Identify the correct sequence of steps in the Jhum cultivation process practiced in some states of North-Eastern India.
Jhum cultivation is one of the most ancient systems of farming. It is also called the “slash and burn agriculture”.
Shifting cultivation or jhum is predominantly practised in the north-eastern states of India.
In this type of cultivation, the farmers slash the trees on a predetermined location, then burn the plant remains.
Burning provides suitable conditions for upcoming crops because their main competitors like weeds, pests are destroyed and the ash provides nutrients to the soil for planting food crops.
The land is then used for farming or cattle grazing for a finite number of years.
After cultivation, the land is left unused for several years so as to allow its recovery and the farming community moves to the next location to repeat the same process.
Hence, option d is correct.
It has frequently been claimed that jhum has led to the loss of valuable natural resources of the region.