Hybrid Rice: Bangladesh’s Failure and China’s Success

Excessive population pressure and low per capita landholding in Bangladesh often cause food crises. Recently, the country has achieved self-sufficiency in cereals production, at a marginal level, but still needs to continue importing. Therefore, to ensure food security of the ever-increasing population, it needs to increase the per hectare food production in Bangladesh. Rice is the key crop of the country, as an estimated 75 percent of the people’s caloric intake comes from rice because of the suitability of the climate for rice production and the rice-based food habits of the nation. Hybrid rice technologies can help the nation to meet the future food demand. Although the country has an overwhelming demand for rice, farmers are not significantly adopting the high-yielding hybrid varieties. On the contrary, the popularity of hybrid rice is declining among the farmers. Researchers have identified that socio-economic reasons are the main causes behind low/no adoption. This article critically analyzes the reasons behind the low-level adoption of hybrid rice in Bangladesh and simultaneously, examines the successful experiences of China’s hybrid rice production. Finally, the study shows the future directions for hybrid rice improvements and adoption in the country.