Jhum Cultivation Among the Maring Naga Tribe of Manipur (Towards Food Security and Ecological Sustainability)

Jhum or shifting cultivation has been a traditional agricultural activity in tribal society since time immemorial. Today, it become one of the hot debates as it is blame to be responsible as for ecological crisis, global warming, climate change etc. all over the world. Here, the author clearly present jhum or shifting cultivation as an ecological sustainability and comparatively critique the Modern Industrial Society and it's impacts towards the ecological crisis. The readers will reflect the implications of both jhum or shifting cultivation and development of modern science and technology towards the ecological crisis.

Rev. K. Kothil Maring, hailing from Leibi Village (Manipur), is at present teaching at Manipur Theological College, Mission Compound Kangpokpi.

His Theological studies began at the Manipur Theological College from Bachelor of Theology (BTh). Then he moved out to Clark Theological College, Mokokchung, to study Bachelor of Divinity (BD). He graduated Master of Theology (MTh) in Social Analysis at Tamilnadu Theological Seminary, Madurai. Presently, he is pursuing Ph.D degree in theology at Martin Luther Christian University, Shillong.

Maring Naga is one of the distinctive frontier tribes in Manipur. Maring society is a communitarian as well as an egalitarian society. They fully depend on the natural resources for their livelihood but in the process of globalization the traditional values has devalued the society. The entire social life of the people depend on land as a gift from God but with the advancement of science and technology the traditional agricultural system has been affected in the Maring community living.

Statement of the Problem: Jhum cultivation has been the traditional agricultural activity for centuries and a source of income and livelihood for Maring Naga Tribe of Manipur. This method can effectively address the issue of food security and ecological sustainability. It has been the source of socio-cultural, political, economic, customs, religious life, social relationship and unity of Maring tribe.

Elaboration of the Problem: Jhum cultivation is known as slash and burn method or shifting cultivation, which has been under continues scanner for its productivity and ecological viability. This form of cultivation has been a traditional system in almost all the North Eastern States of India and in some other parts of the world. Jhum cultivation is a rotation system of agriculture activities, after seven years gap the farmers come back to the same place where they cultivated earlier.

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