SHIFTING CULTIVATION IN NORTH EAST INDIA

Shifting cultivation is a primitive form of agricultural practice that barely met the minimum requirements of foodgrains. It is largely confined to the hill slopes, often extending to steep gradients in all the hill districts of the region. This practice normally involves the clearing of forests and is allowed to dry up and the residue is burnt up. The fields or the clearings are prepared and wait the onset of the rains. After which, with the broadcasting methods seeds are sown and crops are cultivated.

These jhum fields are frequently located near the permanent settlement sites or located within accessible distance. These fields are temporary as they are used only for one or two seasons; after this, the same process is repeated in adjacent forest areas. In other words, there is a distinct rotation of fields that averages 3 to 10 years, this is the jhum cycle. With increasing population pressure, this jhum cycle has gradually declined. As a result this practice has become an uneconomical preposition.

The jhum practice had formed an important element in the hill and mountain inhabitants’ perceptions, traditions and socio-economic relations. Frequently, the outer perimeter of these jhum lands formed their respective boundaries with other groups and sub-groups. Thus they formed a deciding feature in their perception of space. The sub-division of this space, in the form of allotment of jhum fields to the individuals and families or between the different communities within the settlement sites was directly dependent on the socio-political structure of the settlement unit. More or less, all the hill districts of the region had a generalized pattern that dominated this practice.

Despite its drawbacks and low returns in terms of output, no viable alternative has been found so far. Efforts have been undoubtedly channelized to improve through infusion of technology and capital. In many areas, as in Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh, these efforts have been complemented by extensive introduction of horticulture.

Exact area under jhum cultivation in the region has remained a matter of estimates and approximation. This has been largely due to the lack of availability of reliable data, absence of land records as well as of cadastral surveys. However, the present effort relies heavily on the reports of North Eastern Council. Thus, one finds that out of the nearly 60% of the total geographical area of the North East under hills and mountains nearly 9.77% of the area is under jhum at one time or the other, with an annual area of 2.58% under actual cultivation. That is, 2.7 million hectares of land are available for jhum cultivation in the region. However, administrative re-organization and rapid growth of population, particularly in the hill section of the region, has exerted corresponding impact on the availability of land for this practice. Moreover, the traditional practices were not able to keep pace with the requirements and demands for foodgrains.

Besides the necessity for continuous spatial extension of the jhum areas in the forest areas, the commercial exploitation and to an extent urbanization have also significantly influenced the course of development. One of the important fall out of these practices has been steady and rapid depletion of forests in the region. In jhum cultivation the choice of crop is normally consumption oriented and varies according to the individual family requirements. Paddy is the main dominant crop and is followed by maize, millets, beans, tapioca sweet potatoes, chilies, ginger, leafy vegetables etc. All the crops are rain-fed, often harvested in August. Periodicity of cropping not only differs from one tribe to another but also from one region to another.

In Jhum cultivation extensive forests extensive forests is required for this form of agriculture along with heavy rainfall regime in the region. This has led to serious soil erosion problems. This coupled with commercial exploitation of forests has led to heavy silting in the major rivers and consequent increase in the destruction caused by floods in the region. The most common impact has been in the form of loss of top soil. In the predominantly jhum areas, this loss of top soil has been variously estimated at 22% of the cover with secondary vegetation replacing the original dense cover. This has contributed to declining soil fertility and production.

Besides, coming under the generally free ownership, there is very little effort to invest on soil conservation methods and other measures to increase the agricultural returns. This as a result has left hardly any surplus that could have been effectively invested in other developmental activities.

Initial attempt to tackle the problems associated with the jhum cultivation was started in the 1950’s with the introduction of alternative crops like rubber, coffee, cashew nut and black pepper. However, major thrust to resolve the consequences of the agricultural practices was started from the 5^th Plan onwards.

All the schemes that were designated to control shifting cultivation correspond with quantitative and qualitative changes made to suit the individual states. But on the whole afforestation programmes and measures to control the soil erosion received high priority in each of the state’s plan. Terrace cultivation, provision of minor irrigation facilities etc, were some of the steps that were initiated in this direction. Pilot schemes in the jhum control measures, provided a means to decide on the strategy to control and if possible replace it with more stable and permanent form of agricultural practices.

 Several recommendations for a change in the land use pattern not only aimed at minimizing the loss of top soil through erosion but also provided for increasing the cash returns for the jhummias. The problem of shifting cultivation, in the form of affecting a control in its spatial extent, required investment, technology and viable alternatives continues to dominate the developmental scenario of the region. Despite the priority in the various plans, research and volume of research work; this aspect continues to pose challenge as it has so far avoided any long term strategy towards resolution. What is in-fact required is detailed analysis of the land use pattern in the predominantly jhum areas of the region through the latest techniques and approaches available for each of the constituent states. This assessment will go a long way in suggesting concrete measures instead of concentrating on generalized information basis reinforced by few case studies.