Feeding 1 in 6. Who grows the rice

Feed: a food systems podcast

Feed: a food systems podcast
Feeding 1 in 6. Who grows the rice
Jun 03, 2026
TABLEdebates.org

One-third of the world's rice is grown in China, on less than a fifth of the world's rice-growing area, by farmers whose average age is over 55, in a countryside that is slowly emptying. This episode asks how that's possible, and how much longer it can last.

For more info, transcript and resources, visit: https://tabledebates.org/podcast/
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Guests

  • Lena Kaufmann, Social Anthropologist at Université de Fribourg
  • Li Zhang, Prof in Sociology and Environmental Studies at Amherst Colleage

Episode written, hosted, produced and edited by Matthew Kessler. Sound mixing by Martin Palmqvist. Music by Blue dot sessions.