Notes on Jiwon Suh’s Research: Waiting for Our Rice Fields to Rent Lives

Kamis, Agustus 06, 2026

Notes on Prof. Jiwon Suh’s Research: Waiting for Our Rice Fields to Rent Lives 

[] Dr. Irwandi (Head of International Affairs of UIN Bukittinggi)

A sharp yet poignant contrast hangs over rural South Korea today. Behind the glitter of technological advancement and the grand scale of the country’s major cities, its countryside is quietly aging and growing silent. Sprawling farmlands no longer echo with the footsteps of local youth. A deepening demographic crisis and a shift in career preferences among the younger generation have left these villages increasingly deserted.

Terraced rice fields . Sumber: https://id.pngtree.com/freebackground

Yet, South Korea’s food production machinery has not ground to a halt. Its paddies and fields remain green and productive. The pulse of life in its agricultural sector now thrives on migrant labor, including thousands of Indonesian workers who dedicate their sweat and effort to the land.

Prof Jiwon Suh

This striking phenomenon was highlighted by Seoul National University academic Prof. Jiwon Suh during the 6th International Conference on Islam, Law, and Society (ICIS), held in conjunction with the 5th Annual International Conference on Education and Islamic Studies (AICEIS) at Universitas Islam Negeri (UIN) Imam Bonjol Padang on Thursday (Aug 6, 2026). In a presentation titled Migrant Agricultural Workers as Transformative Agents: Implications for South Korea and Beyond, Prof. Suh invited the audience to examine a new reality taking shape across East Asia’s agricultural landscape.

Shift in Paradigm and a New Reality 

Historically, East Asian societies held deep reverence for the Confucian principle of Nong-ja-cheon-ha-ji-dae-bon—a philosophy positioning agriculture and farmworkers as the fundamental cornerstone of national life. Today, however, modern dynamics have upended that pillar. Local farmers of productive age are increasingly scarce, and the vital responsibility of sustaining the food supply has shifted to migrant hands.

Prof. Suh emphasized that agricultural migrant workers should no longer be viewed merely as laborers filling 3D (dirty, dangerous, difficult) jobs. Beyond that, they have evolved into transformative agents—figures actively shaping the social, economic, and ecological fabrics of rural host communities.

Regrettably, this significant contribution often goes unrecorded in history and unnoticed by the public. A form of "historical and ecological blindness" continues to deny these workers and their struggles a rightful place in global development discourse.

Valuable Lessons for Indonesia

The insights shared by Prof. Suh in Padang offer a crucial mirror for reflection in Indonesia. While the country currently enjoys a demographic dividend, warning signs are already emerging in its domestic agricultural sector.

A slowing generation of new farmers and an accelerating outflow of educated rural youth into urban, non-agricultural jobs present a reality demanding immediate collective action. Without adaptive and comprehensive policies, Indonesia risks facing a severe agricultural labor shortage in the years ahead.

It would be a profound irony if a nation with such immense agrarian potential were one day to face a shortage of its own farmworkers—simply because it acted too late in building an agricultural ecosystem capable of offering prosperity and attracting the young.

A Moral, Ethical, and Sustainability Imperative

From the perspective of Islamic law and ethics—a central theme of the AICEIS forum—safeguarding the fundamental rights and human dignity of workers, whether Indonesian migrants abroad or domestic farmers and laborers, is an essential value.

Ensuring safety, fairness, and prosperity for those who feed the nation is integral to upholding social justice and sustaining life. As academics and citizens, we are urged to address this issue with broader vision and wisdom:

1. Strengthening Migrant Worker Protection: Governments and society must press for robust protective frameworks for overseas migrant workers, ensuring proper recognition and fair rights for their vital contributions.

2. Modernizing Domestic Agriculture: A collective push is needed to revitalize and modernize local farming. The agricultural sector must transform into an innovative, tech-enabled field that offers clear economic security for rural youth.                                                                                                        Prof. Jiwon Suh’s study serves as a clear mirror for us all. South Korea’s experience shows that a nation’s food sovereignty depends entirely on how it values and cares for those who work the land. Before our villages fall quiet and our paddies yearn for hands to tend them, now is the time to give our full attention to the sustainable future of Indonesian agriculture.[]

Dr. Irwandi

Tags : Activity Event International

Dr. Irwandi

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• NameDr. Irwandi
• AddressInternational Office of UIN Bukittinggi
• Emailio@uinbukittinggi.ac.id