What Surprising Food Has a Global Impact on Climate Change?

One of the most surprising facts about food is the significant impact of rice cultivation on global climate change. Rice paddies, which are flooded fields used for growing rice, create anaerobic conditions that lead to the production of methane, a greenhouse gas that is over 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide in trapping heat in the atmosphere. In fact, rice cultivation is responsible for about 10% of global methane emissions. This poses a unique challenge for food security, as rice is a staple food for more than half of the world's population. Various agricultural practices, such as intermittent flooding and the use of alternative wetting and drying techniques, are being explored to mitigate these emissions while still ensuring that rice production meets the demands of a growing population.