Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
RICE CUL TIV ATION
Recent archaeological evidence from Zhejiang province
in southern China indicates that rice was domesticated
there around 5000 BC .Scientists think that its hearth area
was in Southeast Asia, possibly Thailand, around 9,000
years ago. Gujarat in western India was another site of
domestication. Swidden plots housed initial rice cultiva-
tion that was not irrigated. Wet-rice production did not
become well established in China until the fourteenth
century and in India even later. Rice cultivation diffused
to Japan either via Korea or across the sea around 300 to
400 BC It was introduced into Java by sea from India, but
as elsewhere, irrigated cultivation was not well organized
until much later. Eventually rice replaced millets as the
main food grain in the warmer parts of Asia.
T Today rice is the staple food of more than half the
world' is population, and 90 percent of it is grown in
Monsoon Asia. The inclusion of Asian colonies into the
international economy stimulated population move-
ments and the establishment of commercial, wet-rice sys-
tems in major river deltas. The Irrawaddy (Ayeyarwady),
Menam (Chao Praya), and Mekong deltas were occupied
between 1850 and 1930 and exported rice to Asia and
the world.
“Rice bowls,” intensive rice-growing areas, were
founded on environmental circumstances and human in-
genuity regarding methodology and technology . Paddy
preparation, water distribution systems, seedbed cultiva-
tion, sowing and/or transplanting techniques, along with
terracing and irrigating slopes are only some of the re-
quirements Figure 5-3. Farms are generally small,
around 2 to 4 acres (1-2 ha). Plots are small as well, dis-
allowing the use of large machines. Although the use of
chemicals—fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides, and
fungicides—are widespread, mechanization is not, ex-
cept for some parts of Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.
Mechanization is increasing in parts of Southeast Asia
such as Thailand and Indonesia.
In Asia, three types of rice are cultivated: indica ,
japonica , and javanica . Indica varieties have long grains
that remain separated when boiled. Japonicas have
shorter, stickier grains. Javanicas are somewhere in be-
tween. Indicas and javanicas dominate in tropical and
subtropical areas while japonicas excel in cooler latitudes
and at higher elevations. There are glutinous and non-
glutinous varieties in all categories.
Farmers typically grow several varieties, depend-
ing on their own food preferences, market demand,
and ceremonial requirements. They are also conscious
of variation in maturation periods that can take from
90 to 260 days. Where temperatures permit, faster
ripening varieties, like indicas , allow double or even
triple cropping. Quick-ripening rice is critical where
water supply is unstable.
Wet-rice cultivation relies on either rainfall or irriga-
tion. In hilly areas, rice is grown on irrigated terraces. In
deeply flooded areas like delta regions, floating rice is
grown. It makes up a quarter of Bangladesh' s rice output,
for example. Elongated stems grow in concert with rising
water in the wet season, keeping the grains above the wa-
ter that may be several feet (meters) high. Floating rice is
tended by wading or from boats.
Figure 5-3
These dramatic rice terraces in northern Luzon in
the Philippines are testimony to the persistence of
cultural traditions dating back 2000 years. The
terraces follow the contours of the mountains and
use mountain streams channeled into elaborate
systems for irrigation. ©Tammy David/AFP/Getty
Images, Inc.
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