Sustainability of Rice Farming

Rice has supported a greater number of people for a longer period of time than any other crop. Nearly half of the global population is dependent on rice as its major staple food. While Asia remains the main centre of production and consumption of rice, the importance of rice is increasing rapidly in Africa and Latin America, and exports of rice from the United States and Australia are of major importance to the world rice trade. This book explores the factors which have contributed to the sustainability of rice production over the eight or nine thousand years for which rice has been produced. Sustainability is defined as the maintenance or improvement of production levels and protection of natural resources, within the context of economic viability and social acceptability. The author covers a wide range of issues, including soil fertility, plant breeding, pest management, irrigation, land degradation and social and economic factors. Greatest emphasis is placed on the special features of wetland rice production, and the importance of the nutrient balance. It is also shown that without the Green Revolution there would have been a period of mass starvation in Asia, a problem which continues to threaten and which will be unavoidable unless the successes of the Green Revolution can be sustained. The book provides a unique review of the sustainability of the production of the world’s most important crop, and should be of interest to students, research workers and policy makers in agriculture, soil science, and agricultural economics and food policies, as well as all interested in development in the third world.

"Gives historical overview of the importance of rice world wide. Looks at the sustainability of rice production, taking into account soil science, water management and social and economic factors. Discusses concerns arising from current rice production trends as well as steps towards increasing rice production in the future."--Pesticide Action Network North America Updates Service "Sustainability of rice farming is, indeed, of great importance to the human race, as rice is the major source of food for billions of people. In this excellent book, the issue is shown to be complex and uncertain. Although the author was originally a soil scientist, his long experience in Africa and Asia as the Deputy Director of Research for the International Rice Research Institute qualifies him for this broad treatment of Man's most important crop and the environments in which it is grown. Most rice is grown in water-covered soils . . ., so unique biophysical conditions must be managed along with water and high nutrient inputs, to attain high yield. Chapters detailing each of these topics are followed by one on social and economic aspects of maintenance of this crop system . . . The author deserves great credit for stressing the real problem of excessive human population growth and showing how inadequate rice production probably will be."--The Quarterly Review of Biology "Gives historical overview of the importance of rice world wide. Looks at the sustainability of rice production, taking into account soil science, water management and social and economic factors. Discusses concerns arising from current rice production trends as well as steps towards increasing rice production in the future."--Pesticide Action Network North America Updates Service "Sustainability of rice farming is, indeed, of great importance to the human race, as rice is the major source of food for billions of people. In this excellent book, the issue is shown to be complex and uncertain. Although the author was originally a soil scientist, his long experience in Africa and Asia as the Deputy Director of Research for the International Rice Research Institute qualifies him for this broad treatment of Man's most important crop and the environments in which it is grown. Most rice is grown in water-covered soils . . ., so unique biophysical conditions must be managed along with water and high nutrient inputs, to attain high yield. Chapters detailing each of these topics are followed by one on social and economic aspects of maintenance of this crop system . . . The author deserves great credit for stressing the real problem of excessive human population growth and showing how inadequate rice production probably will be."--The Quarterly Review of Biology "Gives historical overview of the importance of rice world wide. Looks at the sustainability of rice production, taking into account soil science, water management and social and economic factors. Discusses concerns arising from current rice production trends as well as steps towards increasing rice production in the future."--Pesticide Action Network North America Updates Service "Sustainability of rice farming is, indeed, of great importance to the human race, as rice is the major source of food for billions of people. In this excellent book, the issue is shown to be complex and uncertain. Although the author was originally a soil scientist, his long experience in Africa and Asia as the Deputy Director of Research for the International Rice Research Institute qualifies him for this broad treatment of Man's most important crop and the environments in which it is grown. Most rice is grown in water-covered soils . . ., so unique biophysical conditions must be managed along with water and high nutrient inputs, to attain high yield. Chapters detailing each of these topics are followed by one on social and economic aspects of maintenance of this crop system . . . The author deserves great credit for stressing the real problem of excessive human population growth and showing how inadequate rice production probably will be."--The Quarterly Review of Biology "Gives historical overview of the importance of rice world wide. Looks at the sustainability of rice production, taking into account soil science, water management and social and economic factors. Discusses concerns arising from current rice production trends as well as steps towards increasing rice production in the future."--Pesticide Action Network North America Updates Service "Sustainability of rice farming is, indeed, of great importance to the human race, as rice is the major source of food for billions of people. In this excellent book, the issue is shown to be complex and uncertain. Although the author was originally a soil scientist, his long experience in Africa and Asia as the Deputy Director of Research for the International Rice Research Institute qualifies him for this broad treatment of Man's most important crop and the environments in which it is grown. Most rice is grown in water-covered soils . . ., so unique biophysical conditions must be managed along with water and high nutrient inputs, to attain high yield. Chapters detailing each of these topics are followed by one on social and economic aspects of maintenance of this crop system . . . The author deserves great credit for stressing the real problem of excessive human population growth and showing how inadequate rice production probably will be."--The Quarterly Review of Biology