jhum

…to practice shifting agriculture (jhum), whereby land is cleared by burning the vegetation, is cultivated for several years, and then is abandoned in favor of another site when the productivity of the soil declines. Rice, corn (maize), millet, and buckwheat are among the chief crops grown by that method.…

…shifting agriculture, in which tracts—called jhum—are cleared by burning, cultivated for a limited period of time, and then abandoned for a number of years to allow regeneration of the natural vegetation and nutrients in the soil. An increase in the number of people farming in the 20th century forced a…

The widespread practice of jhum has led to soil erosion and loss of soil fertility. Only the Angamis and Chakhesangs of the southern regions of Kohima use terracing and irrigation techniques. Traditional implements include the light hoe, the dao (a multipurpose heavy knife), and the sickle; except in the…