Rice and Shine: The artistic agriculture of Vietnam's rice hills

By Shannon Lane @Shannonroselane

ON FIRST glance the magnificent shapes and colours of these fields could be mistaken for abstract works of art - when in fact they are the farmlands of everyday wild rice

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The cheap labor costs of rice farming makes it an essential to locals

The green waves of the rice crops are a result of the terraced fields on the hills of Mù Cang Chải, Vietnam.

The ledges ensure that the water is spread across the hills

The raised steps enable the water from the highest point to be evenly distributed across the highlands and the rice seedlings.

The farmers aren't aware of the beauty of their land

Swiss photographer, Claudio Sieber, photographed the artistic agriculture in September 2016.

The photographer had always planned to come to these rice hills

Claudio said: "I was captivated by the form of the cultivation"

He said: "Rice is the most important food in vietnamese cuisine, and its cultivation is an art.

Rice growing in Mekong Delta has an ancient history traced to the Khmer regime of the 18th century

"While most of the rice in the Mekong Delta is used for exports, the rice in the highlands is used for survival.

Vietnam is one of the top 5 rice producers in the world

"Do the self-suffient rice farmers that grow their food know about the beauty of their art? Armed with google translator I went into a rice wine parlor to mingle with the farmers and question them about this topic.

According to Vietnamese legend, rice would appear from the heaven in the form of a large ball in every house

"A foreigner exploring their lands by its own is always welcomed to enjoy some delicious rice wine and a chat.

"It appeared to me after talking to around 10 different farmers and getting drunk with them, that they are not aware about the beauty of their creations! Nevertheless they like the fact that their rice cultivation is a stress therapy for city people and an inspiration for nature seekers.”

There are more than 1600 varieties of rice grown in the Mekong Delta

Rice can be grown practically anywhere with a sufficient water supply and regular farming. The traditional method to flood the fields of the young rice seedlings is also an excellent pest control, as it deters vermin and reduces weeds.

The most popular varieties of rice in Vietnam are white rice, jasmine rice, sweet or sticky rice and broken rice

This simple method and low labour cost makes rice a stable source of food for rural families.

The photographer said: "The most memorable part was driving my motorbike on perfectly maintained roads within this overwhelming nature. It was also a joy eating the first rice of the harvest together with a local family."