The Goddess of the Lake blesses the farmers with precious water, but how should it be shared?
For centuries, farmers have practiced cooperative management of rice terraces to sustain good harvests. In theory, upstream farmers, who are closer to the main water source, could maximize their harvests by using more water. However, this would be unfair to their downstream neighbors, who would receive less water. By managing their irrigation systems to benefit everyone, the subaks can ensure fairness and also manage rice pests.
Rice is vulnerable to many pests, including rats, insects and diseases. To combat this, subak meetings provide an opportunity for farmers to avoid pest damage by eliminating their habitats. If farmers plant and harvest their crops at different times without cooperating with their neighbors, rice pests can easily migrate from one field to another after each harvest and increase in number. Conversely, harvesting at the same time allows farmers to leave their fields flooded, depriving the pests of food. It is only through cooperation and careful planning that farmers can ensure there is enough water for everyone to start planting at the same time, minimizing losses to pests.
Step into the role of a rice farmer and try solving this problem yourself in this interactive game.