Rice in the Global Food Supply

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) has supported a greater number of people for a longer period of time than any other crop since it was domesticated between 8,000 to 10,000 years ago (Greenland, 1997). At present, rice is the staple food for more people than wheat, and 90 percent of total rice production is grown and consumed in Asia (Evans, 1998). Unlike maize or wheat, less than five percent of total rice production is traded on world markets, mainly within Asia and from Asia to Africa and Europe. Thus the emphasis in all rice economies is on self-sufficiency. In many Asian countries, rice selfsufficiency and political stability are interdependent issues.