Rice Cultivation in Bali

Bali’s mountain lakes feed the river’s and streams 365 days a year (or 210 days a year depending on who’s calendar you use). Intense tropical sunlight, plus rich volcanic soil makes Bali ideal for rice production.

Rice terraces are synonymous with Bali and the dominant part of the scenery. Film makers Lawrence Blair first came to Bali in the 70’s, and commented that he was immediately captivated, by the way the people interacted harmoniously with the land. Rice farming in Bali dates back to Neolithic times. Bali’s steep mountains and deep gorges make wet rice farming difficult, so the Balinese have developed an intricate system of terraced rice fields, governed by a subak (water sharing community).