Why do the tribal people practice podu agriculture?
Answers
Answer:
Tribal communities of India living on the hilly tracts follow a method of cultivation by cutting and burning forest patches on the hills of the neighboring areas.
Explanation:
This is known in various local terms like 'Podu', 'Dahi' and ‘Jhum’. In English documents this is called Swidden or slash and burn or shifting cultivation. It is an interesting aspect of tribal economy. This method allows two or atmost three annual crops and then abandoning that land until the trees have grown again sufficiently to allow a second filling. This process continues until the land gets washed so bare of soil and seed that no more forest growth is possible. It is then finally abandoned and there remains a bare hillside useless for any purpose producing only thorns, creepers and coarse grass. The hill tribal peasants of Orissa, on the Eastern Ghats, have long tradition of practicing 'Podu' cultivation.