The ancient African rice that could help farmers grapple with climate change
- Thousands of years ago, farmers in West Africa took a wild ancestor of rice and turned it into a crop of their own.
- But it was difficult to harvest and, over time, globally dominant Asian rice pushed it aside.
- Yet African rice survived in some of the region's harshest growing conditions, coping with drought, deep water, poor soil, pests and punishing heat.
Unverified
- Thousands of years ago, farmers in West Africa took a wild ancestor of rice and turned it into a crop of their own.
- But it was difficult to harvest and, over time, globally dominant Asian rice pushed it aside.
- Yet African rice survived in some of the region's harshest growing conditions, coping with drought, deep water, poor soil, pests and punishing heat.
Sources: RFI