Farmer Planting Rice Seedlings in Latakia Paddy

Pale green rice shoots line up in straight, water-filled rows along the muddy banks of a coastal paddy in Latakia. A farmer kneels waist-deep in the irrigation water, their hands pressing the delicate seedlings into the saturated earth. The midday sun flattens all shadows, creating a stark, bright glare that washes over the wet soil and ripples across the surface. Mud coats the farmer's legs and the lower hem of their trousers, while the water reflects the clear sky above. The rows stretch endlessly toward the horizon, showing the scale of the agricultural labor. A small clump of green shoots rests on the farmer's knee, ready for the next row. The water's surface breaks around the farmer's knees, revealing the dark, churned mud beneath.