Final answer:
Slash-and-burn agriculture, also known as swidden or milpa farming, is an agricultural pattern practiced in equatorial rainforest climates. It involves cutting down patches of forest, burning the vegetation to add nutrients to the soil, and then moving to a new field after a few years. This farming method requires much land but minimal labor and is characterized as a land extensive farming system.
Step-by-step explanation:
Slash-and-burn agriculture, sometimes referred to as swidden or milpa farming, is an agricultural pattern practiced in equatorial rainforest climates where poor soils support only small populations. In this type of farming, farmers cut down patches of forest and burn the vegetation to add nutrients to the soil. The burnt ashes are then used as fertilizer. After a few years, the soil becomes infertile, and farmers must move to a nearby field and repeat the process. This type of farming requires much land but minimal labor, making it a land extensive farming system. It is also caloric efficient, meaning it requires little effort to produce a crop.