How much water does rice need? - adron.sr

contentsVol. 8, No. 1EDITORIAL ................................................................ 4Hidden treasureNEWS.......................................................................... 5Southeast Asian nations endorse Rice Action PlanVietnam to host International Rice CongressA global voice for the global grainPest outbreaks in IndiaWaterproof rice set to make waves in South AsiaNEW BOOKS.............................................................. 8Rural poverty and income dynamics in Asia and AfricaTRAINING COURSES AT IRRI ................................... 8PEOPLE...................................................................... 9Awards and recognitionKeeping up with IRRI staffObituarySPECIAL REPORT.................................................... 11World Rice Commerce 2008: price volatility set tocontinueMAKING SCIENCE WORK........................................ 13A communication campaign designed to link riceproduction with relevant science promises tohelp African farmers and processors boost theirproductivitySOWING THE SEEDS OF ART.................................. 14When is a paddy not a paddy? When it’s a canvas, ofcourse. In Japan’s Aomori Prefecture, rice is far morethan mere food.RICE ON THE CUTTING EDGE................................. 18Sometimes the best inventions are accidental. Innortheastern Thailand, farmers are adopting aweed-control method first taught to them by theiranimals.THE IRRI PIONEER INTERVIEWS............................ 20Dedicated scientists—a child’s inspirationSNAPSHOT............................................................... 22From farm to marketRICE IN THE DRAGON’S SHADOW......................... 24The political turmoil of the 1970s formed the backdropto the first visits of International Rice ResearchInstitute staff to China. Agricultural economistRandy Barker, one of the team of scientists whoventured to the world’s largest rice producer,recounts the experience.HOW MUCH WATER DOES RICE USE?................... 28Rice Today examines this often-asked (and often poorlyanswered) questionMAPS........................................................................ 30Soil quality in rainfed lowland riceLOVE AT FIRST SITE................................................ 32One Filipino farmer’s experience with a better way ofmanaging his crop’s fertilizer needs could inspirechange across the nation’s rice fieldsMORE THAN MEETS YOUR RICE............................ 35Rice Today ventures to Japan to find an astonishingrange of rice products, most of which you wouldn’twant to eatSEAL OF APPROVAL............................................... 36Hermetic storage of rice is becoming increasinglypopular across Asia, and for good reason—aswell as being transportable, it is better than airconditionedstorage and almost as good as a coldroom, at a fraction of the cost of eitherBUY A HOUSE ON A HILL........................................ 38As Earth’s climate changes, so does the way weapproach agriculture. The head of the InternationalRice Research Institute’s applied photosynthesislaboratory offers his observations on the currentstate of play.RICE FACTS.............................................................. 40Rice and the global financial crisisWhat are the short- and long-term impacts on riceproduction and food security?Investing in the futureHow will future investment in agriculture affect riceprices?GRAIN OF TRUTH.................................................... 42Food security and fertilizerOn the cover:Terraces and channelsintertwine to feedwater to rice in paddiesin Vietnam.cover photo Ariel Javellanapublisher Duncan Macintosheditor Adam Barclayart director Juan Lazaro IVdesigner and production supervisor Grant Lecetacontributors Gene Hettel, Meg Mondoñedo, Bill HardyAfrica editor Savitri Mohapatra (Africa Rice Center – WARDA)photo editor Chris Quintanaphoto researcher William Sta. Claracirculation Lourdes Columbresprinter Print Town GroupRice Today is published by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI),the world’s leading international rice research and training center. Based in thePhilippines and with offices in 13 other countries, IRRI is an autonomous, nonprofitinstitution focused on improving the well-being of present and future generations ofrice farmers and consumers, particularly those with low incomes, while preservingnatural resources. 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