Well-built terraces are being constructed with bulldozers. Such machine-built terraces are usually wider in farming area and taller on the ridges than the manual-built terraces of the past (as those shown on the background of the picture). Nowadays many farmers bought bulldozers with their savings, and compete with government agencies for earch-moving contracts. Such activities create new sources of income for the farmers and elevated their earning substantially.

Contour ditches are dug along steep hill slopes for planting fruit trees and other commercial tree crops. The success of this program is yet to be proven since it takes 4-5 years for the trees to bear fruit. In general apple growing has been quite successful in the southern part of the loess plateau. Here in the north the weather is really too cold for apples, but planting walnut trees is still possible. Ditching the steep slopes can reduce erosion, and it is because of this benefit that this program is conducted.

Picture source: George Leung (1995)