Short cultivation periods followed by fallow periods
Large-scale, mechanized farming
Intensive use of fertilizers and pesticides
Focus on monocropping
Answer is Right!
Answer is Wrong!
The correct answer is: a) Short cultivation periods followed by fallow periods.
Shifting cultivation, also known as jhum cultivation, is a traditional agricultural system practiced in many parts of the world, including Meghalaya. It involves clearing a small area of forest, cultivating it for a few years, and then abandoning it to allow the forest to regenerate. This cycle is repeated every few years.
Shifting cultivation is a sustainable agricultural system that helps to maintain the health of the forest ecosystem. It also helps to prevent soil erosion and water pollution. However, it can also lead to deforestation if it is not practiced sustainably.
The other options are incorrect because:
- Large-scale, mechanized farming is not a characteristic of shifting cultivation. Shifting cultivation is a small-scale, labor-intensive agricultural system.
- Intensive use of fertilizers and pesticides is not a characteristic of shifting cultivation. Shifting cultivation is a low-input agricultural system that relies on natural resources.
- Focus on monocropping is not a characteristic of shifting cultivation. Shifting cultivation is a polycultural system that involves the cultivation of a variety of crops.