White Gold: The Commercialisation of Rice Farming in the Lower Mekong Basin

White Gold: The Commercialisation of Rice Farming in the Lower Mekong Basin
Author: Rob Cramb
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 462
Release: 2020-01-03
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9811509980

This open access book is about understanding the processes involved in the transformation of smallholder rice farming in the Lower Mekong Basin from a low-yielding subsistence activity to one producing the surpluses needed for national self-sufficiency and a high-value export industry. For centuries, farmers in the Basin have regarded rice as “white gold”, reflecting its centrality to their food security and well-being. In the past four decades, rice has also become a commercial crop of great importance to Mekong farmers, augmenting but not replacing its role in securing their subsistence. This book is based on collaborative research to (a) compare the current situation and trajectories of rice farmers within and between different regions of the Lower Mekong, (b) explore the value chains linking rice farmers with new technologies and input and output markets within and across national borders, and (c) understand the changing role of government policies in facilitating the on-going evolution of commercial rice farming. An introductory section places the research in geographical and historical context. Four major sections deal in turn with studies of rice farming, value chains, and policies in Northeast Thailand, Central Laos, Southeastern Cambodia, and the Mekong Delta. The final section examines the implications for rice policy in the region as a whole.

Rice Production in Cambodia

Rice Production in Cambodia
Author: Harry J. Nesbitt
Publisher: Int. Rice Res. Inst.
Total Pages: 120
Release: 1997
Genre: Rice
ISBN: 9712201007

Rice in the Cambodian economy: past and present; Topography, climate, and rice production; Soils and rice; Rice-based farming systems; Rice ecosystems and varieties; Pest management in rice; Farm mechanization; Capture and culture ricefield fisheries in Cambodia; Constraints to rice production and strategies for improvement.

The Rice Economy of Asia

The Rice Economy of Asia
Author: Randolph Barker
Publisher: Int. Rice Res. Inst.
Total Pages: 359
Release: 1985
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0915707152

The purpose of this book is to present a comprehensive picture of the role of rice in the food and agricultural sectors of Asian nations.

Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization: A Framework for Africa

Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization: A Framework for Africa
Author: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Publisher: Food & Agriculture Org.
Total Pages: 150
Release: 2019-03-13
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 9251308713

This framework presents ten interrelated principles/elements to guide Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization in Africa (SAMA). Further, it presents the technical issues to be considered under SAMA and the options to be analysed at the country and sub regional levels. The ten key elements required in a framework for SAMA are as follows: The analysis in the framework calls for a specific approach, involving learning from other parts of the world where significant transformation of the agricultural mechanization sector has already occurred within a three-to-four decade time frame, and developing policies and programmes to realize Africa’s aspirations of Zero Hunger by 2025. This approach entails the identification and prioritization of relevant and interrelated elements to help countries develop strategies and practical development plans that create synergies in line with their agricultural transformation plans. Given the unique characteristics of each country and the diverse needs of Africa due to the ecological heterogeneity and the wide range of farm sizes, the framework avoids being prescriptive.

Rice

Rice
Author: Frank R. Moormann
Publisher:
Total Pages: 200
Release: 1978
Genre: Plant-water relationships
ISBN:

Chapter 1: Rice and its environment. Chapter 2: The geography of rice (oryza sativa L.). Chapter 3: The hidrology of rice-lands. Chapter 4: Classification of soils on which rice is Grown. Chapter 5: Soil-forming process in aquatic rice lands. Chapter 6: Soil and land properties that affect the growth of rice. Chapter 7: Elements for evaluation of land for rice growing.

Rice Improvement

Rice Improvement
Author: Jauhar Ali
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 507
Release: 2021-05-05
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 3030665305

This book is open access under a CC BY 4.0 license. By 2050, human population is expected to reach 9.7 billion. The demand for increased food production needs to be met from ever reducing resources of land, water and other environmental constraints. Rice remains the staple food source for a majority of the global populations, but especially in Asia where ninety percent of rice is grown and consumed. Climate change continues to impose abiotic and biotic stresses that curtail rice quality and yields. Researchers have been challenged to provide innovative solutions to maintain, or even increase, rice production. Amongst them, the ‘green super rice’ breeding strategy has been successful for leading the development and release of multiple abiotic and biotic stress tolerant rice varieties. Recent advances in plant molecular biology and biotechnologies have led to the identification of stress responsive genes and signaling pathways, which open up new paradigms to augment rice productivity. Accordingly, transcription factors, protein kinases and enzymes for generating protective metabolites and proteins all contribute to an intricate network of events that guard and maintain cellular integrity. In addition, various quantitative trait loci associated with elevated stress tolerance have been cloned, resulting in the detection of novel genes for biotic and abiotic stress resistance. Mechanistic understanding of the genetic basis of traits, such as N and P use, is allowing rice researchers to engineer nutrient-efficient rice varieties, which would result in higher yields with lower inputs. Likewise, the research in micronutrients biosynthesis opens doors to genetic engineering of metabolic pathways to enhance micronutrients production. With third generation sequencing techniques on the horizon, exciting progress can be expected to vastly improve molecular markers for gene-trait associations forecast with increasing accuracy. This book emphasizes on the areas of rice science that attempt to overcome the foremost limitations in rice production. Our intention is to highlight research advances in the fields of physiology, molecular breeding and genetics, with a special focus on increasing productivity, improving biotic and abiotic stress tolerance and nutritional quality of rice.