Food Security Cooperation through Emergency Rice Reserve

Abstract

One of the most salient features of East Asia is diversity. The region is diverse in terms of its degree of economic development, political systems, resource endowments, and cultural traditions including religions. However, East Asia has an important commonality in diet: rice is the main staple food, being an integral part of the culture and the people’s life style. Accordingly, East Asia has maintained a special status in rice production and rice trade in the world. Some two-thirds of world rice production originates in East Asia, and nearly half of global rice exports come from this region.