Rice is humankind’s most important crop, not only as food for almost half the world’s population but also as a source of employment for millions of the world’s poorest, who may have no other source of income. As well, rice is a foundation stone for some of the world’s most important and oldest cultures. In conjunction with the International Year of Rice (IYR) 2004—as declared by the United Nations General Assembly in November 2003—the Korean Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF), the Rural Development Administration (RDA), and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) are jointly organizing the International Rice Science Conference in Korea to consider how rice will affect human welfare in the 21st century.

This conference will provide a forum for the presentation and discussion of the latest rice research on a wide range of related issues such as food security, biotechnology, environmental conservation, the impact of the rice industry on national economies, and the multiple functions of rice cultivation as both an economic and recreational activity. Several of the world’s leading rice scientists will examine these issues, which will serve as a backdrop for detailed scientific exchanges.

The conference is open to all who are interested in rice science and the economic, sociological, and cultural aspects of rice production—including representatives from governments, nongovernment organizations, private-sector organizations, research institutes, universities, the media, and the general public. There is no conference fee.

The conference will be divided into four sessions (see Session organization for a listing of the keynote and concurrent speakers):

• Increasing the potential of rice yields
• Eco-friendly and sustainable rice-cultivating methods
• Improving the grain quality and nutritional value of rice
• The social and economic impact of rice cultivation

Organizers and
co-organizers