23rd National Paddy Day Celebrated with 'Climate-Friendly Technology, Self-Sufficiency in Paddy, and Prosperity' Theme

Rice, the main food source for more than half of the world's population, is an important cereal crop. Nepal ranks 17th in the world in terms of rice production. In Nepal, rice cultivation can be successfully done at altitudes ranging from 60 to 3050 meters above sea level, and it is also known as the country that cultivates rice at the highest altitude in the world.

Archaeological evidence shows that rice cultivation began about eight to ten thousand years ago. Among the approximately 24 wild and cultivated species belonging to the Oryza genus, two main species are cultivated. Most of the world's rice falls under Oryza sativa, while the rice cultivated in West Africa falls under the species Oryza glaberrima.