Rice
Climate Risk in Rice Value Chains
Temperature increases, rising sea levels, and changes in rainfall patterns could lead to substantial impacts on land and water resources needed for reliable rice production. Continuous groundwater extraction for rice paddy irrigation is already resulting in a steep decline in groundwater availability. Further along the value chain, climate change can cause an increased risk of mold, insect infestation, fungi and diseases that could negatively affect processing and storage. These impacts ultimately influence the quality and quantity of rice produced, which can result in price volatility and lower food availability.
How Does Climate Change Affect the Rice Value Chain?
The production of rice is affected by different climate threats along its value chain. Click on the buttons below to find information about how climate hazards affect each link of the value chain:
Land Suitability
Rice cultivation is highly vulnerable to climate fluctuations, which especially affect temperature and availability of water. However, the effects vary across geography, resulting in both risks and opportunities. Explore the visualizations below to learn more about how land suitability for rice production may change in the future due to climate change.
Labor
Workers in agricultural value chains-- both those that work outside and those that work in facilities-- are vulnerable to increased heat stress, which affects the health of individuals and reduces labor productivity. The Universal Thermal Climate Index identifies outdoor conditions that cause discomfort to people using a combination of temperature, humidity, wind, and radiation to determine the stress (sweating, shivering, skin wetness, etc.) a person undergoes when exposed to outdoor conditions. Values between 9-26 means no thermal stress. Values above 26 are approaching heat stress, with values above 46 meaning extreme heat stress. Values below 9 are approaching cold stress, with values below -40 meaning extreme cold stress.
Germination
Rice seeds are the most sensitive to drought and high temperature during early seed development. The earlier plant drought occurs, the greater the damage to subsequent seed quality. (Rahman, Ellis, 2019) Additionally, seed quality in Japonica rice can reduce considerably when produced under warmer (34/26°C) rather than cooler (28/20°C) temperatures.
Water
Rice is particularly vulnerable to water stress as its production has traditionally required large inputs of water. Climate change will exacerbate water resources availability as well as the reliability of rainfall, putting rice production at risk.
