Asian rice bowls : the returning crisis? /

The laurels of the Green Revolution in rice could lull the unwary into complacency. Land, labor, and water are becoming scarce; modern rice varieties and production efficiencies have been thoroughly exploited; and population growth is edging slightly ahead of growth in rice production. Examined in detail are past successes, future challenges, and available and forthcoming technologies to communicate how sustained growth in rice productivity is threatened and what solutions are needed. The successful top-down implementation of technology through public policy strategies now needs to be combined with farmer education to allow localized optimization of production consistent with ecological and economic realities at the local level. Irrigation systems need refurbishing, fertilizer and pesticide use require more individualized decision making, and profitability of rice production requires reexamination. These incremental inputs form the bedrock of progress foreseen by the authors, with hybrid rice and the possibility of a "super rice" in the future. This holistic international overview of rice production in the context of Asian agriculture provides an excellent perspective for understanding why continued vigilance is needed to sustain growth in rice productivity. All levels. M. K. Harris Texas A&M University