Shifting cultivation in Indonesia and Malaysia is called:

In Indonesia and Malaysia, shifting cultivation (slash and burn agriculture) is known as "Ladang". It is practised by indigenous communities in the tropical rainforests of Borneo (Kalimantan, Sarawak and Sabah), Sumatra and other islands.

How Ladang cultivation works:

• A patch of tropical rainforest is cleared by cutting down the trees and undergrowth, usually during the dry season.
• The dried vegetation is burnt, and the ash adds nutrients to the poor rainforest soil.
• Crops such as hill rice (dry rice), maize, cassava (tapioca), yams, bananas and vegetables are planted, often mixed together.

After two or three years, when the soil fertility declines and weeds increase, the farmers move to a new plot. The old plot is left fallow to regenerate into secondary forest.

The cycle may return to the same plot after many years.

Why shifting cultivation is common in rainforests:

• The soils of tropical rainforests are often poor, because heavy rain leaches nutrients out of the soil, and most nutrients are stored in the vegetation itself.
• Burning the vegetation releases these nutrients for crops for a short time.

Problems:

• With increasing population and shorter fallow periods, the forest cannot recover fully, leading to deforestation, soil erosion and loss of biodiversity.
• Large-scale forest burning, much of it now for commercial plantations (such as oil palm) rather than traditional farming, has caused severe haze episodes in South-East Asia.

Names of shifting cultivation in different regions:

• Ladang: Indonesia and Malaysia.
• Milpa: Mexico and Central America.
• Roca: Brazil.
• Conuco: Venezuela.
• Masole: Congo basin (Central Africa).
• Ray: Vietnam.
• Tamrai: Thailand.
• Caingin (kaingin): Philippines.
• Taungya (as a forestry system): Myanmar.
• Jhum: north-eastern India.

Primitive subsistence farming:

Shifting cultivation is considered one of the oldest forms of agriculture, along with nomadic herding. It is mainly for subsistence and uses simple tools.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Milpa is the name used in Mexico and Central America.
• ✗Roca is the name used in Brazil.
• ✗Conuco is the name used in Venezuela.