Taungya word derived from Burmese word, consisting of “Taung” means hill and “Ya” means cultivation i.e. cultivation in the hills.
Image Source: i.ytimg.com
Definition:
Taungya is also a shifting cultivation in which cultivators are allowed to plant forest tree sp and to raise agriculture crops in between rows of forest trees simultaneously and cleared for about 3-5 years. Thereafter shift to another patch of land.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Aim: Wood and food production.
History:
(1) First started in Burma in 1850 (teak plantation).
(2) Java in 1856.
(3) In India this was introduced by Brandis in 1863.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
(4) In India first plantation raised in North Bengal in 1863
Types of Taungya:
(1) Departmental taungya
(2) Leased taungya (3) Village taungya
Crops grown in taungya system in India:
| State | Tree crop | Associated agricultural crop |
| Uttar Pradesh | Sal tree | Maize, Paddy |
| Andhra Pradesh | Cashew, Teak | Hill Paddy, Ground Nut |
| Kerela | Teak, Eucaly ptus | Paddy, Ginger |
| Assam | Sal tree | Paddy |
| Tamil Nadu | Teak, Bamboo | Millet, Pulses |
| West Bengal | Teak, Sal tree | Paddy, Maize |
Merits:
1. Suppression of weed and climbers.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
2. Regeneration of forest species in cheap.
3. Employment opportunity to rural people.
4. Full fertilization of available land for production of food crops.
5. Increase forest wealth.
Demerits:
1. Erosion and soil fertility loss.
2. Exploitation of human labour.
3. Danger of epidemics.
4. Forest trees are not cared.
5. Cultivators may claim legal right on land.
6. Insecure land tenure.