What farming system uses stepped fields up a mountain, typically for rice cultivation?

• A. Terrace farming
• B. Slash and burn agriculture
• C. Irrigation
• D. Desertification

Answer: (A)

Terrace farming uses stepped fields carved into a mountainside to create flat land for crops such as rice. These level benches hold water and allow paddies to be flooded and drained, which is essential for rice cultivation, while also slowing runoff and reducing soil erosion on steep slopes. The other terms describe different concepts: slash-and-burn is shifting cultivation in tropical forests, irrigation is a water-management technique rather than a complete system on slopes, and desertification is the process of land degradation. Terrace farming specifically matches the need to farm on mountainous terrain with water-intensive crops like rice, making it the best fit.