What farming methods have traditionally been used by the Dai people of Yunnan?

The Dai people of Yunnan, who primarily inhabit the province's semitropical lowlands, have traditionally practiced paddy (wet-field) rice cultivation.1

While other groups in the region, such as the Hmong (Miao) and Mien (Yao), historically utilized shifting or slash-and-burn agriculture, the Dai are noted for their sedentary, wet-field farming methods. This approach is well-suited to the low-lying valleys of southern Yunnan, where the climate supports the intensive production of rice.12