Rice

Rice is the staple food for over half the world's population. Roughly 480 million metric

tons of processed rice is produced annually. Rice produces up to 50% of the dietary caloric

supply for millions living in poverty in Asia and is, therefore, critical for food security. rice

remains one of the most protected food commodities in world trade. Rice is a poor source of

vitamins and minerals, and losses occur during the milling process. Populations that subsist on

rice are at high risk of vitamin and mineral deficiency. Improved technologies to fortify rice have

the potential to address these deficiencies and their associated adverse health effects. With the

rice industry consolidating in many countries, there are opportunities to fortify a significant share

of rice for distribution or for use in government safety net programs that target those most in

need, especially women and children. Multisectoral approaches are needed for the promotion

and implementation of rice fortification in countries (Muthayya, et al, 2014).

Rice is the staple diet of more than three billion people. Yields must double over the next

40 years if we are to sustain the nutritional needs of the ever-expanding global population.

Between 10% and 30% of the annual rice harvest is lost due to infection by the rice blast fungus

Magnaporthe oryzae.  The researchers consider modern usage of fungicides and plant defence

activators, assess the usefulness of biological control and categorize current approaches

towards blast-tolerant genetically modified rice (Skamnioti & Gurr, 2009).

Rice is a commodity of great importance to the Filipino people, not only as a major

staple food but also a principal source of livelihood. It is no surprise that a rice crisis poses a

serious threat to household food security, most particularly among the destitute, as well as to

overall social and political stability.

 Most Filipinos are net buyers of rice. Based on a household survey of the Social

Weather Station, 84 percent of Filipinos nationwide buy the rice they consume (World Bank,

2001). In urban areas the portion is 93 percent, rising to 95 percent in Metro Manila. But even in

rural areas, 71 percent households acquire the rice they eat from the market. The significance

of rice in the diet of Filipinos suggests that a rice crisis will have profound effects.

Micronutrients are essential for a healthy life. Humans do not produce micronutrients,

and hence they must obtain them through the foodchain. Staple crops are the predominant food

source of mankind, but need to be complemented by other foodstuffs because they are

generally deficient in one or the other micronutrient (Beyer, 2010).

Rice is the second most widely grown cereal crop and the staple food for more

than half the world's population. More than 3 billion people consume more than 100 kg

of rice per year. Rice is cultivated on 155.5 million ha with an average growth rate of

0.39% a year, in the last 30 years. In the near future, the possibility for expanding areas

under rice-based systems will remain very limited because of the scarcity of global

water resources for agriculture, the expansion of urban and industrial sectors (Van

Nguyen & Ferrero, 2006).

Van Nguyen, N., & Ferrero, A. (2006, March). Meeting the challenges of global rice

production. Paddy and Water Environment. https://www.mendeley.com/research-

papers/meeting-challenges-global-rice-production-7/

Muthayya, S., Sugimoto, J. D., Montgomery, S., & Maberly, G. F. (2014). An overview of global

rice production, supply, trade, and consumption. Annals of the New York Academy of

Sciences, 1324(1), 7–14. https://www.mendeley.com/research-papers/overview-global-rice-

production-supply-trade-consumption/

Skamnioti, P., & Gurr, S. J. (2009, March). Against the grain: safeguarding rice from rice

blast disease. Trends in Biotechnology. https://www.mendeley.com/research-papers/against-

grain-safeguarding-rice-rice-blast-disease/

The Rice Crisis: Markets, Policies and Food Security

David Dawe
Published by The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations and
Earthscan
Washington, DC
2010
Beyer, P. (2010, November 30). Golden Rice and “Golden” crops for human nutrition. New
Biotechnology. https://www.mendeley.com/research-papers/golden-rice-golden-crops-human-
nutrition/
Rice Blast