General Knowledge - Indian Geography - Discussion

Jhum (Shifting) cultivation is a primitive practice of cultivation in States of North Eastern Hill Region of India and people involved in such cultivation are called Jhumia. The practice involves clearing vegetative/forest cover on land/slopes of hills, drying and burning it before onset of monsoon and cropping on it thereafter.

After harvest, this land is left fallow and vegetative regeneration is allowed on it till the plot becomes reusable for same purpose in a cycle. Meanwhile, the process is repeated in a new plot designated for Jhum cultivation during next year. Initially, when Jhum cycle was long and ranged from 20 to 30 years, the process worked well.

However, with increase in human population and increasing pressure on land, Jhum cycle reduced progressively (5-6 years) causing problem of land degradation and threat to ecology of the region at large.

Most of the cultivators of north east India, specially hilly areas cultivated the Jhum cultivation.

Jhum also name as Slash-and-burn is an agricultural technique that involves the cutting and burning of plants in forests or woodlands to create fields. It is subsistence agriculture that typically uses little technology. It is typically key in shifting cultivation agriculture, and in translucence livestock herding.

I Think B should be the correct option. Although it is practice in Assam,But not in large extent. It is practice in some patches of Karbi Anglong and NCHills(Dima Hasao) District. However it is practice in other states of North East in large extent.

@Samir Kumar Nath. The jhum cultivators are much more concerned about nature also. In fact they are real protector of the forest resource. After practicing jhum for 2/3 years, they planted the area again. They privatize the plantation area so that they can protect it. However there is no other way also for cultivation in the hilly areas like Arunachal, Nagaland Manipue etc.

Nature gets disbalanced with the burning process with an proneness to soil erosion and landslide. It is also an act of loosing natural gifts and deforestation. In a needy country like India it is not a welcome condition to roll it any longer.

Jhum cultivation is totally abolished by law as it includes sifting cultivation (i.e. Slash & burn cultivation) which leads to deforestation. It is practiced in hilly areas of north-east India.

Jhum cultivation mostly popular in hilly areas.

Jhum cultivation is most practiced on the slopes of hills in thickly forested landscapes. The cultivators cut the treetops to allow sunlight to reach the land. They burn all the trees and grasses for clean and fresh soil. It is believed that this helps to fertilize the land, but can leave it vulnerable to erosion. Later seeds and crops are planted. Plants on the slopes survive the rainy season floods. Looking at all the effects, the government of Mizoram has launched a policy to end Jhum cultivation in the state.

Jhoom cultivation is mostly practised in tribal areas by tribal people.

It is also called shifting cultivation.

It means people cultivate one crop in one crop season and next leave it and prefer other land. They clean the land and make it useful.

It is one factor responsible for the loss of fertility of soil.

This system is found in north eastern India.

Anyone please explain about it more clearly.