Suggested citation: Ananayo,Z.(2009). Rice Terrace Construction and Maintenance. Nurturing Indigenous Knowledge Experts among the younger generations, Phase 3. nikeprogramme.net. https://nikeprogramme.net/?p=364
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Indigenous Approach To Rice Terrace Building And Maintenance
The Ifugao approaches terrace building with respect to the agricultural cycle. By evaluating the topography, vegetation, water resource, and availability of building materials, he plans the land use, irrigation and drainage channeling, and work phasing in July to October bearing in mind to finish the construction in time for the planting season in November to early December (Guimbatan, 2003).
Because water supply is very much needed during and after the construction of a ricefield, it is the main consideration when selecting a construction site. The indigenous rice variety (Tinawon) requires that the field be inundated throughout the cropping season just as the pondfield needs to be filled with water the whole year round to stabilize the slopes or to prevent erosion.
Soil type should also be suited for rice production. In the Kiangan area, farmers prefer two types of soil, namely: clay (pidot) and loam (mahalibukag). Furthermore, the terrain is also considered as this affects the ease of construction and maintaining the paddy. For instance, very steep slopes are very vulnerable to landslides and render it difficult to clean its walls. The terrain also affects the area of the paddy. It is observed that where the slopes are steep, the paddies are narrower and where the slopes are gentler, the paddies are wider (Buyuccan, 2009).
Unfinished construction work and repair are done quickly in the early planting season when the seedlings are prepared for transplanting. Thereafter, irrigations are maintained and terraces are guarded from possible erosion from the planting season to harvest season. Eroded terrace parts and slumps caused by sudden rainstorms are only repaired after harvest season. After harvest, evaluations begin again and the cycle continues.
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