Terrace farming is usually performed for better efficiency, as it prevents the loss of nutrients in the soil.The invention of terrace farming has helped mountainous regions to grow necessary food. Terrace farming has many great advantages.Agriculture is the main source of food for the world. Earth has grown a lot and developed many new systems to increase agricultural production in order to feed the growing population of the world. Common land farming is the old method, which no doubt helps to grow crops in the world. However, something needed to be done in hilly areas.Hence, the idea of terrace agriculture and farming on hillsides was introduced. It increases land productivity and soil quality, and it makes it easy to work on growing crops and rice cultivation in mountainous terrain. Terrace farming has a lot more advantages than you might ever think. Terrace farming is not just for commercial purposes, but you can also set up terrace farming in gardens too.You can grow organic veggies in terrace gardens. The idea of terrace farming is implemented as it uses very little soil and yields a higher production value. By maintaining terrace farms in the right way, you can achieve huge success and amazing benefits.What is terrace farming?Terrace farming is the idea of farming in hilly areas or mountains. This is a farming practice that is done by cutting mountainous regions into flatbeds.These flatbeds are the areas where farmers then grow crops. Farmers in hillside regions confirm that the steeper the slope, the harder it is for you to work on it. It can become labor-intensive to work on a hillside without a proper plan.What crops can be grown by terrace farming?Many will surely be wondering about what crops can be grown in the mountains. The types of crops grown can be restricted in the mountains.The crops which are widely grown using the agricultural practice of farming terraces are paddy, berries, cereals, vegetables, flowers, medicinal plants, pulses, oilseeds, coloring plants, wheat, maize, rice, buckwheat, millets, spices, and grain amaranth.However, terrace farming is highly practiced in Asia. The staple food of Asian countries is rice, and hence you can find rice terraces throughout hilly lands. China has over 2,000 years of history of rice terraces since the Qin Dynasty. Still, you can find proper terrace cultivation and rice terraces in terrace fields in the region.Likewise, the Ifugao Rice Terraces in the Philippines are recognized as a UNESCO world heritage site, and these rice fields in a slope landscape allow for better water flows and other benefits, including soil conservation, reduced water loss, and enhanced vegetation and irrigation. The centuries-old terraced rice, maize and similar vegetation not only support humans but keep nature and trees intact as well.How does terrace farming works?The idea of terrace farming was created by the Incan people from the South American mountains. It is already known to everyone that terrace farming is done on mountain slopes where steps are made for cultivation.The main idea behind this type of farming is that, when it rains, it does not allow the water to run off with all the nutrients of the soil down the hill. Instead, the water will just pass them to the next step below. In this way, soil erosion can be controlled, and the distribution of nutrients can also be managed. Terrace farming is way more advantageous than you could ever imagine.The practice of terrace farming in agriculture can yield higher productivity, and it also increases the farmability of the land. It highly helps in water conservation. One of the biggest advantages of terrace farming is that it reduces the runoff of water and helps to minimize the wastage of water. It also contributes to the idea of rainwater harvesting. As earlier mentioned, terraced rice and similar concepts help in preventing soil erosion and improving irrigation. This is done by a decrease in the formation of rills around slopes.However, there have been some serious disadvantages of the terrace farming practice. The biggest disadvantage, which is also a challenge to the practice of terrace farming, is the problem of rainwater saturation. This type of farming also requires high labor in the management and construction of slopes. Also, when soil loses fertility, it is very difficult to raise plants due to the poor availability of agricultural inputs in the mountains. However, it supports humans living on hillsides.Terrace farming systems have been set up in countries like Japan, the Philippines, China, Oceania, Southeast Asia, Parts of Africa, and the Andes of South America. You can find rice terraces in these places. It has earlier been mentioned that the practice of level terraces reduces soil erosion. This is true as it helps in decreasing the surface runoff by slope length and traps useful sediments. The surface water is concentrated in the waterways in the area.Some Facts Related To Terrace FarmingThere are some awesome facts relating to terrace farming and agriculture practice that people will love to know.Potatoes, maize and other crops are also grown on terraces. The famous world heritage site of the Machu Picchu hills is known to have terraces for farming. This has really helped the soil to stabilize. Incan farmers in the Machu Picchu hills utilized tiers of agricultural terraces to better irrigate their fields and retain soil moisture. Rice terraces are maintained in the flat areas here. Terrace farming is usually practiced in the hilly terrains of the canary islands.From a different perspective, the Banaue rice terraces are recognized as the ‘Eighth Wonder of the World’. It is now a tourist spot for people to explore through hiking. Did you know that people migrating to urban areas caused this place to get into the UNESCO’s list of World Heritage in Danger?In 2012, terraces were removed due to a lack of strong management. Again, these terraces being more open to tourists and not residents is something to be concerned about. As an effort to improve this, the terraces are now being promoted for sustainable tourism.Is terrace farming important for kids?Kids are the future of the world. Hence, a knowledge of agricultural practices and the types of farming is essential for kids.You can even find some school curriculums teaching different types of farming methods to kids. No matter the farming method, they all have disadvantages, but terrace farming has helped people living in hilly terrains to grow and cultivate food.
Terrace farming is usually performed for better efficiency, as it prevents the loss of nutrients in the soil.
