These are some of the landscapes you can see in and around Meghalaya. Traditionally, the farmers here they say, mostly follow the art of Shifting Cultivation , also called " Jhum Cultivation " mainly because of the hilly terrain . They would cut down the trees and shrubs in a particular area, burn them and this would act like a manure for what ever they would cultivate for the year. Next year they would shift to another part and follow the same pattern. This , mainly because the soil in the same place loses its fertility and the cultivation is no longer as fruitful as the first year. But it is said that this method of cultivation is discouraged because apart from being out dated, a lot of forest area has to be cleared and the land becomes barren. It usually takes a long time for the soil to recover and be ready for another cultivation. The two most important crops usually cultivated is rice and maize.
