Dual use - maize and beans grown in the rice fields

Rice is grown between June and December. During the months of January to May, the fields are used to grow maize, beans, ground nuts etc. The fields are moulded into ridges and then flattened out again in preparation for the rice. Although some farmers use tractors in the preparation of the land, predominantly the preparation is by hand using hoes and machetes.

The picture above is the rice fields as the water level has started to rise, but before the land has been prepared for rice.