Description
Book SynopsisRice 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
Table of Contents1: The Importance of the Sustainability of Rice Farming 2: The Origins and History of Rice Farming 3: Rice Farming Today 4: The Biophysical Basis of the Sustainability of Rice Farming 5: Maintaining the Nutrient Requirements of Rice 6: Maintaining Water Supplies for Rice 7: Social and Economic Factors and the Sustainability of Rice Farming 8: Concerns About the Sustainability of Rice Farming 9: Increasing and Sustaining Rice Production
