Rice is the staple food for more than half the world's population.
Asia currently grows and consumes 90 percent of the world's rice. Rice consumption in many Asian countries is forecast to increase faster than population growth. According to the paper, the current level of production needs to grow steadily at 1.8 percent a year. According to FAO forecasts, world rice production will reach about 760 million tonnes of paddy rice by 2025. Over the next 10 to 20 years, as production slows and trade liberalization continues, many Asian countries are expected to move away from self-sufficiency in rice and become net importers.