Dollars for agricultural research are an investment for peace.

(From Canberra Times)

I F ASIA is to alleviate rural poverty and quell the instability it causes, publicly funded rice research needs revitalised donor support.

Terrorism and instability are taking hold in parts of Asia. Unrest in Indonesia and the Philippines in particular has killed thousands, most dramatically in the Bali bombings of 2002.

Blaming a lack of funding for public rice research may seem a long bow to draw, but the link between rice production, poverty and stability is real.

The United Nations has declared 2004 the International Year of Rice in recognition of its economic, social, political and cultural importance as the daily staple of half of humanity.

Rice directly or indirectly supports hundreds of millions of people, so improving farmers' ability to grow rice efficiently and sustainably is essential for ensuring food security, alleviating poverty and improving the well-being of rural and urban populations alike. Millions of the world's poorest acquire 60 to 70 per cent of their calories from rice and spend up to 40 per cent of their incomes on it.

A good example of how much helping rice farmers can accomplish is the tremendous success of the Australian Government's effort through AusAID to rehabilitate the Cambodian rice industry after Pol Pot's regime was overthrown. Australia's work massively contributed to improving the lives of desperately poor Cambodians.