Shifting cultivation has been defined as "any agricultural system in which fields are cleared by firing and are cropped discontinuously. This method of cultivation is also known as 'Slash and Burn'. Shifting cultivation is regarded as the most primitive method of cultivation, whose origin evolved during the Neolithic period more then 10,000 years ago.
The chief characteristics features of shifting cultivation are:
(a) rotation of fields.
(b) slash and burn operation of vegetable species.
(c) keeping the land fallow for a number of years for regeneration of forests.
(d) use of human labor as chief input.
(e) non- employment of draught animal.
(f) use of simple implements like dibble stick, scrapper etc.
Its merits are:
(a) In this type of cultivation, groups of people work together, as such, individual labour is minimized.
(b) Multiple cropping ensures production of a variety of cereals and vegetables.
(c) Shifting cultivators need not depend on nature and also need not move frequently like the food gatherers.
(d) The implements used for cultivation are simple.
(e) Shifting cultivation do not require tilling of soil, irrigation facilities, fertiizer, etc.
Its demerits are:
(a) Shifting Cultivation destroys the forest resources due to cutting of trees and plants. This also results in short supply of building materials.
(b) As they have to shift from one place to another, they cannot have a permanent habitation.
(c) Frequent cutting of trees effects the climate of a region. It leads to low rainfall and drying up of springs in the hills and forests.
(d) It leads to loss of fertility of soil and causes soil erosion.
(e) The shifting cultivators lack knowledge regarding use of improved variety of seeds, fertilizers, etc, hence they have less production and the produce are of inferior quality.
