What is Inca terrace farming?
The Incas carved out these bench terraces, or andenes, to create level platforms for growing crops on the steep slopes of the Andes. The bench terraces shown here are located at Machu Picchu and would have been used to provide maize or potatoes for this remote city.
How did the Incas use terrace farming?
To solve this problem, the Inca used a system known as terrace farming. They built walls on hillsides and filled them with soil to make terraces. Terraces are wide steps on the side of mountains. Without the terraces, the mountainous landscape would have been too steep for farmers to water, plow, and harvest.
Is terrace farming still used today?
Today, modern farmers are returning to the terrace farming practices used thousands of years ago as a more practical and productive way to raise the most food with the least water. Tea farmers also take advantage of terrace farming.
What are advantages of terrace farming?
In particular, terrace agriculture: Increases farmability and land productivity of sloped fields. Contributes to water conservation: slows down and reduces water runoffs, improves rainwater harvesting. Prevents soil erosion by decreasing rill formations.
What pros does terrace farming offer to the Inca people?
The purpose of the terrace is to maximize arable lands and prevent erosion and water loss. The complementation of terracing with the irrigation system had allowed the Inca to reclaim much of the slopes of the Andes for crop cultivation.
Is terrace farming better?
Terraces reduce both the amount and velocity of water moving across the soil surface, which greatly reduces soil erosion. Terracing thus permits more intensive cropping than would otherwise be possible.
How is terrace farming useful?
Is terrace farming expensive?
Terraces are one way to control soil erosion. Crop rotation and tillage practices also control erosion. Terraces do require high capital investments, however. Costs may range from $100 to $250 per acre, depending on the type of terrace system.
Is terrace farming good or bad?
Terracing is one of the oldest means of saving soil and water. Existing literature and information shows that terraces can considerably reduce soil loss due to water erosion if they are well planned, correctly constructed and properly maintained. If not maintained, they can provoke land degradation.
What are the pros and cons of terrace farming?
The primary advantage of terraces is improved soil erosion control. Secondary advantages of terraces include elimination of grass waterways that can be difficult to maintain and reductions in flooding. Disadvantages include the capital cost of building terraces, and the time required to maintain terraces.