Which farming system uses temporary plots with slash-and-burn clearing in tropical forests?

• A. Desert farming
• B. Pastoral nomadism
• C. Shifting cultivation
• D. Industrial agriculture

Answer: (C)

Shifting cultivation, also called swidden agriculture, uses temporary plots cleared in tropical forests by slash-and-burn. Farmers clear a patch, burn the vegetation to release nutrients, and plant crops for a few years until the soil nutrients are depleted. Then they abandon that plot and move to a new one, letting the previously used area lie fallow so the forest can regenerate and nutrients can recover. This approach fits humid tropical regions where soils are often nutrient-poor and vegetation regrows quickly, allowing the cycle to continue with low-input farming and large areas needed per person. It differs from desert farming, which relies on irrigation in arid lands; pastoral nomadism, which centers on moving herds across landscapes; and industrial agriculture, which is highly mechanized and associated with large-scale production.