Practicing Success

Target Exam

CUET

Subject

Geography

Chapter

Fundamentals of Human Geography: Primary Activities

Question:

In which of the following regions, shifting cultivation is called Milpa?

Options:

India

Indonesia

Malaysia

Central America

Correct Answer:

Central America

Explanation:

The vegetation is usually cleared by fire, and the ashes add to the fertility of the soil. Shifting cultivation is thus, also called slash and burn agriculture. The cultivated patches are very small and cultivation is done with very primitive tools such as sticks and hoes. After sometime (3 to 5 years) the soil looses its fertility and the farmer shifts to another parts and clears other patch of the forest for cultivation. The farmer may return to the earlier patch after sometime. One of the major problems of shifting cultivation is that the cycle of jhum becomes less and less due to loss of fertility in different parcels. It is prevalent in tropical region in different names, e.g. Jhuming in North eastern states of India, Milpa in central America and Mexico and Ladang in Indonesia and Malaysia. Find out other areas and the names with which shifting cultivation is done.