Rice
Rice is a cereal grain that is of vital importance to the food security of nearly half the world’s population. It is an important source of protein and carbohydrates and accounts for up to a quarter of the global caloric intake. Rice is best known in its brown and white varieties, but it is also used as an ingredient in various food products like fried and roasted snacks, noodles, crackers, beer and wine, rice paper and rice flour. Although rice is eaten all over the world, over 90% is produced and consumed in Asia.Did you know…
- Rice is a cereal grain
- Rice can also be used to make straw and rope, paper, wine, crackers, beer, cosmetics, packing material, and even toothpaste
Most important export countries
- Thailand
- India
- Vietnam
- United States of America
- Pakistan
Most important production countries
- China
- India
- Indonesia
- Bangladesh
- Vietnam
Production chain
Three to six months after being planted, the rice plants are harvested, stalks are cut and threshed and the grain is then dried and cleaned. The non-edible product that results from this process is called rough or paddy rice. Paddy rice can be stored for a length of time in the country of production before it is processed. Most transport between rice fields, storage and millers relies on human and animal power. Paddy rice can be boiled in the husk before the milling takes place. This is called parboiled rice. During the milling process, the husk is removed from the grain. It is then edible and can be transported as husked or cargo rice. Cargo rice can be further processed by removing the bran and germ. This process is called polishing and results in white rice. Rice import consists largely of cargo rice and is transported into the importing countries by ship. Imported rice can be further processed in rice milling factories and other food processing plants. It is then packed and transported to wholesalers and retailers.
Problems
The need for increased productivity of rice farming has put the focus on the most profitable rice varieties. Together with a heavy reliance on the use of pesticides, modern rice production has caused habitat loss for traditional species and threatens biodiversity within paddy fields. Due to the need for constant irrigation, anaerobic decomposition of organic material in the soil transmutes waste materials into methane gas and hence pollutes the air on a large scale. Water mismanagement in rice fields causes severe problems in regions that face water shortages. Moreover, the use of child labour in rice farming still seems to occur on a structural basis in many countries. In addition, farmers have little bargaining power and lack sufficient capital to make proper investments in their farm. This in turn is linked to the relative lack of power that small farmers have vis-à-vis multinational corporations that dominate trade in the rice sector.
Major Chain Issues
In the rice sector, Fairfood International has identified the following major chain issues:
| Major chain | Production stage |
 Degradation of natural ecosystems |
Production |
 Air pollution |
Production |
 Child labour |
Production |
 Abuse of dominant position |
Outside the chain |
 Lack of access to financial systems |
Production |
 Water mismanagement and contamination |
Production |
 Harmful agricultural practices |
Production |
Solutions
The guide below shows certification schemes whose standards indicate a match with some or all of Fairfood’s researched major issues for this commodity. To learn more about the schemes, click on their logo.
 Fairtrade |
 EU Organic Labels |
 EcoSocial |
 Ecocert Fair Trade |
 IMO Fair for Life |
 Naturland |
| Production |
Production |
Production |
Production |
Production |
Production |
In addition to making use of standards and certification schemes, major issues in this commodity could also be addressed in a customised manner. The box below outlines a few examples of initiatives that deal with sustainability issues in this particular sector. Companies could join some of the platforms or roundtables mentioned below. These could serve as a stepping stone to increased sustainability. Other initiatives, in the form of corporate programmes and chain partnerships, could serve as inspiration for replication by other companies within the sector. To learn more about any of the initiatives, click on their logo.
Platform |
Established in 1994, the Rice Wheat Consortium for the Indo-Gangetic Plains is an alliance of the national agricultural research systems from Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan. The RWC promotes sustainable productivity in rice-wheat farming systems in collaboration with several international centres and agricultural research institutes with the support of USAID, DFID and the World Bank. Subjects of research include weeds, pests, nutrients and water management. Additionally, the consortium offers various workshops to farmers. |
