Challenges of Early Farming
In the early days of settlement, techniques such as helicopter-assisted direct seeding and the use of large agricultural machinery were introduced.
However, the direct-seeded rice often failed to germinate because the seeds were buried in sludge, and many crops fell over due to shallow roots.
As a result, traditional hand planting was used for a time, until rice planting machines were eventually intr oduced.
Additionally, the large agricultural machinery proved inefficient, often getting stuck in the sludge, so smaller, more practical machines were developed.
However, the large machinery still used from the early settlement days remains a valuable testament to the pioneering spirit of the era.
