Paddy Field
A paddy field is a flooded parcel of arable land used for growing rice and other semiaquatic crops . Rice can also be grown in dry-fields, but from the twentieth century paddy field agriculture became the dominant form of growing rice. Paddy fields are a typical feature of rice -growing countries of east and southeast Asia , including Malaysia , Nepal , China , Sri Lanka , Myanmar , Thailand , Korea , Japan , Vietnam , Taiwan , Indonesia , India , and the Philippines . Paddy fields can be built adjacent to otherwise natural areas such as rivers or marshes . They can be constructed, often on steep hillsides with much labor and materials. The fields require large quantities of water for irrigation . Flooding provides water essential to the growth of the crop. Water also provides a favorable environment for the rice strains being grown as well as discouraging the growth of many species of weeds . The water buffalo is the only draft animal adapted for life in wetlands so