As Japan swelters, farmers turn to new heat-resistant rice varieties to boost staple crop
New rice varieties give hope that farmers can overcome the climate emergency and a warmer future that threatens harvests
TL;DR
- Farmers in Japan are adopting heat-resistant rice varieties to cope with rising temperatures and dry summers.
- New strains like 'hinatamaru' are thriving despite conditions that previously damaged rice yields.
- Extreme heat leads to immature, chalky grains unsuitable for the market, impacting farmers' income and national food security.
- Saga prefecture is leading the adoption of heat-tolerant varieties, with nearly 67% of its rice acreage dedicated to them.
- The development and spread of these new varieties are seen as a race against time, especially given Japan's aging farming population.
- Farmers are also changing work practices, such as inspecting crops at night, and considering heat-loving crops like avocados.
- Greenpeace Japan warns that heatwaves threaten iconic autumn crops, including rice, and emphasizes the need for systemic solutions beyond individual farmer ingenuity.