Terraced fields often resemble ladders arranged along contour lines on hillsides. They are effective measures to manage soil erosion in cultivated land while simultaneously playing a significant role in water storage, soil preservation, and production increase.
Terraced fields, characterized by their stepped or sloped sections, are a vital agricultural practice employed globally to combat soil erosion and optimize land use.
Terraces first appeared in prehistoric times. At first, people cleared forests or hilltops to create terraces for agricultural cultivation or defensive fortifications. Around the same time, these types of terraces began to appear around the world.
Because of the different natural geographical conditions, the number of labor force, the way of land use, and farming habits, the forms of built terraces are also different. Terraces are mainly divided into four types: horizontal, slope, reverse slope, and cross-slope terraces, each tailored to suit specific terrain and agricultural needs.
In many regions of the world, some terraces transform steep hillsides into cascading steps reminiscent of giants ascending to the sky. Terracing is one of the most amazing ways humans have altered the surface of the earth.
Planting crops in terraced fields, combined with farming techniques, can greatly increase yields. This has created a prerequisite for planting grass and trees in poor mountainous areas and promoting the all-round development of agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, and sideline industries.
Building terraced fields is one of the important measures to develop agricultural production. Terraced fields play a very prominent role in promoting agricultural development and improving the ecological environment in mountainous and hilly areas.
Terracing is a farming method that changes the surface shape. It not only provides a large amount of arable land but also becomes a beautiful scenery line, which makes people admire the diligence and wisdom of the working people.
In this context, several terraced landscapes stand out as iconic landmarks, attracting tourists from far and wide to marvel at their beauty and ingenuity.
<h3>1. Tegallalang Rice Terrace</h3>
The Tegallalang Rice Terrace in Indonesia attracts 3,000 tourists a day during the peak tourist season, where tourists can overlook the broad blue sky and green fields. In addition, the mountain paths here are also full of rows of landscape cafes and restaurants, and you can see the magnificent pastoral style when you enter.
The rice crops here are harvested three times a year. If you come in October, the rice crops have already grown tall, and you can see the lush green scenery like an oil painting.
<h3>2. Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras</h3>
Known as the "Eighth Wonder of the World", the Cordillera Rice Terraces are located in the Andes, 250 kilometers north of Manila. It is a land cleared by the indigenous tribes in the bare mountains for their livelihoods. For centuries, to prevent soil loss, the people of the Ifugao tribe have worked tirelessly to form dams with rocks, until they have become rice terraces now known as "the ladder to heaven".
Knowledge passed down from generation to generation, sacred traditions, and a delicate social balance make for a beautiful landscape that expresses the conquest and fusion between man and the environment.
<h3>3. Shiroyone Senmaida Rice Terraces</h3>
Noto is a tiny peninsula in Japan shaped like a crooked finger, known for its remote location and pristine unspoiled beauty. A terraced field by the sea on the Noto Peninsula is decorated with 20,000 LED bulbs, making it extremely dazzling at night. It is reported that the terraces are artificially cultivated and are home to organic crops as well as endangered species.
Terraced fields represent more than just agricultural landscapes; they embody the enduring spirit of humanity's quest for sustenance, harmony with nature, and artistic expression. As we continue to cherish and preserve these cultural treasures, we celebrate the timeless legacy of terracing as a symbol of human ingenuity and reverence for the land.
