ABSTRACT
Shifting cultivation is an age-old food production system widely practiced by the tribal people living in the hill regions of Northeast India. Prominent characteristics of shifting cultivation are: clearing of vegetation and preparation of field through slash and burn, sowing of seeds using hand-held tools and broadcasting, use of human labour for all activities, mixed cropping, sequential sowing and harvesting, cultivation on community lands, shifting of fields in a cyclic manner, maintenance of fallows, zero external input, and production of crops for self-use. Since the colonial period, the governments considered shifting cultivation as a degradative practice adversely affecting the natural resources and hence promulgated policies and plans to stop/control the practice. However, a vast majority of the tribal people of the region continue to produce their food through shifting cultivation. There is a clear-cut data deficit on the extent of shifting cultivation. A lot of research has gone on the topic but till date how many families are practicing shifting cultivation and how much area is under shifting cultivation is not precisely known. Most government and donor-driven schemes for control and improvement of shifting cultivation have not achieved their desired objectives as they could not address the issues pertaining to food security and food preference, land tenure, availability of credit, culture and market connectivity. Poor interdepartmental cooperation and lack of multi-pronged approach also led to less impact of the schemes and programs aimed at improving the socio-economic condition of shifting cultivators of the region.
