Resource information
Rice is the world’s most heavily
consumed staple crop. Its production requires enormous
volumes of water and emits large quantities of atmospheric
methane, a greenhouse gas some many times more powerful than
carbon dioxide - particularly during a medium term period of
about seven years. In a global context of growing
population, increasingly scarce water resources, and climate
change, more productive, sustainable, and efficient rice
production warrants clear priority. The incidence of
droughts associated with climate change is projected to
increase in rain fed rice-growing areas, and may very well
extend further into water-scarce irrigated areas. A variety
of climate-smart practices and technologies are available
which can move rice production towards a triple win scenario
which entails increased productivity, enhanced resilience,
and improved greenhouse gas mitigation. This review of World
Bank projects focus on the application of sustainable
principles in rice production in 172 Bank projects that were
approved between 1984 and 2011. These had a total lending
volume of 10.9 billion dollars. Their development outcomes
are gauged based on the projects’ implementation completion
reports, which also document lessons learned and results in
greater detail.
