Which farming technique involves cutting trees and burning to clear land?

Which farming technique involves cutting trees and burning to clear land?

• A. Slash and burn agriculture
• B. Terrace farming
• C. Irrigation
• D. Deforestation

Answer: (A)

Slash and burn farming involves clearing land by cutting trees and burning the vegetation to release nutrients from the ash, which temporarily boosts soil fertility and makes it easier to plant crops. This technique is often used in shifting cultivation in tropical regions, where farmers move to a new patch once the soil’s fertility declines. The key idea is the rapid clearing of forest followed by cultivation for a few years before moving on. Terrace farming shapes land into steps on hillsides to conserve water and reduce erosion, not to clear land. Irrigation is about delivering water to crops, not logging or burning. Deforestation refers to the broader removal of forest cover, rather than the specific method of clearing land for farming.

Slash and burn farming involves clearing land by cutting trees and burning the vegetation to release nutrients from the ash, which temporarily boosts soil fertility and makes it easier to plant crops. This technique is often used in shifting cultivation in tropical regions, where farmers move to a new patch once the soil’s fertility declines. The key idea is the rapid clearing of forest followed by cultivation for a few years before moving on.

Terrace farming shapes land into steps on hillsides to conserve water and reduce erosion, not to clear land. Irrigation is about delivering water to crops, not logging or burning. Deforestation refers to the broader removal of forest cover, rather than the specific method of clearing land for farming.