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The cultivation of rice is in jeopardy as the globe warms up, posing a threat to the food and livelihoods of billions of people and requiring the world to develop new ways to cultivate one of its most vital crops.

The strained supply of rice is the result of the ongoing war in Ukraine as well as severe weather conditions in rice-producing countries. Fitch Solutions forecasts that the global rice shortage is set to be the biggest in 20 years.

The annual monsoons in India hit the country later than usual due to climate change. Extreme weather events such as prolonged heatwaves and intense rainfalls have started to affect rice crops in the country.

President of the Philippines and agriculture secretary Bongbong Marcos revealed that the roadmap of the Masagana Rice Industry Development has been approved. The program seeks to achieve 97.5% rice self-sufficiency in 5 years.

The town of Asingan in Pangasinan will be holding its annual Kankanen Festival in early June. In the festival, the town is eyeing to set the world record for the longest-lined native rice cake.

Cultivating and developing hybrid rice is highly important now more than ever as climate change continues to reduce global rice production. Yuan Longping’s hybrid rice legacy continues at the International Rice Research Institute where numerous scientists are seeking to produce varieties of rice that can help with food security.

Researchers predict the current global rice scarcity will be the worst in the last 20 years. They also warned market consumers to stay alert for rice prices to remain around recent highs until 2024.

Indonesian scientists report that climate change will significantly impact rice and coffee production in Indonesia. It will lead to a huge reduction in production, as well as a surge in prices.

The Philippine Rice Research Institute, an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture, has been recognized as a prolific knowledge bank when it comes to rice research and production.

Since the 1970s, Chinese scientists have been trying to develop perennial rice, a type of rice that does not need to be planted year after year. Chinese scientists have now developed a commercial-grade variety of the grain.