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What is slash and burn? According to encyclopedia Britannica, slash and burn is a simple method of cultivation in which forests are burned and cleared, usually in preparation for root and tuber farming. In the Caribbean slash and burn is a well-known cultivation method traditionally practiced by indigenous people and is still in some area still being practiced. Slash and burn has throughout the years influenced many countries whether geographically or "culturally" and can be seen as bad and/good depending on one’s point of view.

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Slash and Burn

Slash and Burn is a farming method that involve the cutting and burning of plants in a forest or woodland to create a field called a swidden. (Swidden is an area of land cleared for cultivation by slashing and burning of vegetation).

The slash and burn practice were originated in Russian in the region of Novgorod; this is a method of agriculture primarily used by tropical-forest root crop farmers in various parts of the world, and tribal communities for subsistence farming. Human have practiced this method for about 12,000 years, ever since the transition known as the Neolithic Revolution or agricultural Revolution.  The Neolithic Revolution is the critical transition that resulted in the birth of agriculture when human stop hunting and gathering and started to stay put and grow crops.

The purpose of the slash and burn

The slash is permitted to dry and then the burned in the following dry season. The resulting ash fertilizes the soil and the burned field is then planted at the beginning of the next rainy season with crops.

How is slash and burn done:

Ø  Prepare the field by cutting down vegetation;( plants that provides food or timber maybe let standing)

Ø  The downed vegetation is allowed to dry until just before the rainiest part of the year to ensure an effective burn

Ø  The plot od land is burned to remove vegetation, drive away pests, and provide a burst of nutrients for planting

Ø  Planting is done directly in the ashes left after the burn

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-Slash and burn agriculture would have impacted the 'learning society of the Caribbean region. One which advocates for the enhancement and advancement in learning.

- The Caribbean region has become more aware of the 'upshots' wrought by slash and burn agriculture on the environment as well as the health of its members. Hence, institutions that function as vehicles to educate their citizens about more safe and sustainable methods of agriculture have been developed.

- For example, CARDI, "The Caribbean agricultural development institute", is a branch of CARICOM. CARDI was developed in 1975 and bears the objective to "contribute to the agricultural development by conducting research and by exposing farmers and other persons in agriculture to appropriate technologies."

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Burning vegetation residues after slashing exposes the soil surface to direct contact with rain. Exposed soil surface erode easily with rainfall impact leaving gullies on your field. Erosion takes away the fertile topsoil of your field. More so, you expose the soils and wind can easily erode them too. The major disadvantage of this method is deforestation. Though the ashes may increases the soil fertility, it may remain fertile for only a short span of time. After which the farmer has to search a new land, uproot the trees and proceed with farming. Following are some of the disadvantages of slash and burn agriculture.
1.This type of agriculture can quickly degrade large areas of forests.
2.It can cause a threat to the surrounding forests as the fire may spread and lead to dangerous forest fires.
Advantages of slash and burn Farmers benefits from the slash and burn method of agriculture the particular reason for the circumstance it is a cheap fast method of cleaning land for planting new crops, ashes from the burnt trees provide nutrients of the soil and it reduces the occurrence of pests and plant diseases. It allows farming to be conducted in regions that is normally not associated with practice. It helps to temporarily boost the fertility of a region. When done properly, slash and burn provides communities with a source of food and income.

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In Jamaica, slash and burn is one of the most common methods of clearing land for agricultural use. Open fires without a permit are unlawful in Jamaica, according to the Country Fire Act, and a person can be prosecuted for doing so.
Anyone who sets fire to trash on private property without giving seven days' notice to the nearest police station's officer or sub-officer in charge, as well as the occupiers of all adjoining lands within a half-mile radius, and fails to clear an open space of at least 15 feet in width around the trash and remove all flammable material, commits an offense. The act goes on to specify that anyone who sets fire to crops is guilty of an infraction, with the exception of sugar cane, which must be cleared of any vine or insect.
Without a permit, slash and burn is prohibited, and you might be fined as well as imprisoned for up to three months.

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In Conclusion, though slash and burn has significantly influenced the agricultural aspect of the Caribbean, its negative effects on the land, severely outweighs its advantages.

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Arvelo( 1992) Historia de Santo Domingo 3,000 AC- 1536 AD(https://www.historiadesantodomingo.com/index.php/chapter4)
https://jfb.gov.jm/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/jfb_act_countryfires.pdf

https://caricom.org/institutions/caribbean-agricultural-develpment-institute-cardi/

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D. 4. Taino Village. Taken from the archeological investigations of the Atajadizo, on the beaches of the Yuma River, D.R.
1. Bohios 2. Caney 3. Ceremonial Plaza 4. Cemetery 5. Mounds System 6. Barbecue 7. Yuma River

The Agricultural Society

The original farming system that the Arawaks brought to the Antilles was called slash-and-burn cultivation, which consists in cutting and burning trees in a designated area which is later fertilized the with the trees' ashes. As well as lands dedicated to a single crop, the natives utilized smaller plots of land that were called conucos, where they would simultaneously grow the principal staples of their daily diet: root crops like yautia, mapuey, batata, and the beloved yuca ( Manihot utilissima).

