How does slash-and-burn farming work in Liberia?

In Liberia, slash-and-burn is the primary method used by traditional farmers to cultivate land. This practice is a form of shifting agriculture, a system designed to manage soil fertility in tropical environments where continuous cultivation of the same field would otherwise deplete the land of nutrients.12

The process generally functions as follows:

• Clearing and Burning: Farmers clear a plot of land by felling standing vegetation, leaving behind stumps and larger trees. The cut vegetation is then burned, which helps clear the area of weeds and provides a layer of ash that acts as a natural fertilizer for the soil.23
• Cultivation: Once the land is cleared, farmers typically plant crops using simple tools like hoes or digging sticks rather than plows. In Liberia, these traditional farms often involve the mixed cultivation of rice, cassava, and various vegetables.21
• Rotation: After a period of cultivation, when soil fertility declines or the field becomes overrun with weeds, the plot is abandoned. It is left to lie fallow, allowing the natural vegetation to regenerate over time before the land is potentially used again.23