Patrick WinnJanuary 7, 2010 07:33Updated May 30, 2010 13:18

BANGKOK, Thailand — To many tiny, overdeveloped or arid nations, Southeast Asia’s jade-green fields have never looked more desirable.

The rice and beans war

Alex LeffMarch 23, 2009 17:57Updated May 30, 2010 12:47

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica — They may not have an army, but Costa Ricans have found a way to cook enough rice and beans to feed one, especially when it comes to making the nation’s favorite breakfast, gallo pinto, or rice and beans.

In-Depth Series: Rice 2.0

Emily LodishNovember 27, 2011 20:45

Rice is responsible for feeding half the world. In other words, rice is important. A tweak to how it's grown, sold or eaten sends ripples round the world. Toxic rice in China. How the grain changed Indonesian culture. And why genetically altered rice could save millions of Indians.

Rice 2.0: Golden rice a golden opportunity?

Jason OverdorfNovember 28, 2011 07:28

NEW DELHI — Environmentalists fear the new variety might spread and overwhelm other native crops. Advocates of organic farming fear “tampering with nature.”

Rice 2.0: Climate changes rice in Japan

Justin McCurryNovember 28, 2011 07:28

TOKYO — Experts say that the quality of Japanese rice will continue to decline due to global warming, unless changes are made in the crop's cultivation and management.

Rice 2.0: Toxic rice in China

Kathleen E. McLaughlinNovember 28, 2011 07:27

BEIJING — Chinese food-safety experts say tainted rice is only the tip of the iceberg and points to wider problems in China’s food supply.

Rice 2.0: Is rice the enemy?

Kate LambNovember 28, 2011 07:28

JAKARTA — Several decades ago many Indonesians relied on staples such as potatoes, corn and sago, until former dictator Suharto forced everyone to eat rice.

Rice 2.0: Thai rice subsidies affect markets worldwide

Patrick WinnNovember 28, 2011 07:28

BANGKOK — Depending on who you ask, government subsidies for rice are either a compassionate welfare scheme or the end of Thailand’s grip on the global rice industry.

Japan: Radioactive rice found near Fukushima

News DeskNovember 17, 2011 08:19

Levels of radioactive cesium were well over the legal safety limit, according to tests.

Mariya KarimjeeNovember 1, 2011 17:20

Food security for 7 billion

Dr. Nafis Sadik writes about feeding the world's 7 billion people.

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Bangladeshi women queue up with containers to receive water in Dhaka. The capital needs 2.2 billion litres of water a day, but the city's water authorities can supply just 1.9 billion litres, according to official figures. (Munir Uz Zaman/AFP/Getty Images)

This week, the birth of a baby somewhere took the world population past the 7 billion mark. That’s something to celebrate. Few thought the world could sustain that many people, ever – yet here we are. If you’re over 45, world population has doubled in your lifetime, and it’s still growing. But the news is not all good.