The Future of Rice Security Under Climate Change

Abstract

Food security is obviously not only about physical food availability achieved via production, but also about economic and physical access to food, food utilization and stability of availability, access and utilization over time.1 Abundant literature has suggested to policy makers to move beyond rice crops. We are mindful of the fact that the future of food should include all crops, including native crops and orphan crops that often not only tend to be ignored by policy makers but lack investment in their development too (Naylor et al., 2004). However, our focus of this research is about the future availability of rice under climate change. Why should we worry about rice security? Rice is a primary staple food for about three billion people in Asia and increasingly in Africa (see Africa Rice Project at africarice.org). There will be at least one billion additional rice eaters in Asia and Africa by 2050. Asia faces the immense task of feeding a growing rice eating population that will reach 4 – 5 billion people in the next 35 years. Based on the current rice yield growth rate, the total supply will fall short of rice demand as a result of population growth. In addition, the sustainability (of rice for availability) is likely to be at risk due to climate change.