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What is terrace cultivation in the hills of Mizoram?

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Map highlighting the northeastern Indian state of Mizoram in orange, with its capital Aizawl marked. Surrounding countries including Bangladesh, Myanmar, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and the Maldives are shown in relation to India, with major bodies of water like the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, and Indian Ocean labeled. — Mizoram Mizoram, India.

In the hills of Mizoram, terrace cultivation is a method of agriculture where crops are planted on relatively permanent, graduated terraces constructed into the sides of hills and mountains.1

This practice serves two primary environmental purposes: it helps to conserve water and reduces soil loss caused by erosion on steep slopes. Along with shifting agriculture—locally known as jhum—terrace cultivation is one of the two main agricultural systems practiced in the region to maximize arable land in its variable, mountainous terrain.123