In various regions of India, Swidden cultivation, one of the indigenous cropping systems is referred to by different terms. In Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur, and in Arunachal Pradesh, Swidden cultivation is widely known as Jhum, and the ‘Swiddener’ as Jhumia. In Odisha, the Kondh, the Koya and other Dravidian-speaking tribes refer to it as Podu, Gudia or Dongarchas. In Madhya Pradesh, among the Baiga, Swidden cultivation is known as Bewar. In Tamil Nadu and south Kanara of Karnataka, it is called Kumari.
It is a mistake to assume that shifting cultivation in itself is unscientific land use. Actually, it is a practical approach to certain inherent difficulties in preparing a proper seed-bed in steep slopes where any disturbance of the surface by hoeing or ploughing will result in washing away the fertile topsoil. The tribal people, therefore, take care not to plough or disturb the soil before sowing. The destruction of weeds and improvement of tilth necessary for a proper seed-bed are achieved with the help of fire. In most of the interior areas, where communication is not developed and not sufficient land suitable for terracing is available, jhumming alone can be done for the present and as such every effort should be made to improve the fertility of the jhummed land. However, over exploitation of forest areas should be avoided. In the current situation of migration of youth there is not enough population to cultivate land and over exploitation may not be a reality in future in these harsh terrain.
Indigenous cropping systems such as crop rotation, mixed cropping, intercropping, and Swidden cultivation exhibit a high degree of stability. These systems provide farmers with opportunities for harvesting diverse crops from the same land; increasing total land productivity; maintaining and improving soil fertility through the use of legumes; and above all, reducing or avoiding risks of crop failures due to weather.
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