Steps to Complete One Cycle of Jhum Cultivation:

Jhum cultivation, also known as shifting cultivation or slash-and-burn agriculture, is an agricultural practice followed by many tribal communities. It involves clearing a patch of land, burning the vegetation, and cultivating crops for a few years before moving on to a new plot. Here are the steps involved in completing one cycle of jhum cultivation:

1. Selection of Land:
- The first step in jhum cultivation is selecting a suitable piece of land. Typically, tribes choose hilly or forested areas with fertile soil.

2. Clearing the Land:
- The selected land is then cleared of trees, shrubs, and other vegetation. This is often done by cutting down the trees and burning the debris.

3. Burning the Debris:
- The debris left after clearing the land is set on fire. The burning process helps in nutrient recycling by releasing minerals into the soil.

4. Cultivation:
- After the land is cleared and burned, seeds are sown in the ashes. The most common crops cultivated through jhum farming include millets, maize, and root vegetables.

5. Harvesting:
- The crops are allowed to grow for a few years until the soil loses its fertility. The plants are then harvested when they are fully mature and ready for consumption.

6. Abandoning the Plot:
- Once the harvest is complete, the land is left fallow or abandoned. This allows the land to regenerate and regain its fertility over time.

7. Shifting to a New Plot:
- After a few years, when the fertility of the abandoned plot declines, the tribe moves on to a new plot of land and repeats the process.

8. Regeneration of the Abandoned Plot:
- The abandoned plot undergoes natural regeneration during the fallow period. The vegetation regrows, and the soil fertility is restored.

9. Rotation of Cultivation:
- Tribes practice the rotation of cultivation by moving from one plot to another. This ensures that each plot gets enough time to recover and regain its fertility before being cultivated again.

Jhum cultivation is a traditional and sustainable method of farming practiced by tribal communities. It allows them to meet their subsistence needs while also maintaining the ecological balance of the land.

AT FIRST  WHEN THE SOIL LOSES ITS FERTILITY TREES ARE CUT FROM THAT LAND . THEN THEY ARE BURNT  AND THEIR ASHES ARE THEN MIXED IN THE SOIL WHICH MAKE THE SOIL FERTILE AND HIGHLY NUTRITIOUS . AGAIN WHEN THAT LAND LOSES ITS FERTILITY JHUM CULTIVATORS SHIFT TO OTHER AREA.