(Working Groups 4-6)
Of about 150 million hectares of world rice area in the mid-1990’s, about 14 million hectares were planted to upland rice – 8.9 million hectares in Asia, 3.1 million hectares in Latin America, and 1.8 million hectares in Africa.
Upland rice contributes only 4% to total world rice production. Grain yields average about 1 ton/hectare in low-input systems, but may reach about 2 tons/hectare in the favorable uplands.
Upland rice is grown in low-lying valley bottoms to undulating and steep sloping lands. In Southeast Asia, most upland rice is grown on rolling and mountainous land with slopes varying from 0% to more than 40%.
Upland rice is primarily grown as a subsistence crop. It is critical to the food security of impoverished communities that do not produce enough lowland rice to meet their needs. It is used to bridge families through the “hungry month” – a period before lowland crops can be harvested.
Upland rice farmers use farming systems ranging from shifting to permanent cultivation.
