Want to know what terrace farming is? Do you own hilly lands which are causing problems growing crops? Read on! Terrace farming might be the solution to your problem.
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Terrace Farming | Top 10 Most Beautiful Farm Across the Globe
What Is Terrace Farming
People are always searching for ways to adapt to their environment for survival and terrace farming is another great way that we have developed to grow crops in hilly or steep-sloping lands.
Farmers who've done terrace farming around the world developed terrace farming that consists of different steps or terraces.
It made using low walls of earth up the side of the hills which allow the farmers to make flat areas for planting crops.
Terrace fields allow the soil to remain in place but let water flows down the hill to allow different areas to be dry or wet at any given time.
Through terrace farming soil erosion was prevented, rain and run-off water were conserved and the idle hillside became productive and livable.
Likewise, terrace farming provides vital products for local people as it also highlights the most beautiful landscapes around the world.
Let’s take a tour across the world and discover the most spectacular landscapes created by terrace farming.
1. Banaue Rice Terraces
The Banaue Rice Terraces were named as the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995, and are known as the eighth wonder of the world. It is located in the heartlands of the Cordilleras mountains of the Philippines.
The Banaue Rice Terraces fields were carved out by hand by the Ifugao tribes and are thought to have been successfully producing rice for almost 2,000 years.
2. Machu Picchu
Who would not be amazed at Machu Picchu? It is one of the most spectacular and impressive ancient sites in the world.
Machu Picchu’s narrow steps were made from stone blocks, with thousands of pathways and terraces, connecting plazas, cemeteries, and buildings.
3. Douro Valley
Douro Valley is part of northern Portugal and known as the home of port wine. The hillside of Douro Valley is veiled with terrace grounds of vines tripping down to its river banks.
It becomes a spectacular display of colors all year long as the vines grow.
4. Inca Pisac
The Inca Pisac was built by the Incas and is still being utilized today. The mountainous terraces of Inca Pisac were made of 16 different cultivation areas.
The terraces include religious temples, military citadel, and homestead and oversee the Sacred Valley of the Salkantay Mountains.
5. Sa Pa Terraces
Sa Pa Terraces are among the most visited tourist destination in Vietnam which are located in Muong Hoa valley. This is in between Sa Pa district and the Fansipan Mountain not far from the Chinese border.
The local mountain people grow vegetables, corn, and rice on these terraces. However, because of the climate, it can only produce one rice harvest per year.
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6. Hani Terraces
Hani Terraces are also carved by hand by the Hani people. Situated below the villages on the side of the Ailao Mountains in Yuanyang.
These terrace fields provide enough rice and fish for hundreds of thousands of people for over 1,000 years. Its rice terraces is a lush tropical paradise that is flooded with tourists from December to March for a spectacular view.
7. Salinas De Maras
Salinas de Maras or the Inca salt pans are known to be producing salts for centuries. Just like Asian rice terraces, these salt terraces are passed on through generations.
It consists almost 3,000 man-made terrace salt pans that when reflected with the sunset it makes the salt pans to appear like it is made of gold. So if you have plans to visit, do it right before the sunsets.
8. Choquequirao
Choquequirao meaning Cradle of Gold is another Peruvian terrace agricultural site. It is situated at the boundary of Cuzco and Apurimac and is made of 180 steps which are built completely different from the Machu Picchu style.
You can only reach Choquequirao on a horseback or by foot, that is why it is less visited compared with Machu Picchu. If you are at Cachora, it would take you four days to reach Choquequirao.
9. Bali Rice Terraces
The Bali Rice Terraces were also carved by hand with the help of basic tools and are carried out by generations.
In Bali, they have a well-organized social order called Subak who manages the irrigation strictly on schedule and are fairly distributing the water.
10. Longji Terraces
Longji meaning the Dragons' Backbone was built more than five hundred years ago. The Longji Terraces were located in Longsheng which is about 2 hours away from Guilin.
Longji Terraces are the answer to Longing's limited agricultural land and water supply.
Watch this video by National Geographic for a sneak peek of the Banaue Rice Terraces also known as the eighth wonders of the world:
There you have it! Terrace farming is definitely a perfect way to transform that hilly inhospitable land into bountiful crop-producing lands to support humans.
Will you give terrace farming a try and start planting crops on the hilly side of your land? Let us know in the comments section below!
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Editor’s Note – This post was originally published on November 21, 2019, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.
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