Experiments carried out in 1986 by the Aquatic Products Station of Chishui County revealed that ridge-rice cultivation could improve rice tillering and increase average grain weight. In these experiments, the average number of grains per ear in the ridge fields was 140–155 compared with only 105–110 in flat fields. The average weight of 1000 grains in the ridge fields was 27.5–28.4 g, compared with 26.5–27.0 g for flat fields. The empty grain rate was 26.5–28% in the ridge fields and 39–41% in the flat fields.

Additional evidence of the benefits come from farmer experiments. A farmer, Jiang Chengxu in Suiyang County, conducted a comparison trial in an area of 0.05 ha (0.025 ha for each of the two methods). In each area, he stocked 200 7-cm fingerlings. The flat field yielded 170 kg rice and 12.6 kg fish. The ridge field yielded 200 kg rice and 34 kg fish, or an increase of 18% for rice and 172% for fish. In the Southeast Guizhou Prefecture, ridge-field cultivation required 6-8 more farmer-days of labour, but the value of production increased by 50%

put i am not sure if i like ethiopian rice