Final answer:
The process of cultivating crops on the sides of hills to maximize land area is called terrace farming. It is a method that creates flat areas along hill slopes, which makes efficient agricultural use of challenging landscapes and helps in preserving soil fertility.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process of cultivating crops on the sides of hills to maximize land area is known as terrace farming. This method involves carving out flat areas or terraces along the slopes, which allows for efficient use of hilly landscapes for agriculture. Terrace farming is particularly effective in regions where flat land is scarce and prevents soil erosion while making irrigation more manageable.
The practice of crop rotation refers to the rotating use of different fields for crops each year to avoid exhausting the soil and rests on the principle of allowing time for land to regain its fertility. While sustenance farming is about producing just enough food for the farmer's family, often using minimal external inputs, commercial farming involves farming primarily for sale and typically on a larger scale.
Historically, sustainable farming practices such as horticulture, terrace farming, and crop rotation have been essential to maintain nutrient cycles and soil fertility, ensuring long-term arability of lands. In contrast, conventional agriculture like the use of soil tilling could be considered more indicative of non-sustainable practices.