Rice ─ Origin, Antiquity and History

According to archaeologists rice was first domesticated in the basin of Yangtze River in China about 9000 years BP. Subsequently, its cultivation started in Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent. From China, its cultivation spread to Korea and Japan. From India, it spread to West Asia, Europe and Africa and then to the New World. There is a `cousin' of rice that was domesticated in the Inner Delta of Niger River in West Africa about 3000 years ago but this has remained confined to tropical West Africa only. During the last nine millennia or so, man has improved the plant, increased its productivity and has found various uses of its parts. But, more than that, the plant has changed the life of people. Man, who was a hunter-gatherer before its domestication, adopted a sedentary life, built civilizations and created myths, ceremonies and rituals associated with this crop especially in the eastern, southeastern and southern regions of Asia.

The story of rice differs from region to region and has been different in different periods of time. There was a time when tax was collected in the form of rice in Japan, the Southeast Asian Kingdoms created hydraulic feats for its cultivation and Ottoman armies advanced with rice as their ration. In recent years, there have been riots due to scarcity of rice and also international efforts to produce enough rice to avoid hunger. The book provides an interesting reading of all such events in the course of its 9000 years long history.

Dr. S.D. Sharma, the editor of the book, has fifty years of experience on rice research especially on its origin, domestication and diversity. The chapters have been contributed by experts who have long years of experience in their respective fields and regions.