Shifting Cultivation [Date]

Today I will: - Be introduced to the main characteristics of shifting

cultivation

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What is in the Rural Higher Unit?

There are three different types of farming studied in the Rural Unit.

1. Shifting Cultivation2. Intensive Peasant Farming

3. Extensive Commercial Farming

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For Shifting Cultivation (Amazon Rainforest) you must:

- Know the main features of the system. - Be able to describe the changes to the system and the effect this

has had on the people and landscape.

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One of the most primitive form of farming found on the earth, Shifting Agriculture still supports over 300 million people.

This type of farming has probably existed for over 10,000 years and was once very widespread – even found in stone-age Europe.

Largely replaced by fixed farming, it is now in danger of disappearing altogether. It is now found mainly in equatorial rainforest areas.

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Remote Tribe: BBC

There are many tribes that live in the Amazon rainforest. They have different cultures and traditions that are passed down for all Amazon tribes.

For example: Yanomami tribes are the largest tribe in the Amazon today

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Shifting Cultivation is a farming system which takes place in rainforests across the world.

Shifting = Moving

Cultivation = Farming

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1 2

3

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Questions 8, 9, 10 and 11 on page 267 of the Higher Textbook

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The main features/characteristics of shifting cultivation (Amazon Rainforest).

Think what happens here, what does it

look like…

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Case Study: Amazon Rainforest

Shifting cultivation is primarily found in the Amazon [1]. It is extensive [1] peasant farming – the system only supports low densities of population [1]. It is subsistence in nature (enough to feed the local community with little or nothing left as surplus to sell) [1]. Natural vegetation is cleared by felling and burning – ‘Slash and Burn’ technique [1]. They then use the ash from the tree burning to fertilise the soil. Fruit trees already growing (e.g. avocado) are left as a source of food [1]. A mixture of crops are planted in the clearing (e.g. yams, beans, manioc), using very little cultivation (no artificial fertiliser used) [2]. Crops needing most nutrients are planted first e.g. maize and soya [1]. As soil fertility falls less demanding crops are grown e.g. manioc. Once yields are low due to the soil becoming exhausted the clearing is then abandoned [1]. Natural vegetation is left to recolonise i.e. 'fallowing‘ [1].