How does shifting cultivation (slash-and-burn) work in India?

In India, shifting cultivation (also called slash-and-burn or jhum cultivation) is a traditional form of agriculture practiced mainly by tribal and hill communities. It involves clearing forest land, burning vegetation, and farming temporarily fertile soil for a few years before moving to a new area.

Step-by-Step Process of Shifting Cultivation

1. Selection of Land
   Farmers choose a forested hillside or jungle area, usually during the dry season. The fertility of the soil is judged by experience, color, and moisture content.
2. Clearing the Vegetation
   Trees, shrubs, and grasses are cut down and left to dry. This process clears the land for cultivation while preserving useful forest wood.
3. Burning the Vegetation
   The dried vegetation is then burned, and the ashes mix with the soil, making it temporarily rich in nutrients like potassium and phosphorus. This ash acts as a natural fertilizer.
4. Sowing and Cultivation
   Without plowing, seeds are dibble-sown (placed into small holes) directly into the soil.
   Farmers often use intercropping, growing multiple crops such as rice, maize, millets, yams, and pulses on the same land to ensure food diversity.
5. Harvesting and Use
   Crops are grown for 2 to 3 years, after which the soil loses fertility due to nutrient depletion. Farmers then harvest their crops manually with simple tools such as dao, hoe, or spade.
6. Abandonment and Fallow Period
   Once yields decline, the land is abandoned and left fallow (unused) for 5 to 20 years, allowing the natural forest to regenerate. During this time, farmers move to a new site to repeat the cycle.