The Structure of <i>Jhum</i> (Traditional Shifting Cultivation System): Prospect or Threat to Climate

Abstract

ABSTRACT. The knowledge behind the culture and beliefs of indigenous community needs to be harnessed and should be used to complement the modern technologies and policies for better and sustainable use of biological resources and increase resilience of the sector associated. The main objective of the current research was to study Jhum (Traditional Shifting Cultivation System) and the cycles and culture associated with it. The study was done in northeast Himalayan region of India and phenomenological approach was used. The research reveals that Jhum is the component of traditional agro-ecosystem encompassing diverse set of knowledge and practices of indigenous and local communities embodying traditional life-styles relevant for the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources for their livelihood. The cycle associated with the system reflects the synergy of practices with the natural phenomenon and indicators. Contrary to common modern belief, Jhum is carbon sink, maintain soil health, preserve biological diversity and sustain local climate. Forest clearing during Jhum is not deforestation but forest modification allowing forest regrowth during sufficiently long fallow. Fundamentally, Jhum as a system is an integrated approach to establish agro-ecosystem in the difficult terrains of tropical hill regions that involve forest, soil, biodiversity and livestock management through their culture, tradition and rituals that coevolved with associated ecosystem. Instead of being threat to climate or environment, the system can provide deeper insight into the many different aspects of sustainable and climate resilient development; and the interrelated role of local peoples and their cultures.

Local Wisdom in Shifting Cultivation Management of Dayak Ngaju Community, Central Kalimantan

“…The farmers do not use technology because it does not need intensive maintenance, pesticides, fertilizer, and modern mechanization tools. This is similar to previous research related to local community activities and its local wisdom (Utina, 2017;Bhagawati, Bhagawati, Das, Bhagawati, & Ngachanngachan, 2015;Mokpokpo, 2016).…”

Vegetation composition and structure across land use types in a rotational cultivation system in Meratus Mountain, South Kalimantan, Indonesia

“…This situation indicates the succession process is in progress. According to Bhagawati et al (2015), most areas with high biodiversity are overlapped with areas with local wisdom in the cultivation system. Based on these results, it can be seen that farming activities carried out by the community were not damaging the forest ecosystems.…”

“…These farming systems often exist in the tropics or in countries with important global biodiversity and carbon sequestration (Das et al 2021;Mertz 2009), and are widespread in Southeast Asia such as Laos (Yirdaw et al 2019). Another example of rotational system is in the northeast Himalayas conducted by the Indian community known as Jhum (Bhagawati et al 2015).…”

“…On the other hand, the rotational cultivation system can be seen as a newer stage in the evolution of farming after shifting cultivation. It uses the planting cycle, which requires knowledge and connection with the environment and a perspective on conservation (Bhagawati et al 2015). Rotational cultivation system is based on land clearing activities during the dry season and planting crops in the rainy season.…”

Performances of improved and traditional rice based jhum cultivation in a hill district of Bangladesh

“…It is a traditional practice derived from ages of observations to interact with the environment in most harmonious manner. Jhum is a form of customs and rituals of tribal hill people which governs hill agriculture in a cultural and sustainable way where land is cleared by controlled fire, used only for subsistence farming and then natural fallow phase employed long enough to be dominated by woody vegetation (Bhagawati et al, 2015). According to Kerhoff and Sharma (2006) jhum is not synonymous with 'slash-burn agriculture'; in fact it is only a land clearing method.…”