Author(s)

K. Okamoto, S. Shindo & H. Kawashima

Abstract

Sustainable rice cropping and water resources in Asia K. ~kamoto', S. shindo' & H. ~awashima~ '~ational Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences, Japan 2 Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Tokyo, Japan Abstract One-half of the population in the world lives in Asia. The population of Asia is predicted to grow in the first half of the 21st century. An increase in unit yield and expansion of irrigated fields are solutions to feed the growing population of Asia. At present, it is suggested that agricultural activities sustain an ecosystem. Is such sustainable development possible? Here focused on major river basins with rice-cropping zones from East to South Asia. The amount of available water for cultivating rice and the potential irrigation land area under the present climatic conditions were estimated. Then possible changes in water quality in the future were discussed. The data include those on the course of a river, land-uselland-cover classification, population

Keywords