Question

What is the impact of jhumming on soil erosion?

Answer 1

Jhumming dramatically accelerates soil erosion by exposing vulnerable topsoil on steep hillsides to heavy rainfall.

1. Loss of Canopy Protection: Removing trees eliminates the natural leaf canopy, allowing heavy monsoon raindrops to strike and loosen the soil directly.
2. Destruction of Root Systems: Burning the undergrowth damages the root networks that physically tie soil particles together, leaving the earth loose and unstable.
3. Increased Surface Runoff: Without vegetation to absorb moisture or slow water movement, rainwater rushes down hill slopes, sweeping away nutrients and topsoil.
4. Siltation of Water Bodies: Displaced soil washes into lower valleys, clogging local rivers and lakes with sediment and increasing the likelihood of downstream flooding.
5. The Impact of Shortened Cycles: Because population growth has reduced fallow cycles from 20 years to only 2-3 years, the land never has enough time to restore vegetation, resulting in irreversible soil degradation.