Step farming in Sri Lanka.
STEP FARMING
If you planted seeds on the side of a hill, what would happen to them
during a heavy rainstorm? Chances are, the rainwater running down the
hillside would take the dirt and seeds with it.
In Asia, there is a great deal of rain during the rainy season. There,
when people who live on hillsides want to plant a crop, they must
prepare the hill so that the heavy rains won’t wash away the dirt and
seeds.
One way they prepare their land is to make terraces. Terraces are flat,
wide rows of dirt built on hillsides. A terraced hillside looks like a
staircase with wide steps. The farmers dig ditches in the terraces and
plant the seeds. When it rains, the terrace holds the water so it can
soak into the ground instead of washing away the dirt and seeds. The
water will then help the plants grow on the terraces.
Step farming in the Philippines.
