Simulated Vietnam rice fields produce rice alternatives in Wagga Wagga
A research project funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), through Charles Sturt University, has produced highly durable and sustainable food alternatives to rice by simulating international climates in a glasshouse in Wagga Wagga.
The project ‘Farmer’s options for crops under saline conditions in the Mekong River Delta, Vietnam’ has seen full lifecycle growth of quinoa and cowpea, foods that can be grown in harsh conditions in Australia and around the world.
By simulating the high salinity and high-temperature conditions of the rice fields in the Mekong River Delta in Vietnam at the Charles Sturt glasshouse in Wagga Wagga, the process used to grow these increasingly popular and highly nutritious foods lends itself to increased food security globally.
Alexandra Cooper