As expressed by historian Bernardo Vega, "the combination of slash and burn and conuco, both with Taino roots, has been the most common agricultural technique in our country's history." ¹ and further expresses "this creates the problem that, after the plot has been used, it is abandoned for a new plot." In Pre-Columbian time, the great abundance of forests with a prudent amount of cultivators, made it possible for nature to reclaim the used plots naturally. Presently, after centuries of indiscriminate logging exploitation, the farmer tradition of the slash and burn farming without any planning contribute to a terrible deforestation problem for the Dominican Republic.

A great advance in the cultivating techniques of the Taino period was the use of mound cultivation system, known as mounds system, which consists of using the piles or mounds formed from years of conch and other food debris to cultivate in. If they didn't have the shell mounds, they would create one by piling quality dirt until it measured approximately, around 12 feet in diameter and 4 feet high.

Farming in this way, they obtained a significant yield increase, since the earth didn't erode, maintained the humidity for a long time and was fertilized with animal and vegetable scraps which made an excellent fertilizer. Some mounds were moved at the end of the harvest which facilitated the recycling of the soil, making this cultivation system one of the few with some semblance of environmental conservation.

It is important to mention the importance of the mound system in the productive emancipation of the Taino, so much so, that as Prof. Roberto Cassa points out, "the large yield of this system made it so that the Taino population had to invest very little time to worry about nourishment and was left with plenty of leisure time to dedicate to other activities." ²

The Tainos also used an irrigation technique, found specially in some South western areas of the island. Their farming instruments included the axe made from stone and the "", a kind of wooden trowel with a sharpened point used for digging.

Like the majority of agricultural cultures, planting was done during the new moon cycle, which is believed to induce faster growth. The harvest was collective in nature, as described by Hernando Columbus when he sites "As soon as they entered in the home some of the Indians that the Admiral had taken with him to the Isabela, they grabbed whatever they liked best, without the owners showing any sign of discord, as if it was all common." ³

RELATED SOURCES
Link to BBC article about the influence of the Taino language to the rest of the world. BBC Caribbean Indigenous Legacies Project

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D. 4. Taino Village. Taken from the archeological investigations of the Atajadizo, on the beaches of the Yuma River, D.R.1. Bohios 2. Caney 3. Ceremonial Plaza 4. Cemetery 5. Mounds System 6. Barbecue 7. Yuma River The Agricultural Society The original farming system that the Arawaks brought to the...

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·  As implied by the introduction, slash and burn agriculture is a relatively simple method to facilitate the yielding of quality produce. It has been used for centuries and is still used today, but more so on a lesser scale due to its environmental implications, as well as from a lack of mechanization.

. In the scope of the Caribbean space, slash and burn dates back to the pre-Columbian era i.e the period when the varied groups of Indigenous peoples were the sole constituents of the demographic element, of the region.

. How this method has impacted Caribbean society and culture, however, can be interpreted through the lens of the continuity of time and space in the learning society as well as the Institutions which prescribe behavior with relevance to culture.

.Prior to the European-tailored system of productions, that being the plantation system and failed attempts of indentureship, where the heavy emphasis was placed on culture, Indigenous groups, for instance, the Taino were able to yield varied produce which aided in the sustainability of their society.

The Europeans saw this, and adopted slash and burn agriculture in their systems, which is how the method has survived for so long a time.

Some of these products included: Cassava, Corn, Sweet potatoes, beans, chili pepper, sweet pepper, etc.

. These crops mentioned are mere examples of the variety and quality produce which are present in our Caribbean markets today. Crops have contributed to the economic depth in crop exports and in the tourism industry.

Nonetheless, in light of the repercussions imposed by slash and burn agriculture on the environment, this is where the learning society and the institutions which prescribe behavior come into play.

. The Caribbean region has become more aware of the 'upshots' wrought by slash and burn agriculture on the environment as well as the health of its members. Hence, institutions that function as vehicles to educate their citizens about more safe and sustainable methods of agriculture have been developed.

. For example CARDI, "The Caribbean agricultural development institute", is a branch of CARICOM. CARDI was developed in 1975 and bears the objective to "contribute to the agricultural development by conducting research and by exposing farmers and other persons in agriculture to appropriate technologies."