What is shifting cultivation? What are its disadvantages?

Answer: Shifting cultivation is also known as slash-and-burn cultivation. It is a type of farming activity which involves clearing a land plot by cutting down trees and burning them. The ashes are then mixed with the soil, and crops are grown. After the land has lost its fertility, it is abandoned. The farmers then move to a new place.

The disadvantages of shifting cultivation are as follows:

• Leads to deforestation
• Loss of fertility of a particular land
• Leads to soil erosion
• Burning of trees causes air pollution
• Insufficient cultivation of crops for a large population.