Mowing a path in a Singapore garden or plantation in the early 1960s

A man with a push along mower who is mowing a path next to a garden or plantation in Singapore. Next to the path he is mowing is what I assume to be an irrigation channel dug, with crossing points of planks of wood. The channel seems too narrow to require crossing points so I wonder what they really are, and if they give a clue as to the crop which was being grown here?

This picture, taken on 127 format colour slide film probably dates from the early 1960s and although I don't know the exact location in Singapore, I've set the location to the Seletar Country club which, to my mind, is as good a guess as any!