From the archive record
Note the elaborate irrigation systems in place, even as the farmers conduct a more traditional manual form of farming... A paddy field is a flooded parcel of arable land used for growing rice and other semiaquatic crops. Paddy fields are a typical feature of rice farming in east, south and southeast Asia. Paddies can be built into steep hillsides as terraces and adjacent to depressed or steeply sloped features such as rivers or marshes. They can require a great deal of labor and materials to create, and need large quantities of water for irrigation. Flooded paddies provide an ideal environment for rice cultivation and discourage the growth of many weeds. Oxen and water buffalo are one of the most important working animals adapted for life in wetlands, and are used extensively in paddy fiel