Rice Art in Thailand

Southeast Asia's rich heritage of rice cultivation is celebrated with a giant organic work of art, which is to remind governments to protect the most important food crop from the threats of genetic engineering and climate change. The ‘Rice Art’ occupies an area of 16,000 square metres and depicts farmers wearing straw hats and using sickles to harvest rice - reflecting the traditions and way of life of rice farmers. Greenpeace planted their work of art in Thailand’s Central Plains - an area recognised as one of Southeast Asia’s most fertile rice producing regions - with two colours of organic rice. One is an irrigated local rice variety which appears green from above, and the second is a traditional black rice variety.

Rice is inextricably linked with the culture and way of life of people in Southeast Asia and this rich rice heritage must be protected through sustainable rice farming. The best way to do this is to safeguard rice against risky technologies like genetic engineering, and invest in productive and ecological farming methods that are not dependent on harmful chemical inputs. According to Greenpeace, governments in Southeast Asia should issue an outright ban on GE crops, particularly GE rice. Rice is the most important food crop in Southeast Asia - accounting for around 25 % of the total world rice production in 2008. But rice production in countries such as Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand face threats from profit-driven bio-tech corporations.

Greenpeace