Every year, during the scorching heat, social friction arises between road users and farmers. Sometimes it escalates to arguments, sometimes to minor injuries, and most tragically, to fatal accidents. Year after year, this issue recurs without a comprehensive solution.

There is no debate about the right or wrong of drying rice on roads; it is a prohibited act by law, and no reasoning or sentiment can justify breaking the law, as wrong is wrong. What I hope readers will discuss is how to prevent this from continuing and how to understand the farmers' plight.

The video above shows an elderly woman, visibly upset, using a rake to attack a truck driver for entering a village road and driving over a patch of rice she was drying, which occupied the entire lane. She was wrong, but why did she act that way?

As someone from a farming background, who has dried hundreds of kilograms of rice under the midday sun on concrete yards, who has rushed to save every grain from sudden downpours, and who was scolded by parents for leaving a few grains of rice in a bowl, I understand that for farmers, rice is not merely a food crop. It is like a sacred trust, something to be cherished and revered.

Due to the profound importance of rice, farmers may bristle if someone drives over their rice, breaking the grains, or simply bringing dirt from their vehicle tires. However, farmers are mistaken in drying rice on roads, and this error leads to conflict.

So, what is needed to end this situation? In my opinion, the solution must come from local authorities. In major rice-growing regions, farmers often sell fresh rice directly to traders. However, in other rural areas, where people grow rice primarily for subsistence and sell any surplus, they still dry rice thoroughly on concrete yards or national highways. Local authorities are well aware of this, so they need to implement measures that allow farmers to dry rice conveniently without affecting traffic. For example, they could utilize cultural house courtyards, stadiums, or other large, underused areas as makeshift drying yards. If designated drying spaces are provided and farmers still re-offend, then strict deterrent penalties should be imposed.

It is paradoxical that rice drying is prohibited on roads, yet many homes lack a yard for drying. Therefore, for a law to be effectively implemented, we cannot just address the symptom; we must tackle the root cause. If this issue is resolved, I believe farmers will no longer engage in actions that are more pitiable than blameworthy.

Reader Hai Duong