Asia is home to nine of the world’s 14 mega cities of more than 10 million people. Today, about 30 percent of the people in Asia live in cities. But by 2020, 53 percent of Asians will live in urban areas. The rural population, however, will remain at about today’s level.

Fertile agricultural land will have to be diverted to meet the demand for housing, factories, roads, and recreational areas—such as golf courses. A shift in eating habits will also put pressure on farmers to plant their rice land to more lucrative crops, such as fruit trees. Through pure economics, rice land and labor will be diverted to more profitable economic enterprises.

Will there be enough land to grow all the rice Asia needs?

How rice research can help Future growth in rice production must occur on less land, using less labor, and with less water—which is requiring researchers to work overtime. Rice yield and labor and water productivity must grow at a faster rate than the increase in the demand for rice if a favorable demand-supply balance is to be maintained. Rice production simply must be made more commercially oriented than it has been so far.

Need more facts?

Dr. Mahabub Hossain
Economist and Head, Social Science Division
International Rice Research Institute