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Providing 20 percent of the world’ s dietary energy, rice is a vital part of the global food supply. Half of the world’ s population consumes rice daily, making it a crucial crop across diverse cultures and regions. With over 40,000 varieties, rice is grown in most countries and its cultivation spans around 165 million hectares, yielding more than 500 million metric tons annually.
While sustainability has been a key topic in rice farming for some time, its true potential has not yet been realized. At the forefront of sustainable rice innovation, RiceTec, a pioneering technology company, introduced the first commercial hybrid rice in the US in 2000. While hybrid rice originated in China, RiceTec was the first to bring this gamechanging technology to Western markets.
“ Rice is one of the world’ s four major crops- alongside soy, corn, and wheat- but has historically received relatively little technological innovation compared to the others,” opens Karsten Neuffer, who served as RiceTec’ s CEO at the time of the interview.“ It’ s a fascinating crop with deep cultural roots and diverse cultivation practices. Beyond its central role as a world food staple, rice is used in religious rituals, fermented drinks, biodegradable packaging, and even construction materials.”
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