilizer application and plant protection.
v. Problems created by this can easily be overcome by adoption of suitable agro forestry models.