7/31/2019 RT Vol. 10, No. 3 Editorial

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O

n 31 October, the United Nations estimates

that the worlds population will hit 7 billion.

For many o usoccupied, most o the time,

by the daily stresses o our own personal

livesthis is merely a number. We cannot truly athom the

signicance o this number. However, or people such as the

agricultural scientists here at the International Rice Research

Institute (IRRI) and other ood-related research centers

around the world, this number is a heavy weight to bear.

The world is growing, but, given the many setbacks in ood

production, climate change, increasingly scarce resources,

etc., production has oten allen short o consumption

demand in many countries, especially the developing

nations. Hence, scientists strive to always be one step ahead

to meet the challenges o today and tomorrow.

This issue oers a ascinating look at how the world o

rice science is keeping abreast o the emerging problems

that aect peoples ability to sustain their nourishment

needs.

First, understanding the signicance o preserving

the diverse ood crops and protecting them against

destructive orces to ensure ood security or the succeeding

generations, a Doomsday Vault was constructed deep

within the rozen mountains o Svalbard, Norway, just 1,130

kilometers rom the North Pole.

Meanwhile, armers and scientists in Bangladesh and

sub-Saharan Arica are working together to battle their

current problems o salinity and iron toxicity, respectively.

Since land resources are as limited as they can possibly be,

armers have to make do with what they havewhether

lands are avorable or not to rice production. Fortunately,

scientists are constantly developing new and improved

varieties that are equipped with tolerance against these

environmental stresses, so armers are able to cope with

their arming problems. As one scientist puts it, reaping

something is better than nothing.Regarding Arica, our Maps section ocuses on the Niger

River, the river that provides irrigation to water systems

in Mali, essentially bringing lie to the many people in the

region.

On the threshold of 7 billion

Interestingly, as we busy ourselves with the production

o this issue, our publisher, The Rice Trader, is holding its 5th

Rice Americas Conerence in Panama City, Panama. Hence,

you will nd here a review o this signicant event that

gathered many important players in the rice industry. Along

with this, we deemed it appropriate to put together a Latin

America eature to highlight this regions importance in

rice production, as well as in trade. Brazil particularly comes

into the spotlight as we turn our attention to this countrys

overall rice production and its collaborations with IRRI, as

well as the development o its hybrid rice industry.

With the population clock turning 7 billion soon, the

uture o the world is not about doom and gloom, however.

This issue looks at the scientists who are working to solve

agricultural problemsthe hopes o world ood production.

We have Dr. David Mackill, who caught the wave o the

advancing genetics research to help develop scuba rice, a

food-tolerant rice variety. Although IRRI will greatly miss Dr.

Mackill, who has become an institution in plant breeding,

we also welcome the younger generation o scientists who

now hold much o the uture in rice research. Two o them

are postdoctoral research ellows Govinda

Rizal and Shanta Karki, whose love story is

intertwined with their love or rice science.

While these people ound a love or

rice science, some people ound a love

or rice as their art subject. Through the

eyes o artists such as the amed Fernando

Amorsolo, as well as contemporary

British artist John Dyer, rice is seen in its

cultural contexta vital aspect o lie

immortalized on canvasses.

You will nd all these and more

in this issue. And, as we have opened

up the subject o the ticking

population clock, watch or theOctober-December issue, as it

will be a special edition about the

world reaching 7 billion people.

Mia Aureus

Editor

Lanie Reyes

Editor