Worldwide, rice is the most important food staple. It is grown on approximately 155 million hectares and accounts for one-fifth of the global calorie supply. Although traditionally an Asian crop, rice has long been a staple in parts of Africa and Latin America, and its importance is growing in those regions. Roughly 900 million of the world’s poor (defi ned as those with daily income below US$1.25 in terms of purchasing power parity) depend on rice as producers or as consumers. Therefore, an abundant and stable supply of affordable rice is critical for reducing poverty and hunger. Rice is one of the two crops (along with wheat) that spurred the Green Revolution. The Green Revolution led to higher productivity and incomes for farmers, greater demand for unskilled farm labor, and ultimately lower prices for consumers. These three characteristics brought large benefits to a wide swath of the population in Asia in particular and made a huge impact on global food production and poverty reduction.