No Rice, No money.

Besides its role as a affordable dietary staple, rice functions as a livelihood for countless Southeast Asians. Rice production is an important source of income for Southeast Asia, primarily Thailand, Vietnam and Burma. (David B. Johnston, 1981) There is a significant increase in demand for rice, not only within Southeast Asia, but throughout the globe. With the increasing affluence of Asian culture, rice has come to make its name as a household staple in many parts of the world. Rice has evolved in significance over centuries, yet it continues to hold such importance to the structure of civilization today. As such, we can no longer neglect the role of rice and its functions in society today.

We say that we cannot live without rice. Literally, there are Southeast Asians who cannot. Rice farmers depend on the demand for rice to make a living. Cultivation of rice is their primary source of income. Majority of these farmers come from the rural areas of many undeveloped nations like Thailand and Vietnam. Export of rice contributes to a large portion of the country’s Gross Domestic Product(GDP). Global rice production goes up to more than 550 million tones annually! The demand for rice comes mainly from Asians, as rice is a staple food here in Southeast Asia. From these demand arises the need for supply, which is substantiated by rice farmers, trading companies and distributors. This chain is vitally linked together by the large consumption rate.

Now, what happens when there is a change in consumers’ preference? This question is inevitable when we witness the supersonic pace of modernization today. Countries are developing at an incredible rate and consumers are being exposed to so many other cultures. Cultures are being exchanged and experienced by everyone. The media, better living standards, higher education level all contribute to the increasing affluence of Southeast Asians. In the words of George Ritzer (2004), we are being Macdonaldized. We are spoilt for choice. A person can now choose to eat pasta, noodles, burgers and the list goes on. With the variety of choices provided by exposure to different cultures and media influences, why would Southeast Asians continue to consume rice as compared to before?

This change in taste buds extrapolates into a severe problem that breaks the vital link between demand for rice and its supply. Since 1996 till 2006, contribution to GDP in Thailand from agriculture has dipped from 11% to only 8.8%. (Travel Document Systems – Economy) Farmers will experience the hardest hit. Already, rice cultivation barely helps them to make ends meet and many farmers have to work in cities as labourers, especially in Thailand and Vietnam during non-cultivation season for income. Without the need for rice production, many farmers will be affected adversely. Lack of jobs and insufficient income might eventually have dire consequences on society. Imagine if one farmer loses his “rice bowl”, the whole family is affected. Now if we multiply the one farmer by the actual number of rice farmers today, how many people will suffer?



References :

Rice Cultivation in Thailand: The Development of an Export Economy by Indigenous Capital and Labor
David B. Johnston
Modern Asian Studies, Vol. 15, No. 1. (1981), pp. 107-126.

The McDonaldization of Society 4th edition (2004)
George Ritzer

Travel Document Systems - Economy : Thailand Asia, retreived 26th March, 2007 from the World Wide Web :
http://www.traveldocs.com/th/economy.htm