The Importance of Rice

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses and summarizes several books on the importance of rice in today's world. The paper looks at the role rice plays in nutrition, the variety of climates and geological regions in which it can be grown, how rice impacts the ecosystem and its cultural relevance to many societies.

From the Paper:

"Rice is adaptable to numerous climates, terrains, and cultures. In fact, rice is cultivated on every continent except Antarctica. Consequently, there are thousands of strains of rice today. In addition, it can be raised with other crops and food sources, encouraging biodiversity. Since wetland rice fields are habitats for a wide variety of terrestrial and aquatic organisms, the potential to diversify food sources within these rice-based ecosystem is optimal. Fish, frogs, snails, insects, and other aquatic organisms that thrive in conjunction with rice are a source of animal protein and essential fatty acids. In addition, various kinds of livestock are supported by rice-based systems. Ducks feed on small fish, other aquatic organisms, and weeds within the paddy fields, while buffaloes, cattle, sheep and goats graze on rice straw as their main food source in rice-producing areas. Rice bran (a by-product of rice milling) and low-quality and surplus rice grains also provide feed supplements for livestock, and livestock waste can be used as organic fertilizer. Rice fields also host many natural enemies or predators, which provide a mechanism to control harmful insects and pests, thus reducing the need for pesticides. Similarly, fish feed on weeds and assist in weed control."

More papers on The Importance of Rice:

• Term Paper # 91268 : "Rice"
• Essay # 63017 : "Condoleeza Rice"
• Term Paper # 49760 : "Ethics in the Modern Workplace"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: