iSee Rice Fields Sawah

Unique to the world, Bali's rice fields are managed through a system, not based on productivity, but on harmony ... At the heart of this system are the subak, a century old organisational structure that protects the balance between farmers, water and the gods. Membership is compulsory for any Bali farmer and decicions on rice planting, pest control, water access and harvesting are based on consensus and spirituality.

The subak system has always been the backbone of Balinese society. But as farmers can make more money selling their paddyfields than farming them, the custom is slowly fading.

In 2014 Bali’s subak system was inscribed in the UNESCO world heritage list. Across the island four different locations have been picked representing the four elements of the subak system: volcano lake Batur Pura (water source); Tampak Siring (water temple), Taman Ayun (water palace); and Jatuluwin (rice fields).