Do farmers use terracing for coffee?

Hey Yker, Terracing is a farming practice commonly used on steep or mountainous terrain. It helps both the heavy rainfall from causing soil erosion as well as not enough rainfall preventing the crops from growing. Overall, it promotes more effective farming. When using terrace farming, the surface is divided into flat ascending planes that resemble steps. This method is popular to support crops that need irrigation and is often used for farming rice, but also wheat and barley. The method is most popular in Southeast Asia but is also used in some parts of the Mediterranean for vineyards or olives. Farmers don't use terracing at coffee plantations. The traditional way of planting coffee is in rows, leaving around 3 metres between the rows of trees. It is recommended to dig holes two months before starting your plantation to loosen the soil. The planting is best done during the rainy season and can be started in nurseries before the coffee cherries are transported to their final destination. Most coffee plantations use monoculture farming, where only one type of crop is grown at a plantation, which can lead to a lack of diversity. In its natural environment, Arabica grows under trees and in the shade. In today’s plantations, coffee is often exposed to the constant sun, which makes it more vulnerable to disease.