Shifting cultivation commonly known as slash and burn agriculture, is believed to be originated during the Neolithic period around 7000 B.C. It was a remarkable innovation during primitive culture and regarded as the first step in transition from food gathering to food production. Yet this system of farming is still practiced in different parts of the world. It has been estimated that about 200 million people, 7% of mankind of the world is still practicing this type of cultivation in about 300 million ha. of various land i.e. 5% of cultivated soil throughout the world. In India around two million tribal people cultivated approximately 11 million hectare of land under shifting cultivation. In North-East India over a 100 of tribal ethnic minorities are practicing shifting cultivation and in certain parts of this region it is practised not only by the tribal minorities but also by the landless people and lowland migrants. According to the report of National Commission on Agriculture ( 1976), 49 ,2000 tribal families of this region are involved in Jhumming and the total area affected by this practice is 26,94,000 ha. A recent study based on satellite data carried out by the Assarn Remote Sensing Application Center (ASTC Council, 1996) shows that in the Karbi Anglong District of ASSAM the area under current Jhum has increased from 13583 ha ( 1.302% of total geographical area) in 1986-87 to 69125 ha (6.62% of total geographical area) in 1993-94. The corresponding figures for the N.C. Hills district are 22,807 ha (4.67% of total geographical area) and 69447 ha (14.21% of geographical area) in 1986-87 and 1993-94 respectively. The practice of shifting cultivation was not harmful or was considered rather useful during the time when it was started. Least disturbance to soil, natural fertility build up of soil, mixed cropping on slopes under purely rainy conditions and dependenceslopes underpurely rairiyconditions and dependence of local resources, were some of its merits. When the system emerged there was no population pressure and the cycle of rotation was 10 to 20 years or above, thus leaving enough time for the soil to revive. Due to increase in population, and non-availability of land, the cultivation cycle nowadays has reduced to 3-6years, thus resulting into a large scale damage to the forests which leads deforestation and denudation of hill slopes. In the north eastern region, however, secondary succession is quick to take place, but in most cases the area is occupied by weeds, useless shrubs, tall grasses and different species of bamboos. After the land is abandoned it is rarely occupied by the original vegetation. More commonly due to xerophytic condition, evergreen trees and shrubs are replaced by the weeds, bamboo and coarse grasses Pioneer species such as MaCaranga and Trema spp. often occupy the abandoned areas. With large scale deforestation in shifting cultivation there occurs undesirable ecological imbalance. At the very beginning of this process just after cutting and burning the organic matter, the soil erosion is started through the slopes. Jungle cutting, burning, clearing and dibbling of seeds accounted fora considerable amount of loose soil material, ashes and soil clods to roll down the foothills. The studies indicate that shifting cultivation leads to(a) lowering of organic content (b) decreasing the available phosphorus, potassium and magnesium (c) lowering the total quantity of sesquioxides, iron, aluminium, calcium, potassium, phosphorus etc. (d)affecting adversely the cation exchange capacity and physical properties i. e. water holding capacity and field capacity and increasing the pH and reducing microbial activity (FAO, 1981). The soil fertility decreases rapidly in the second year and is very poor in the third year. The cultivation during the third year and beyond is usually uneconomical. Moreover, a large number of important tree species, valuable wild life, wiLd plants representing great diversity of gene pool, rare orchids are loss during the process of shifting cultivation. Although shifting cultivation is primitive as well as labour intensive and ecologically imbalance farming system yet it is very difficult to change traditional shifting cultivators even if we provide all the modern farm inputs. Firstly it is very deeprooted and secondly it is a part of socio-cultural life of the tribal people which is linked to their religious rites and festivals. Thus to replace jhuming with alternate system of farming should be taken up on a priority basis in areas where the jhuming cycle has come down to 3-5 years. In the areas where the cycle is 6 years and above, the improvement approach may be introduced immediately so as to gradually shift to alternate farming system which include terracing of the land, afforestation of the upper hill areas undertaking of plantation of each crop etc. and should also include three tier system, viz, forestry, silvipasture/horticulture and agriculture. However, a massive awareness programme, survey for scientific land use accompanied by well conceived watershed management must be taken up simultaneously. Studies on various alternative farming system to shifting cultivation indicates that agriculture with bench terrace and contour bunds as conservation base can provide stable alternative to switch over from shifting to permanent agriculture system. Given the new technology for the use of lands for developing extensive forestry, tree culture and animal husbandry and the support which the states can provide to help them in converting their labour into capital assets, the shifting cultivators can attain a higher status of living within a reasonable time. It will also help the cultivator families to build up a new economic system which is nearest to their tradition. Thus the cultivator will be able to bypass the processes of deprivation and unpleasant tasks when they are faced with sudden change in their life without adequate preparation.