Shifting cultivation: An Appraisal of its Mer...

Shifting cultivation: An Appraisal of its Merits

Author Name : Thanuja Mummidi

ABSTRACT Shifting cultivation practiced mainly in the tropics today and often associated with indigenous people has been accused for long as a threat to environment causing deforestation. Policy on shifting cultivation both in colonial India and in independent India and also of International Government Organisations advocate against shifting cultivation. Based on a review of literature, this paper argues that shifting cultivation has been unfairly discredited and attempts to appraise its merits especially its ecological viability. The paper further argues that shifting cultivation is an integrated food production system where labour demands and resource use are allocated carefully around a seasonal calendar to ensure sustainable use of forest resources.