For decades, a phenomenon of soil salinization has severely affected the rice fields of northeastern Thailand. The food supply for millions of inhabitants is jeopardized by the "salt of the earth." To combat this scourge, which eats away at crops like leprosy and endangers impoverished village communities, Thai authorities have brought together soil scientists in a Franco-Thai research program. These experts have set up a true field laboratory in the heart of the rice fields. By sharing their knowledge with the scientists, the farmers open the door to a better life, preserving and enhancing their most sacred heritage: rice.