ABSTRACT
Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a principal food for 3 billion people, providing up to 23% of the caloric needs worldwide. Although rice is cultivated in more than 100 countries across the world, Asia still accounts for 91% of rice production and 87% of rice consumption (Khush, 1997; https://apps.fao.org; www.irri.org; GRiSP, 2013). In sub-Saharan Africa, the high rate of population growth, urbanization, changes in employment patterns, rising income levels and changes in consumer preferences make rice the fastest growing staple crop in the region (Seck et al., 2012; GRiSP, 2013). A similar trend in population growth, coupled with the steady increase in per capita consumption is continuously spurring rice demands in Latin America and Middle East. In the United States and countries in the European Union, shifts from protein to high-fibre diet, as well as the increase in the number of Asian and Hispanic immigrants has resulted in a growing per capita consumption of rice (GRiSP, 2013).
