SmartRice is a new brand of sustainable rice that claims to be much more eco-friendly than other types – but can it feed the planet and mitigate global hunger?
SmartRice was invented by RiceTec, a global rice seed company, with Whitaker Grain, Arkansas rice farmers, and was assisted by Agreeta Farmer Network (AFN).
SmartRice is a sustainable rice product grown by using more sustainable methods to reduce the use of agricultural resources, the company claims.
According to RiceTec’s research, SmartRice produces 50% fewer carbon emissions while using 20% less land and 50% less water than traditionally grown rice, based on average farm and state data.
This is important information when you take into account what RiceTec says about rice production: By 2050, worldwide rice productivity will need to increase by as much as 70% just to keep up with the increasing population.
Rice is the most consumed calorie-food worldwide and the second highest in worldwide production. RiceTec say they provide an innovative system, fuelled by more than six years of research, that produces more sustainable rice by using less land, water, and other resources.
SmartRice has the smallest carbon footprint of all commercially grown rice; this is due to a higher photosynthetic rate, and naturally occurring pest and disease tolerance, which ultimately requires less water, nitrogen, and pesticides.
SmartRice’s sustainable rice product is grown and distributed by Whitaker Grain, a family-owned, fifth-generation farm in Arkansas. In addition to using highly researched methods, Whitaker Grain also uses hybrid rice to qualify as a SmartRice producer.
“Today’s consumers are hungry for sustainability,” says Tim Williamson, Marketing Director for RiceTec.
“They are demanding environmental common sense out of everything they buy – including the food put on their table and the food given to their pets. That is precisely what SmartRice delivers.
“New and innovative rice growing methods, such as alternate wetting and drying, precision irrigation, and solar energy allow us to conserve natural resources, increase rice yields, and provide habitat to waterfowl,” added rice farmer, Jim Whitaker.
“SmartRice delivers more rice using less land and resources to satisfy the world’s growing appetite.”
