Less than two decades ago, the world was focusing on the impending food crisis across Asia, which was given little hope of ever being able to meet its rapidly growing food demand. Since then, Asia has made a quantum leap in food production. Technological innovations and policies that promoted intensive rice production systems helped achieve this. The authors of this book argue that there is a growing sense of complacency about future food supplies in Asia and that such complacency is not warranted.

While rice productivity may increase, this will be limited by a number of factors:...