Banaue Rice Terraces

Mountainside rice terraces carved by hand by the Ifugao people some 2,000 years ago.

Water for the fields comes down from the rainforests above through an ancient irrigation system. People still plant rice and vegetables on the terraces today. The terraces are often said to be around 2,000 years old, but some researchers believe they were built much later. Rice itself is an ancient crop of the Philippines, and the terraces show the skill and patience of the Ifugao people.

Who looks after them?

The terraces are in Ifugao province, and the Ifugao people are their caretakers. Ifugao culture revolves around rice, including a black rice variety called kalinayan, and there are many festivals tied to growing and eating it.

The harvest season brings thanksgiving feasts, followed by a rest day called tango or tungul, when farm work is strictly forbidden. Rice wine, rice cakes and betel nut are part of the celebrations.

Are the terraces in danger?

Keeping the steps in shape takes constant care. Many young people prefer jobs in tourism to farming, and the characteristic steps slowly erode when they are not repaired.

Giant earthworms, rodents and snails also damage the terraces. In 2010 a drought dried them out completely in March. Some conservationists even argue they are no longer real rice terraces, because more vegetables are now planted instead of rice.

On the globe

The model shows green stepped terraces climbing the mountainside.