The China Challenge: Feeding One-fifth of Humanity

China, home of 1.3 billion people - one fifth of humanity, is faced with enormous challenge; food security, diminishing water supply, global warming and climate change, and environmental pollution. But, China is pulling it off with a big stride utilizing its own scientists, vast land resources, and unique rice germplasm. The International Rice Research Institute's (IRRI) magazine Rice Today features China, with highlights on the scientific initiatives and successes on rice production in the country which also extended to its neighboring developing countries.

The magazine looks at the fascinating development and adoption of the hybrid rice, and documented how China, with the help from IRRI, became the hybrid world leader. The high-yielding hybrid rices helped millions of hungry people in the 1960s.

The magazine also features the development of aerobic rice in the province of Anhui, China; the possible effect of climate change in the rice growing region of China, and the challenges that China faces regarding rice production.

For details, download the Rice Today magazine at: http://www.irri.org/publications/today/index.asp

The press release is accessible at: http://www.irri.org/media/press/press.asp?id=164