What does the Grain of Truth mean to you?

To mark the submission of the blog write-up, we would like to take this opportunity to share several of our personal thoughts.

It might sound very cliche, but we have really learnt alot during the course of constructing this blog. Much research and self-reflection was done before each post was uploaded. As such, we not only have an enhanced understanding about rice but also ourselves. We have come to realise that we are not an island, self-sufficient and isolated. We are very much more dependent on other Southeast Asian countries than we think. Through a single rice grain that we consume, we establish a connection with a rice farmer in Northen Thailand. What takes us minutes to buy and consume takes them months to cultivate and harvest. However, the sad truth is much of the profits may be siphoned of by the middlemen, resulting in the rice farmer earning income that do not commensurate with his efforts. We have always been told, "don't waste your rice, alot of effort was put into it!". This notion cannot be better illustrated than this song written anonymously written by a Vietnamese rice farmer. After reading the lyrics of this song, we beseech you to ask yourself, what does the Grain of Truth mean to you?


"In the heat of mid-day, I plough my field
My sweat falls drop by drop like rain on the ploughed earth
Oh, you who hold a full rice-bowl in your hands
Remember how much burning bitterness there is
In each tender and fragrant grain in your mouth!"

- Anonymous