Inca farmers turned mountains into food factories

The ancient Inca civilization, thriving until 1533, ingeniously transformed steep Andean slopes into fertile farmland. They built terraced fields, called andenes, by cutting into hillsides and reinforcing them with stone walls. This prevented erosion and captured vital water, allowing them to grow staples like potatoes and maize at altitudes often above 10,000 feet. This advanced engineering fed an empire of up to 12 million people across 2,500 miles. These sustainable practices ensured food security and economic stability, with some terraces still in use today, offering lessons for modern agriculture.