Question

Shifting cultivation is best described as __________.

A.
growing cash crops instead of crops for one’s own use
B.
abandoning land as soon as the soil begins to degrade
C.
changing crops from year to year based on demand
D.
choosing which crops to grow based on climate zone

Answer 1

Shifting cultivation is described as abandoning land as soon as the soil begins to degrade, allowing it to recover naturally, commonly used in regions with poor soil quality like equatorial rainforests.

Step-by-step explanation:

Shifting cultivation, also known as slash-and-burn agriculture or swidden farming, is an agricultural practice where land is cultivated for a period of time, and then left to lie fallow. This allows wild vegetation to grow back naturally. The cycle typically involves clearing a piece of land by slashing the vegetation and burning it, planting on the cleared land for a few years, and then relocating to a new plot as soil fertility declines. This farming method is common in regions with poor soil quality, such as equatorial rainforests.

The correct option to describe shifting cultivation, based on the information provided, is B. abandoning land as soon as the soil begins to degrade. It's a process intended to be ecologically sustainable, allowing time for the soil to recover its nutrients naturally after a period of cultivation.

Answer 2

abandoning land as soon as the soil begins to degrade