For centuries, Bali's iconic terraced rice fields did much more than produce food. They formed part of an ingenious irrigation network that distributed water across the island, sustained farming communities and helped maintain ecological balance. Today, however, that centuries-old system is under increasing pressure. As tourism expands and urban development accelerates, thousands of hectares of rice fields have disappeared, groundwater is becoming harder to access and many communities are now paying for water that was once naturally available.
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