Although in the midst of a pandemic that continues to plague and is still declared to be one of the most risky viruses, the Peasants community in Aceh, particularly on the north and east coast, has begun to go down into the fields to start the planting season which began several weeks ago.
The activity of farmers in their paddy fields began to appear since the morning, even in some areas some have already finished carrying out their growing season. In our region, specifically the city of Lhokseumawe, a number of farming communities have begun planting rice and some have started spraying fertilizer on their rice fields.
Today I try to go around and document a number of farmers 'activities in the Lhokseumawe city area, farmers' activities in the growing season are done manually, or traditionally. Although there have been many industrial and agricultural technologies present, a number of local communities are still reluctant to switch to a modern agricultural system.
This is one of the local wisdoms that is still maintained by a number of traditional elders, the reason is that if all the work is diverted and carried out by industry, then it is believed there will be many farm workers who lose their jobs in this planting season.
It is not unreasonable, many of the farm workers who have lost their jobs when the harvest season arrives, a number of modern rice cutting tools have been lowered in a number of villages and other remote areas. Even though wages and time are carried out by modern tools / machines, it is the fate of the peasant laborers who must be sacrificed.
When the farm workers no longer have their jobs in the harvest season, what is the fate of their families, while modern tools do not intend to eliminate their work. But that's the condition that continues to be a dilemma for the local community.
To overcome the same thing, a number of farmers decided not to involve modern tools when the planting season arrived. The activities of farmers who started the growing season in the midst of a pandemic should be appreciated, at least they have declared food needs for at least the next three months.
I am very happy to be here and had a chance to visit the area, at least I can learn a lot about the light of life recorded clearly in the picture that I documented. Of course we have the same hopes as farmers, we hope that this pandemic season will soon pass, and community activities will return to normal.